Ryanair faces enforcement action after rejecting compensation claims for strike disruption to flights
Ryanair faces enforcement action over its refusal to reimburse customers for strike disruption over summer, it emerged this morning.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it decided to act after the budget airline decided to terminate its relationship with a body designed to resolve customer complaints.
Passengers whose flights were cancelled or delayed by industrial action this summer had their compensation claims rejected by Ryanair, which then ended its agreement with Aviation ADR.
“As the Civil Aviation Authority said at the time of the industrial action, in its view, the strikes were not ‘extraordinary circumstances’ and were not exempt, meaning consumers should be compensated,” the CAA said.
Ryanair suffered a series of strikes across its bases in Spain, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and Holland, leading the airline to cancel 550 flights in August alone, affecting 100,000 customers.
Strikes continue to affect Ryanair’s business, with the firm cancelling 250 flights due to strike action in September.
However, Ryanair has since made progress with pilots and crew, after opting to recognise unions last year, and has reached agreements with UK-based Balpa, Italy’s Anpac and Portuguese union Spac in recent months.
Until the CAA completes its enforcement action, current strike-related compensation claims against Ryanair are on hold.