Passengers flying to Bergamo on Friday had to wait for a few hours after their flight was delayed when the captain fell sick.

Irate Ryanair customers contacted Times of Malta saying they were told the flight, which was set to leave at 7 am, had to be delayed due to a shortage of cockpit crew.

Ryanair denied this, saying the captain of the flight became unwell and a replacement captain was arranged.

"The flight is expected to depart shortly," a spokeswoman for Ryanair said at around 11am.

Affected customers were provided with refreshment vouchers, the airline said.

Ryanair cancellations this year generated more than half of the complaints submitted to the Consumer Affairs Directorate, a parliamentary question revealed.

Fourteen of 22 complaints related to the airline cancelling flights.

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