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Ryanair founder and chairman Michael O’Leary has fiercely criticized Spain’s Minister for Social Rights, Consumption, and Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy, (formerly Podemos, now Sumar), calling him a “crazy communist minister” in response to the €179 million in fines imposed on five low-cost airlines—Ryanair, Vueling, EasyJet, Norwegian, and Volotea—for charging passengers extra for hand luggage.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, O’Leary defended the airline’s policies, arguing that “passengers cannot take as much luggage as they want” while labelling the fines as “illegal and contrary to European law,” according to reports.
The Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced the sanctions last November, citing unfair practices such as additional charges for carry-on luggage and fees for reserving adjacent seats for dependent passengers.
Ryanair faces the largest fine at €107.7 million, followed by Vueling (€39.2 million), EasyJet (€29 million), Norwegian (€1.6 million), and Volotea (€1.18 million).
The airline has pushed back against the penalties, accusing the Ministry of fabricating the fines.
Meanwhile, Ryanair has also taken aim at Spain’s ‘empty’ regional airports, questioning their viability, while Aena, the Spanish airport operator, has criticised the airline’s tactics, calling it “full-blown blackmail.”
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