Ryanair CEO slams ‘dumb’ EU and vows planes will leave without passengers | World | News

Ryanair’s top boss has issued a warning to passengers about being on time for flights while delivering a damning verdict on the European Union’s travel rules.

He said that it is travellers’ responsibility to arrive for flights on time. He also called EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen ‘stupid’ during his appearance on the podcast.

British holidaymakers have had to add the add the stress of the EU’s entry-exit system (EES) to their travel plans after a change to the digital borders scheme took effect in April.

This has led to waits of up to three hours at Schengen Area airports.

“We will not wait for anybody,” he said. “Our priority is to those passengers who are at the boarding gate when boarding starts.

“If you’re not at the boarding gate when we finish boarding, the plane is going without you.”

Hundreds of travellers on a range of airlines have missed planes since April, including Ryanair who watched their flights take off without them because of extreme delays at passport control.

Stranded travellers have spent hundreds of pounds on replacement flights and hotels, only to find that neither the airline nor travel insurers will cover the cost.

Mr O’Leary called the lack of passenger rights “regrettable”.

He said that Ryanair will not delay flights for passengers.

“We’re not delaying our flights for people who are stuck in passport control queues,” he said.

“They have to show up at the airport earlier [and] be at the boarding gate, otherwise they’re not flying.”