CNN
Monday, February 20, 2006 Posted: 1920 GMT
LONDON, England (AP) -- Lightning struck four planes operated by low-cost Irish airline Ryanair, the company said Monday.
Ryanair officials said lightning struck the planes as they descended to the northern coast of Spain on Sunday afternoon. Three of the planes landed in the city of Santander while another was forced to divert to Valladolid, near Madrid.
"I would say it is highly unusual for four planes to be struck by lightning in the same day," said Peter Sherrard, a spokesman for the airline.
Engineers inspected each of the aircraft in Santander and a flight to Frankfurt was cleared for departure after a six-hour delay. The two remaining flights -- one to Rome and the other to London -- were canceled.
"It was all a bit strange as no other airline seemed to have suffered from lightning strikes and later we were told there had been a technical fault," said Michael Harrington, 60, a passenger on one of the canceled flights bound for London.
Harrington said Ryanair officials told passengers that the delays were not caused by lightning strikes or by technical problems but by "operational problems at the company."
However, Ryanair said Monday the four planes were struck by lightning.
Last week, Ryanair announced it was offering millions of cheap tickets as it struck back against allegations in a television documentary that it has been lax in respecting air safety and security rules.
Tell that to the passengers with smelly underwear 
