Flight delay and cancellation compensation, Ryanair ONLY

Centipede100

MoneySavingExpert Insert October 2017:

This discussion thread is linked to from our Flight Delays Compensation guide. Please read that for full help.

You might also like to read our Ryanair wrongly denies passenger compensation for cancelled flight news story


Other related MSE Guides:

20 Ryanair Tricks

Bob_the_Saver

My Ryanair flights are always on time - can I get an upgrade?

Fletchasketch

Has there actually been anyone who has successfully had compensation from Ryanair? We were treated appallingly by them in 2009, sent a letter of complaint at the time which was totally ignored. Any thoughts on whether it's worth pursuing or will they just weasel their way out of it?

topyam

Sent them a letter re a delay and was told they are not paying compensation as the delay was due to 'operational reasons' and this is classed as 'extraordinary' circumstances. Is this right? Can't see much detail on 'operational reasons'

Mark2spark

As you might expect, the lower class airlines are fighting paying out this compensation by being obstinate and awkward.
It's up to you whether you have the tenacity to badger and keep on at them, all the way to court if you have to.

Mark2spark

Edit:
Please read this useful post by Dr Watson for a full breakdown of how to sue Ryanair using the ESCP.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=64457359&postcount=569

Mark2spark

topyam wrote: »

Sent them a letter re a delay and was told they are not paying compensation as the delay was due to 'operational reasons' and this is classed as 'extraordinary' circumstances. Is this right? Can't see much detail on 'operational reasons'

There's plenty of detail out there topyam, you've just got to look for it.
Of course operational reasons aren't extraordinary like a blizzard or a bomb going off - that's what Extraordinary Circumstances are.
Take them to court via MCOL.

topyam

Mark2spark wrote: »

There's plenty of detail out there topyam, you've just got to look for it.
Of course operational reasons aren't extraordinary like a blizzard or a bomb going off - that's what Extraordinary Circumstances are.
Take them to court via MCOL.

Thanks. Had looked - most seemed to be info on technical reasons. I will pursue cheers

2sides2everystory

Mark2spark wrote: »

There's plenty of detail out there topyam, you've just got to look for it.
Of course operational reasons aren't extraordinary like a blizzard or a bomb going off - that's what Extraordinary Circumstances are.
Take them to court via MCOL.

Hi Mark2spark - MCOL (Money Claim Online) is a UK government service. Can it really be used to claim against Ryanair based in Dublin ?

I 'd like to thank Centipede100 for setting up these separate airline specific delay threads.

I am slightly lazy about researching these things and Centipede100 just made starting my claim a whole lot easier. So I have got a technical (engineer needed to fix) type delay claim on a 850km Ryanair flight that occurred at the end of 2011. I am reminded by Centipede100's flightstats link that the plane eventually landed just over four hours after its scheduled arrival time.

I do have some Legal Expenses cover on my LV home insurance but am not sure that I could use it to make an offensive (as opposed to defensive) type legal action against an airline even if I wanted to.

In any event I'd like to give it a go on my own. I sat next to the engineer and had a good chat with him so Ryanair won't be able to pull too much wool over my eyes. Essentially the engineer had to be parachuted in* from Stansted with half a dozen boxes of bits. He had to change at least one of the primary navigation instruments on the flightdeck after the crew had closed the doors and were about to fire up and leave the stand (it was a stand that did not require pushback). I can't remember unfortunately whether they had started engines before they noticed the fault but it is perhaps academic. It was supposed to be an "away" destination 25 minute turnaround jobbie but the return leg got aborted during the flightdeck checks after the safety briefing had already been given by cabin crew.

I understand Centipede100's advice that these claims may still not be straightforward, and best not to write a letter containing the threat of legal action or at all unless I seriously intend following it through.

But up to this point I imagined I might have to use the Irish Courts if Ryanair issue a denial. Does anyone know for certain whether that's the case ?

Ryanair
Customer Service Department,
P.O. 11451,
Swords,
Co. Dublin,
Ireland.

Dear Ryanair,

Delayed Flight Compensation
Flight number: FRXXX
Date: XX October 2011
Booking Ref: XXXXXX
Passenger name: ME!
Amount claimed: 250 euros

I am writing to you to lodge my claim for delayed flight compensation. Our flight (detailed above) was delayed leaving xxxx and we arrived in xxxx some 4 hours after the scheduled arrival time.

I am aware that judgement has been handed down in the current ECJ case (C-629/10) on October 23rd 2012, and I wish to proceed with my claim.

We were informed that the flight was delayed due to a late-discovered technical problem with the aircraft which necessitated an engineer being sent on another aircraft from Stansted to fix our aircraft. We were already onboard with doors closed when the problem was discovered in the short turnaround pre-flight checks.

One can't help wondering whether the fault was discoverable earlier in the day.

We were disembarked and after a while we were given a voucher which was enough to buy a sandwich or a drink.

Since technical problems have been ruled by the ECJ to be unlikely to be held as a valid defence of extraordinary circumstances to a compensation claim, then in the unlikely event you should be claiming any such defence I should be grateful if such details could be provided to me within 14 days of the date of this letter.

Should you neither settle my claim in full nor provide a full defence to my claim within the above timescale, I reserve the right to issue legal proceedings without giving you further notice in writing.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

xxxxx

And for this particular case might it be best for the first letter to be a more or less straight copy of the template letter or is there merit in tweaking it slightly as above do we think?

* Well not parachuted, but actually he arrived much faster than the captain had led us to expect!

Mark2spark

It's your call if you want to delete the 14 days notice otherwise legal action part, and just go for the standard engagement with Ryanair.
IMO it's unlikely that they will cite anything other than in flight safety issue, which would then lead to court action if you want to pursue further.
I'm not aware of how you go about court claims in Ireland, but there is a link on the FAQ's about Euro court claims, maybe that will shed some light on things.

Trumpet_Rich

Hi. My flight to Malta was cancelled a couple of weeks before we were due to fly and replaced with a later flight the same day. Instead of leaving at 6am we left at 6pm. This meant we effectively lost a day of the holiday and an evening meal which was already paid for. Does anyone know if this counts as a delay for which compensation is payable. I ought to say that the holiday was a package from mercury. Many thanks