'Is it fair for Ryanair to pay compensation?' poll discussion

Of course the airlines should foot the bill.

Goverments do not pay for anything; taxpayers do. Thus the choice is not whether Ryanair or some Government should pay, it's whether Ryanair or the taxpayer should pay. (Insurers never pay for anything by the way, they simply increase premiums. That's the whole reason Ryanair are arguing for the taxpayer to stump up the money....)

There is no reason whatsoever why the taxpayer should have to pay towards the costs of either Ryanair or that part of the public that chooses to fly.

The airlines must pay, there is no other remotely fair answer. If Ryanair etc need to increase the cost of their tickets to fund situations like this then so be it. This volcanic ash situation has highlighted one hitherto unthought of way in which air travel can be a more expensive business than previously supposed and a slight premium on prices in future may well be necessary. But to expect the general public to watch Companies like Ryanair clean up in the good times then have to bail them out when things go wrong is ludicrous.

The airlines must pay. It's the cost of doing business.

Speaking as someone who could only afford to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary in Paris (the first time I'd been back after having worked as an au pair there in 1979) courtesy of the low, low fares of Ryanair, I feel that if you go abroad and are insured, then you shouldn't rely on the carrier to pay all the bills when something like a natural disaster occurs. My husband and I didn't go on holiday when my children were young - we just couldn't afford it. These low-cost airlines have opened up the world for many people who couldn't otherwise afford to go at all.

My eldest daughter was stranded in Amsterdam with her boss and had to travel on Friday night to Brussels to stay in a hotel there. Luckily, she managed to book a first-class seat on Sunday afternoon but missed a weekend off. She hasn't complained once. Her firm picked up the tab and she was grateful.

People expect to be covered in cottonwool nowadays. Ryanair has to fight to keep in business and it's tough. My husband is self-employed and finds it tough, too. Everyone wants something for nothing and is ready to blame. This is another regulation too far for the EU. It is unsustainable and companies cannot afford to agree to such diktats.

Whilst I feel sorry for people who have had to go to extraordinary lengths to come home and have got very tired and fed-up in the process, I do feel the expectation of compensation has got completely out of proportion. When my daughter booked a 3-day visit to Paris to celebrate her friend's 18th, we had to fight the insurers to compensate them for the Eurostar not running due to snow/ice. They did pay up eventually, but I think we ended up paying so much in calls etc... that it was hardly worth the effort.

I say Ryanair has caved in, but if the taxpayer ends up footing the bill when they turn to the government, it's another 'nail in the coffin' for private enterprise and any company that wants to stick its neck out. In the long run we'll all suffer in the end when there are fewer jobs about for our children and ourselves....

As I said, making insurance cover it would change nothing, they will simply increase their premiums.

If Ryanair have to pay for this kind of thing, they will increase fares to compensate for it.

If the insurers have to pay, they will increase premiums & Ryanair in turn will increase fares to compensate for it.

Thus as I said before, the real issue is whether these costs should be covered by the entire public or just the part of it that chooses to fly.

If Governments have to cover these costs then it is the entire general public that foots the bill.

If Ryanair OR the insurers has to cover them, it is the part of the public that chooses to fly that will ultimately foot the bill.


It's entirely fair that it should be the latter option. On the occasions I fly anywhere I don't expect the rest of the population to be waiting with their chequebook handy to cover my costs if unexpected delays occur. Neither should anyone else.

Of course the Airlines shouldn't be expected to pay. They were not in any way at fault and did their level best to help get passengers home.

The Insurance Co's are covered by the 'Act of God' situation and so they should be.

The Government funds (yours & Mine) shouldn't be used either.

Who does that leave?

Just the unfortunate traveller. Tough.

!!!!!! happens!!



Supposing you chose to travel by ferry and on the day of departure a storm blew up, making it unsafe to travel. Would you complain to the Ferry Operators that they haven't risked your life by crossing? What if there was a bomb on board? What then? Al Quaeda won't be interested, be rest assured (Though you could always TRY, I suppose)

For pity's sake. I got a puncture the other day. Wouldn't have got it if the shopkeeper had served me quicker because someone else would probably have copped that nail.

Ah! I know.

Back to the shop with a writ.

Yeah Right.