RYANAIR has promised to transform its "abrupt culture" in a bid to win customers from more expensive rivals.
The firm, which this week was voted the worst of the 100 biggest brands in Britain for customer service, admitted for the first time that a reputation for treating its passengers badly might have become a problem.
Ryanair said it would become more lenient on fining customers over bag sizes and overhaul the way it communicates.
Chief Executive Michael O'Leary, speaking at the company's annual general meeting, said: "We should try to eliminate things that unnecessarily p*** people off."
Mr O'Leary, who for years has scoffed at complaints about customer service, citing statistics about revenue growth and on-time departures, nodded sheepishly as shareholders told anecdotes about family members refusing to fly Ryanair and verbal attacks they had suffered at dinner parties.
"I have seen people crying at boarding gates," said private shareholder Owen O'Reilly.
"There is simply something wrong there that needs to be addressed."
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