Ryanair sues UK for $5.6m terror loss

LONDON: Ryanair said it would sue the British government for £3m ($5.6m) for lost earnings caused by extra security measures imposed after a foiled plot to bomb US-bound jets. “We have today submitted a claim for compensation to the UK Department for Transport under Section 93 of the Transport Act 2000,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said in a statement to the LSE.

‘The value of the claim is just over £3m and reflects Ryanair’s losses from cancellations and lost bookings over the week of August 10-16 only.”

The move came after the expiry of Ryanair’s seven-day ultimatum, issued to the government last week, to restore airport security measures to normal levels or run the risk of being sued for compensation. Ryanair has been one of the most vocal critics of the impact of heightened security introduced at British airports on August 10.