Ryanair apologises after failing to sign compensation cheques

LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's biggest low-cost airline Ryanair apologised on Wednesday after it sent unsigned cheques to some passengers who were owed compensation for disrupted travel.

Thousands of Ryanair passengers have had their flights cancelled across Europe this summer due to air traffic control problems and pilot strikes. The airline carried 130 million passengers in the 12 months ended March 31 2018.

Ryanair said that it sent out 20,000 cheques to pay compensation in July and of those less than 190 had been posted without being signed in an administrative error, meaning that when customers tried to cash them, they failed.

"These cheques were re-issued last week and we apologise sincerely for this inconvenience," a Ryanair spokesman said in an emailed statement.

Ryanair endured its worst one-day strike earlier in August after a walk-out by pilots in five European countries disrupted the plans of an estimated 55,000 people at the height of the summer holiday season.

The budget operator plus rival European airlines have all been affected by air traffic control strikes, particularly in France.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton)