Ryanair allegedly charged a couple €90 to take two small cakes onboard their flight home from Spain.
The move has prompted the Balearic island government to call for an urgent meeting with the Irish airline after its pastry rules came to light.
It is alleged that the budget airline claimed the cakes exceeded its cabin baggage limit and asked for a fee of €45 for each of the baked goods.
READ MORE: Met Eireann warns of dramatic weather shift after bank holiday weekend heat surge
The incident unfolded at Palma de Mallorca airport as the pair had tried to each carry an ensaïmada, a traditional Mallorcan pastry, along with their hand baggage.
Iago Negueruela, the Balearics’ tourism minister, has called Ryanair to the meeting “in order to defend local produce and avoid any kind of discrimination”, Mirror UK reports.
The ensaïmada de Mallorca is made with strong flour, water, sugar, eggs, mother dough and a kind of reduced pork lard named saïm. The name of the pastry comes from the Spanish word saín, which means lard.
The handmade character of the product makes it difficult to give an exact formula, so scales have been established defining the proportion of each ingredient, giving rise to an excellent quality traditional product.
President of the Balearic Islands pastry-makers association, Pep Magraner, has claimed the issue is Ryanair specific, but wants the rule changed so sales of the regional treat are not impacted.
He said: “All the other airlines allow passengers to take two ensaïmadas on board.
"It’s only a problem with Ryanair, but we’re talking about a lot of flights, especially to the Spanish mainland, which is the destination of most of the ensaïmadas.”
Mallorcan politician Jaume Alzamora voiced his fury, saying airport authority Aena does “business” with the concession of commercial establishments inside the airport, “often with companies from outside Mallorca”.
He said: “Més has sent a letter to Aena and Ryanair to allow Mallorcan products bought outside the airport to be carried without restrictions or extra costs for tourists, because the aim is to defend Mallorcan products made in Mallorcan bakeries and pastry shops."
When it comes to taking food onto a plane, rules designed to stop disease outbreaks are in place for travel to many countries.
Sandwiches and salads are usually fine when travelling in the EU for example, however there are rules on the types of food you can take into other countries.
Mirror UK has contacted Ryanair for comment.
READ NEXT
- Moment car smashes into Roscommon garden wall before driver walks from vehicle caught on camera
- Bloom 2023: Festival organisers promise it won’t be 'bigger' but vowed it will be 'better'
- Ireland's top music promoter already securing A-list acts for festivals next year
- Inmate found dead in Ireland's most secure prison wing
- Wanted Drogheda feud gangster caught on camera - refereeing bare knuckle fight on UK golf green
Get news updates direct to your inbox by signing up to our daily newsletter here
