Irish restaurant charge Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary with ‘priority seating’ fee
The airline exec saw almost €40 added to his bill
KickT
An Irish restaurant turned the tables on Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary adding charges for “extra leg space” and “priority booth seating” to the airline boss’s food bill.
Luvida in Navan, Co Meath, joked in a Facebook post on Friday evening: “Thank you to Michael O'Leary for choosing to dine with us tonight! It was a pleasure to host you.
“Hope you don't mind us adding some additional charges to your bill for extra leg space, priority booth seating and quiet area reservation.”
The Meath restaurant gave Mr O’Leary a bill with €37.85 (£32) in additional charges, including €7.95 for “extra leg space”, €9.95 for “priority booth seating” and a €19.95 “quiet reservation area” fee.
Luvida even added “terminal 1” to the top of the Ryanair CEO’s mock receipt, alongside his order – a bottle of pinot grigio, battered prawns, mushroom toast and sea bass dishes that came to a total of €142.30.
A photo of a grinning Mr O'Leary, 64, with a member of restaurant staff, accompanied the post.
Budget airline Ryanair is notorious for charging passengers for every extra – with additional costs for allocated seating, extra legroom, and printing out boarding passes at the airport often surprising travellers.
The cheeky charges were added as a joke – and restaurant manager Marika Chocianwoicz told the Sunday World that Mr O’Leary was let off paying the fees just this once.
Marika said: “I have those buttons on the till now so next time he’s getting charged.”
She added that Mr O’Leary left a “nice tip” following his meal.
Facebook users were quick to praise Luvida for the “brilliant” mock bill.
One commented: “Hope he was charged for any extras on his plate.”
“Brilliant would charge for the mints sweets also,” wrote another.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
