He Consumer Minister Pablo Bustnduyclown dress is the image used by the airline Ryanair for your new offers and discounts campaign. Michael O’Leary, CEO of the company, is also part of the action and has taken the opportunity to launch a new attack on the portfolio and demand the withdrawal of the fines imposed at the end of last year to the airlines Low Cost Retailing hand luggage.
“Reserve crazy prices before a clown raises prices” It is the Claim that Ryanair has chosen both to capture consumers’ attention to their low prices and to capture that of the minister and express their claims. “Avoid the circus” is also the phrase used to publish one of the photos on social networks.
With this particular communication Ryanair is making known that it makes users available to users up to 179,000 seats from € 19.99. An offer in which, following the company’s policy, the cabin suitcase rates are excluded, and is subject to the purchase of tickets before today, February 12. The promotion is oriented to those who want to travel between February 11 and March 31 of this year.
Beyond that, the Irish airline wanted to defend its cause warning consumers that the consumption fine, which amounts to 179 million euros for Ryanair, Vueling, Easyjet, Volotea and Norwegianwill increase rates in Spain. 107.8 million euros of these sanctions correspond to Ryanair.
As expressed in a statement, it considers that the sanctions are illegal and contrary to both the European Union legislation as to the Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the 2014 Vueling case.
“You should remove your illegal fines”
From the company They argue that the governments of the European Union cannot impose price regulations or fines on airlinessince they have guaranteed the freedom of pricing according to regulation 1008/2008. According to his statement, “Community airlines will freely set the rates and freight of intra -community air services ”(without any interference of national governments or ministers)“
It also points out, according to the aforementioned judgment of 2014, that the European Court ruled that, according to Ryanair, “The freedom enjoyed by airlines when setting the prices of their services is absolute” and “The concept of air rates covers a wide range of services, including luggage”
“Minister Bustinduy makes great statements demanding Ryanair to comply with an un specified Spanish law. However, the invented and illegal fines of 179 million euros for the hand luggage imposed by Mr. Bustinduy clearly violate EU legislation on the freedom of pricing of airlines, which prevents naive politicians from trying to interfere in the airline prices or regulate them“; Michael O’Leary said in the statement.
“Minister Bustinduy should remove his illegal fines”
And add: “Minister Bustinduy should remove their illegal fines for hand luggage and allow all airlines operating in Spain to reduce air rates and increase traffic, as Ryanair did in 2024 when our air rates were reduced by 8%”
He also comments that all the airlines in Spain oppose these “invented and illegal fines”On hand luggage, and states that if they continue They will assume an increase in aerial rates of at least two euros per ticket every year. In addition, he points out that the regulations “Protects the air companies from these wrong interventions of naive ministers disguised as consumer protectors”
O’Leary considers that consumption should take measures against online travel agencies (OTA), of those that ensure that they continue to apply overloads to consumers through air rates and other services of airlines. “Minister Bustinduy should explain why neither he nor Spanish consumer associations have taken measures against Otas that apply surcharges, in order to protect Spanish consumers”He said.
“Mr. Bustinduy has clearly failed when protecting consumers”, He said. “60 million passengers flew on Ryanair flights from and from Spain during the past year, which is 20 times more than the 3 million citizens who voted for this naive minister, to his party add their invented, but illegal, fines of fines, fines of fines, fines of 179 million euros for hand luggage”
Also comments that the low -price campaign launched is a sample of the Ryanair’s fight for offering low rates To consumers in Spain.
Bustinduy’s response and users’ criticism
On the other hand, Bustinduy has responded to Ryanair’s attack defending, to the doors of the Senate and at a press conference after the Council of Ministers, which, has fulfilled its obligation and has applied the law rigorously and also respect for community legislation. It refers to article 97 of the Spanish Air Navigation Law, which dates from 1960 and that Ryanair and other airlines call obsolete.
“It is not my style to participate in the eccentricities of a foreign millionaire and, in addition, to me, honestly, this does not offend me. What offends me is how Ryanair treats Spanish consumers”He said, according to five days. He has also said that his duty “It is defending the rights of Spanish consumers. I have done that and that I will continue doing with total determination where it is needed”
Users, on the other hand, have negatively valued the communication of the company. Almost all of the comments to the publication of Ryanair in X -The Twitter- allude to the company’s commercial policy, which they consider abusive. They also qualify the campaign of “shameful”And many say that They will not fly again with the company.
