Balearic government demand Ryanair meeting following pastry row

Two passengers were asked to pay €45 each to bring two pastries onboard.

The government of the Balearic Islands has demanded an urgent meeting with Ryanair after the airline tried to charge two passengers €45 each to bring a pastry on a flight with them.

The airline claimed the ensaimada, a traditional Mallorcan pastry, exceeded hand luggage allocation and demanded a fee from each passenger.

With the airline refusing to back down on the fee, both passengers abandoned their pastries and boarded the flight.

Now, the government of the Balearic Islands along with the local pastry makers association have demanded a meeting with the airline.

Balearics’ tourism minister, Iago Negueruela said the meeting was called “in order to defend local produce and avoid any kind of discrimination”

The president of the Balearic Islands pastry-makers association, Pep Magraner said the charge discriminated against local suppliers as passengers can bring ensaimadas on board for free if bought at the airport’s duty-free shop.

“All the other airlines allow passengers to take two ensaïmadas on board,” Magraner said. “It’s only a problem with Ryanair”

The ensaimada de Mallorca is made with strong flour, water, sugar, eggs and a kind of reduced pork lard named saïm. It is thought that the ensaimada dates back to the 17th century.