Ryanair wins court battle over strikes

RYANAIR customers who suffered delayed and postponed flights during last year’s strikes should not be compensated, a Dublin court has ruled.

Swords District Court found yesterday that the strike action was beyond the airline’s control. Chief marketing officer for Ryanair Kenny Jacobs said: ‘We welcome this ruling... confirming that no compensation is payable to customers when the strike delay/cancellation is beyond the airline’s control.’

Mr Jacobs added that this ruling was similar to other court decisions in Spain, which found in the company’s favour.

The court noted EU Regulation 261, which states that if a flight is cancelled within two weeks of departure, or delayed for more than three hours, then airlines have to offer their affected passengers a resolution.

‘Ryanair fully complies with all EU261 legislation and processes all valid EU261 claims within ten days,’ added Mr Jacobs.

This could include a full refund on the cost of the ticket within seven days, a re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity, or a re-routing at a later date at the passenger’s convenience. Affected passengers may also be able to claim compensation.

Last year, Ryanair pilots who are members of the Fórsa trade union went on strike in a dispute over transfers, promotions, and annual leave, among other issues. The action led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights, affecting thousands of passengers.