Ryanair ponders grounding aircraft

The chief executive of one of Europe's biggest airlines has threatened to ground its planes after Britain leaves the European Union in March 2019 to make the country "rethink" its decision.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, a prominent supporter of the Remain campaign during the 2016 referendum, said he is considering the move to show voters how they were "lied to".

Speaking to airline leaders in Brussels, O'Leary said: "I think it's in our interests - not for a long period of time - that the aircraft are grounded.

"It's only when you get to that stage where you're going to persuade the average British voter that you were lied to in the entire Brexit debate."

The Irish businessman, famous for his outspoken comments, said there was a danger of a "real crisis" when flights between Britain and the EU were disrupted after Brexit, so grounding planes would "create an opportunity" to get his point across.

Conservative MP and Brexit supporter Peter Bone criticized what he called O'Leary's "politically motivated" threat, telling the Daily Mail newspaper that any attempt to blackmail the public would fail and only damage Ryanair's profits.

The future of air travel is just one of many issues facing Prime Minister Theresa May's government as Britain prepares for life outside the EU.

Leaving the EU-US Open Skies agreement means Britain will need an individual deal with the United States, and it is reported that US officials are insisting airlines would have to be majority owned in the United Kingdom or the US, which would be a major problem for British Airways and Virgin.

Lord Malloch Brown, chairman of the anti-Brexit group Best for Britain, said this showed Britain was "flying blind" when it came to May's "shambolic" Brexit plan.

"The US thinks we now have less clout than larger regional blocs in trade negotiations. It's all about market size and Britain has opted for reduction surgery," he said.

"You were promised you could leave the EU and everything would stay the same. The reality is you can leave the EU, yes, ... but everything will fundamentally change."