Ryanair: Most passengers hit by scrapped flights 'processed'

Ryanair has re-routed or refunded 90% of the 400,000 customers affected by flight cancellations this winter, the airline announced.

It has also dealt with 99% of the 315,000 affected by scrapped journeys in September and October, up from 98% announced last Tuesday .

The airline has faced heavy criticism after scrapping flights, blaming an error over pilot holiday rotas.

:: Ryanair cancellations: your rights

Ryanair said last month that 2,100 flights would be cancelled in September or October - or as many as 50 a day.

In a further blow to customers just over a week later, an additional 18,000 flights for the winter season were scrapped.

The latest update on the fiasco said all 315,000 customers in the first tranche of cancellations had been emailed, with 311,000 re-routings or refunds "processed".

Ryanair said 4,000 remaining customers had yet to get in touch.

For the winter cancellations, all 400,000 customers had been contacted and 360,000 "processed" - a figure expected to rise to 380,000, or 95%, this week.

Chief (Taiwan OTC: 3345.TWO - news) marketing office Kenny Jacobs reiterated the airline's apology to customers.

The airline's chief executive Michael O'Leary has also already said sorry for the "mess" and told the company's annual shareholder meeting that he took personal responsibility for the "cock-up".

It emerged over the weekend that Ryanair's chief operations officer Michael Hickey was to leave the airline after nearly 30 years, in the wake of the fiasco.

The airline was fiercely criticised on the wake of the cancellations by Andrew Haines, head of the Civil Aviatiom Authority (CAA).

He said he was "furious" with the carrier, which he said appeared to show "disregard for consumers and the law".

The CAA said Ryanair had not told customers about European rules which entitled them to be re-routed by another carrier.

The airline has since emailed customers, informing them of their rights to receive a refund or be transferred on to other flights or travel by train, bus, or hire car.