Ryanair has announced that it is cancelling a further 18,000 flights, in a move that will affect a further 400,000 passengers. The budget airline previously revealed it was cancelling up to 50 flights a day for the next six weeks in a bid to improve punctuality of flights and clear a backlog of staff leave by the end of the year.
STORY: Ryanair to cancel up to 50 flights a day for the next six weeks
Now the cuts will continue between November and March 2018, with a further 18,000 flights cut on 34 routes. Passengers should have already received the bad news via email with the offer of a refund or an alternative flight.
Ryanair has announced another wave of flight cancellations
They will also receive a travel voucher for £40 one-way or £80 return that can be used to book another Ryanair flight for travel between October and March 2018. The affected routes include London Stansted to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Gatwick to Belfast, Glasgow to Las Palmas and Newcastle to Faro.
Revealing news of the latest cancellations, Ryanair's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, said: "We sincerely apologise to those customers who have been affected by last week's flight cancellations, or these sensible schedule changes announced today. From today, there will be no more rostering-related flight cancellations this winter or in summer 2018."
STORY: Ryanair has made a big change to its hand luggage allowance
Money saving expert Martin Lewis appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday to explain the cancellations, and said that customers affected in the latest round of cuts won't be entitled to compensation. "If you're given more than two weeks' notice of a cancellation, you’re entitled to your money back or an alternative flight. You’re not entitled to compensation," Martin said. "Your alternative flight should be with Ryanair but if there isn't one suitable, you could call them up and say, ‘I want to be booked on another airline.'"
400,000 passengers will have been affected
The announcement comes just weeks after Ryanair also revealed that it was making changes to its hand luggage allowance, meaning passengers will no longer be able to take two pieces of cabin luggage on board. The old policy allowed customers to carry on a normal cabin bag, such as a wheelie case that measured 50cm x 40cm x 20cm, along with a smaller bag such as a handbag under 35cm x 20cm x 20cm. However from 1 November passengers will only be able to take their smaller handbag or small backpack on board, with any normal sized wheelie cases placed in the hold free of charge - as long as they weigh less than 10kg.
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