Ryanair 'triples' prices following Thomas Cook's collapse as holidaymakers slam ‘greedy’ airlines

25 September 2019, 16:17 | Updated: 25 September 2019, 16:19

Travel companies are being accused of "cashing in" on the tour operator's recent bankruptcy.

Ryanair has tripled its prices following the collapse of travel company Thomas Cook, according to holidaymakers.

Twitter users have slammed the Irish airline for allegedly bumping up the cost of its flights as furious passengers look to rebook their cancelled holidays.

Customers claimed prices were soaring in the wake of the public bankruptcy and have accused the discount flight provider, as well as many other travel companies, of "cashing in" on their misfortune.

Read more: Thomas Cook liquidation: What's happened to the travel company and how many Brits are stranded abroad?

Gaz Tottey took to Twitter to share his disdain, posting a screenshot of his Ryanair flights to show they had increased by almost £60.

He wrote: "@Ryanair these flights were £24.99 each on Saturday, and after today's new about @ThomasCookUK you do this!"

Social media user Lynsey also realised her Ryanair flights had leapt up in price, jumping from £240 that morning to £700 later that day.

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But Ryanair wasn't the only airline being attacked online.

Holiday providers including Jet2, TUI, First Choice, Virgin Airlines and EasyJet all received livid responses to their price hikes.

Dale Cross added: "Wake up to the news that Thomas cook have gone under, jump on @jet2tweets website to book replacement flights and shock the prices have hiked up massively, f**k you Jet2."

Matthew Smith branded TUI and First Choice "snakes" when he discovered his £3,700 Thomas Cook honeymoon had increased by a whopping £6,000, totalling over £10,000.

Olivia Howat blasted Jet2 for doubling the price of flights to Tenerife, tweeting: "Absolutely disgusting from @jet2tweets @Jet2Holiday within the space of an HOUR they've doubled the price of flights following the news of #ThomasCook collapsing. Yet another Typical greedy airline."

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A Twitter user named Mandy wrote: "@jet2tweets should be ashamed of yourselves..... same holiday I was looking at last week is now a price difference of bout £600 ever since thomas cook announced news of going bust..... shocking"

Passenger Anne-Marie Garvie said: "@VirginHolidays Absolutely disgusting that you have doubled the price of a Florida holiday in just a few hours.

"You should be utterly ashamed at cashing in on the demise of @ThomasCook. How can you expect people who have lost holidays to pay your prices. Disgusting!"

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MoneySavingExpert.com's Guy Anker addressed the "outrageous" behaviour in the travel industry and said: "We saw this for the Champions League final in May where Tottenham and Liverpool football fans were fleeced going to Madrid.

"I don’t for one second buy that it’s just supply and demand.

"Where prices have rocketed overnight at a time when Thomas Cook collapses, I think it’s an outrageous piece of profiteering."

Jack's Flight Club founder Jack Sheldon also explained that this behaviour would likely continue over the next few weeks.

He told The Guardian: "We expect you’ll see increases on long-haul routes to many Caribbean destination from London and even more so from Manchester, where Thomas Cook was quite dominant, in terms of direct routes to many holiday destinations."

Heart.co.uk has reached out to Ryanair for comment.