Ryanair apologizes after compensation checks bounce

A Portuguese woman, who preferred not to give her name, sits at a Ryanair airline check-in desk after her flight to Pisa, Italy, was canceled during the first of two days cabin crew strike at Adolfo Suarez-Barajas international airport in Madrid on July 25, 2018.  AP

LONDON — Ryanair has apologized after customers who received compensation for canceled flights complained that the checks bounced.

Europe’s largest discount airline says “a tiny number” of checks were issued without a signature because of an administrative error. Ryanair says new checks have been sent to customers along with a letter of explanation.

Ryanair says the problem involved 190 compensation checks out of some 20,000 issued in July. The company says “we apologize sincerely for this inconvenience, which arose out of our desire to issue these compensation checks quickly to our customers.”

Ryanair canceled hundreds of flights last year due to problems with pilot scheduling, and strikes have led to more cancellations this summer. European Union rules require compensation for canceled flights unless cancellations result from issues outside the airline’s control. /ee