Love is in the (Ryan)Air...

While Ryanair has some faults - restrictive luggage regulations, the cattle herd-like feel of boarding their planes, the overpriced snacks - it's still hailed as one of the great connectors in Poland, offering low cost flights from several Polish cities to all over Europe. But it seems Ryanair has gone a bit too far with its comfortable relationship with Poland, at least according to one Polish MP.

MP Jolanta Szczypinska has threatened legal action against the airline for running an advert that suggested she was having a romance with the country's prime minister. Granted, this is old news, as the Polish media have been flirting with speculations about the two for some time now. But neither Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski nor Ms. Szczypinska will confirm or deny the rumours.

So what's the fuss about? The advert under dispute shows the prime minister sitting next to the MP, and above them a headline reads, "Are they planning a honeymoon trip?" In a speech bubble, Mr. Kaczynski asks, "Shall we take the government plane?" to which Ms. Szczypinska replies, "There's no need, Ryanair guarantees the lowest prices." Unfortunately, the airline used the image of the two without seeking permission from either the prime minister or the MP; Ms. Szczypinska called it a "scandalous, illegal and unlawful usage" of her image, and Mr. Kaczynski considers the advert "improper," though his panties aren't in a twist over it - at least he's not taking legal action!

Now Ms. Szczypinska is demanding an injunction to stop the advert from being printed. Ryanair seems to be enjoying the publicity, however; a spokesman stated, "We always welcome decisions by politicians to sue, but she would save a lot of time and money if she opted instead to take a break with one of our 10 fares." Perhaps someone should threaten legal action against Ms. Szczypinska - for not possessing a healthy sense of humour!