Yahoo Finance Ryanair To Customers: Register For EU Poll
Ryanair is intensifying its barrage of communications supporting a 'Remain' vote in the EU referendum by urging millions customers to register ahead of next week's deadline.
Sky News has obtained an email that will be sent on Friday by the Dublin-based carrier to more than five million UK-based passengers and 300,000 British citizens living elsewhere in the European Union (EU).
Michael O'Leary, the Ryanair chief executive, has been increasingly voluble about the importance of retaining the UK's EU membership as polling day has drawn nearer.
In the latest email, the airline will tell customers: "As the UK’s largest airline, we are absolutely clear that the UK economy and its future growth prospects are stronger as a member of the European Union than they are outside of the EU.
"A Remain vote will lead to more job creation, stronger economic growth, more foreign direct investment – and more importantly, even more low fares.
"We agree the EU needs reform, but we need the UK to remain in the EU to drive this change.
"We urge all British citizens to vote Remain on 23 June. Just don't miss the registration deadline of 7 June."
A Ryanair source confirmed the contents of the email, which follow warnings from Ryanair executives that it would redirect future investment from Britain to elsewhere in the EU if the referendum results in a decision to exit.
Mr O'Leary's claims have drawn strong criticism from Vote Leave, the pro-Brexit campaign group, which denies his argument that leaving the EU would result in higher air fares.
Ryanair's email to customers is a rarity in the extent to which it communicates an explicit corporate view from a big company during a strictly regulated campaign.
The email also includes a broader promotion of its current European seat-sale, which insiders said reflected advice taken by Ryanair regarding referendum-related promotional activity.
Vote Leave has already complained about a previous Ryanair advertisement which offered discounted flights to customers who wanted to return to the UK to register a vote in favour of staying in the EU.
The CBI, Britain's biggest employers' group, said last month that its members should seek to explain the implications of the referendum to their workforces, although many have been reluctant to do so.
On the pro-Brexit side of the debate, the pub chain JD Wetherspoon this week printed 200,000 beer-mats pouring scorn on the credibility of Christine Lagarde, the IMF managing director, who has warned that leaving the EU would be economically damaging.
