War in Ukraine: Ryanair accused of profiting from the mass departures of refugees

With the influx of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, flights are filling up.

And the Irish company Ryanair, according to the Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland, benefits from this.

Larysa Gerasko deplored the increase in air ticket prices on Tuesday, reports the Irish newspaper The Independent.

A charge strongly contested by the company's leader, Michael O'Leary.

Asked in the Irish Parliament about the proposal to set up charter flights from Poland, one of the main countries hosting Ukrainian refugees, the ambassador welcomed the initiative, arguing that it was "very difficult to buy tickets from Warsaw or Krakow to Dublin.

Especially, I would like to point out, that Ryanair has increased its fares, and that is unfortunate,” she said.

The ambassador claimed to have raised the problem with Ryanair, without however having received a response.

But on Wednesday, the CEO of the low-

denied any hike in ticket prices for Ukrainian refugees.

“This is totally wrong, we have very cheap flights to and from Poland.

We have verified this with all airports, all flights fill up, and as they fill up they pay the highest fares.

But we have flights today, tomorrow and the next few days at 20 euros, 50 euros one way.

There are many cheap flights, ”he defended to The Independent.

Elected officials call for free flights for refugees

The last places selling more expensive are thus in accordance with the operation of the sale of tickets at Ryanair, and not because of the crisis in Ukraine, he assures.

"The last seats that fill up on each flight are always the most expensive, that's how we sell so many seats at 20 or 30 euros," defends Michael O'Leary.

Several elected officials, such as Senator Gerry Horkan, have also asked Ryanair to make their flights free for refugees, instead of increasing the price of their tickets.

“Ryanair and other airlines should offer free flights to refugees, or failing that, offer flights at the lowest possible cost,” leftist MP John Brady wrote in a statement.

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“Airlines need to work alongside NGOs and government agencies to determine what their needs are and how they can contribute,” he continues.

Several railway companies in Europe have decreed free transport for Ukrainian refugees in recent weeks, such as the SNCF in France, or the Deutsche Bahn in Germany.