Ryanair, the big discount airline, is taking a step back from one of its ambitions by closing down its two-year-old package holidays division. The shutdown will not affect holidays already booked.
The airline has diversified in recent years, trying to become “the Amazon of travel,” with divisions that sell event tickets, rent cars and book hotel rooms. But the complexity of organizing and managing packages was apparently too much, and did not attract the big audience expected from airline passengers.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Independent Travel Agents Association told reporters “It’s not a surprise to us…Ryanair is an airline. It is a fantastic company from that point of view, but when it comes to looking after people, that is a travel agent’s profession.”
Ryanair spokespeople declined comment beyond the bare announcement of the closing.
