Ryanair's Stephen McNamara has branded the Northern Ireland Finance Minister a "fat cat" during a row over the budget flyer's baggage costs.

Yesterday, the DUP MLA Sammy Wilson commented in a newspaper that travel makers should "take their custom elsewhere" due to Ryanair's new increased costs introduced for the peak summer months.

Under the system, the charge for a first bag checked into the hold through Ryanair's website is to increase from £15 to £20 per flight during July and August with a second bag costing £40 instead of £35.

Additionally, anyone who is unable to check in online will be charged £40 for their first bag and £80 for the second when they arrive at the airport.

Minister Wilson (pictured) said the price increases illustrated Ryanair had only "contempt for its customers" and that it was inevitable some customers would be hit with the price hikes as "not everybody can check in online because not everybody will have the capability to do it" and added that the increase would affect families badly.

However, today, Ryanair's Stephen McNamara, referring to the Stormont Minister as "Fat Cat Sammy Wilson", said Mr Wilson was out of touch with how families travelled and criticised the Department of Finance for "allowing civil servants to overspend on travel, at the taxpayers' expense, even though they are obliged to use the most efficient and economic form of transport".

After explaining that Ryanair was Europe's "largest and most successful airline as passengers "just can't get enough", Mr McNamara added: "Sammy does not know that because he and the rest of the fat cat Ministers and civil servants continue to waste taxpayers money by flying on high fares airlines to avoid ordinary people who depend on Ryanair's low fares."

(DW/GK)