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A former Liverpool Lord Mayor claims he was told to abandon his sick wife and go on holiday WITHOUT her by Ryanair staff after she suffered a heart attack.
Pensioner Roger Johnston, 74, planned to go to France next month with his wife Marie, 73.
They had booked seats with Ryanir when ex-nurse Marie suffered a heart attack that required surgery, leaving her unable to travel for three months.
But when ex-Lib/Dem councillo Roger contacted Ryanair to request a refund he says he was told to change the name on his wife's ticket and take the flight with "someone else".
Retired architect Roger, of Woolton, Liverpool, is demanding a refund of the #146-a-head cost of the tickets for both flights from East Midlands Airport to Dinard, France.
But he claims that when he explained HE was not ill - only his wife - the Ryanair operator suggested he should travel without her.
Roger said: "I was absolutely appalled that they would even insinuate that I should abandon my wife at a time when she needs me the most. It's morally insulting.
"I want a personal apology from Michael O'Leary. It's just disgraceful that I would be treated like that when my wife was lying ill in hospital.
"I would never consider leaving my wife in such a situation. We've been married to for 40 years and she needs me to help look after her.
"To make matters worse Ryanir say they can only accept her doctor's note by fax.
"That is just obstructive and designed to put people off. They do everything else online or by email and they should accept a doctor's note by email too."
There is a clause in the airline's Conditions of Travel offering customer a refund in the event that illness prevents them from travelling.
Roger added: "I asked the woman at Ryanair 'Would you go off on holiday when your husband had suffered a heart attack and had been told he cannot travel?
"There was a deafening silence before she told me to send a fax over with a doctor's note."
A Ryanair spokesman said: "We confirmed to Mr Johnston that a full refund would be issued on receipt of a medical letter from his wife's doctor.
"The passenger called back to advise of a delay in obtaining the required letter (as the doctor was going on holiday) and it was confirmed to him that a refund would be issued even if the required medical letter was received after the date of flight.
"Ryanair made all of the passenger's options clear to him and at all times clearly advised him that a refund would be issued.
"Ryanair wishes Mrs Johnston a speedy recovery and hopes to welcome the couple onto another Ryanair flight in the near future."
