Flight delay and cancellation compensation, Ryana...

[Centipede100]

I am starting this thread for those claiming flight delay or cancellation compensation from Ryanair.

Any posts regarding any other airline in this thread will be ignored (at least by me).

[Centipede100]

FAQs

All blue words are links to relevant posts.

WARNING
Please read these FAQ's and guidance, together with the MSE article in order to discover useful information before you ask a question!

What to do next after reading the FAQ's.

Airline bust = no claim

The claim is against the airline, not the travel agent, not the package holiday company.

Anything from 17th Feb 2005 -you can claim but if the airline says no - you can't take them to court.... but check out the corrections to the (inaccurate) MSE article:

MSE article corrected

Flight Stats Check your delay length time (you may have to register)

'Which!' draft letter to set the ball rolling Start off your claim
Alternatively:

CAA Template letter Standard claim letter to initiate a claim

After denial of your claim, issue 14 days notice of Court Action:

Centipede100 Template letter This is the 'Notice Before Action' letter (NBA or LBA)

Explanation of the legal process of NBA, 14 days notice before court claim.

Small claims time limit Its 6 years in the UK
European court press release on time limits to claim It's the time limit in each member state, which in the UK is 6 years.

Package holiday flights ARE covered.

Regulation261\2004
CAA Denied boarding
Right to Care
CAA contact details

Technical fault with plane is NOT "extra ordinary circumstances" so you CAN claim
Extraordinary circumstances + Extra ordinary Circumstances
Technical issues
More Technical issues with background
EC's explained yet again

Thomas Cook address, phone number, and email address
Thomas cook incident Oct 26 2012

Thomson address
Emirates Airlines address

KLM Claim form
Ryanair address
Ryanair Irish appeal explained
How to combat Ryanair using the English Court System
BA Address
BA complaint web-site

BA forum explaining the regulation in plain english *ESSENTIAL READING*

Jet airways address

Compensation per person + Monarch email
Monarch Claim form

European small claims court forms How to issue a court claim against a foreign airline with no UK address

Airline claims 2 years maximum to claim The UK time limit is 6 years, - that's the Law

Judgement on 22nd NOV confirms the limit is whatever applies in the Country - UK is 6 years

Wallentin-Hermann judgement The concept of extraordinary circumstances explained in legal terms

Original Sturgeon judgment giving rise to delay compensation:

Legal challenge to Sturgeon judgment - The ECJ Grand Chamber ruling on the 23 October 2012

Folkerts v Air France case C-11/11 Missed connection due to delay on first flight still qualifies for compensation if arrival is later than 3 hours

MCOL : Link to the Court Forms

[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]

Originally Posted by Bob the Saver

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

There's only non reclining plastic seats on the ryanair milkfloats.

[Mark2spark]

Originally Posted by 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'

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]

Originally Posted by Mark2spark

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]

Originally Posted by Mark2spark

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

[Centipede100]

Originally Posted by 2sides2everystory

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?

As you wish but make sure any letter refers to the specifics of your claim rather than just a straightforward copy/paste of the template.

[Centipede100]

Originally Posted by 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

In order to claim compensation for a cancelled flight, the airline would need to have informed you 14 days or less before the flight.

If that is the case, claim away. If more than 14 days notice was given then you have no claim.

[karenelainehughes]

MSE recommend you quote the booking reference in its template letter. My claim is for a 2010 flight Ryan Air Marrakech to Bristol - almost 4 hour delay. I don't have any details other than I've found the flight no... and I have the visa stamp in our passports. I don't have our original reservation no, copies of booking confirmation etc now. Ryan Air website only shows your bookings back to 2011. Do you know if it's possible to find your booking ref somehow or are people putting in claims without this info? Thanks

[Mark2spark]

Originally Posted by karenelainehughes

MSE recommend you quote the booking reference in its template letter. My claim is for a 2010 flight Ryan Air Marrakech to Bristol - almost 4 hour delay. I don't have any details other than I've found the flight no... and I have the visa stamp in our passports. I don't have our original reservation no, copies of booking confirmation etc now. Ryan Air website only shows your bookings back to 2011. Do you know if it's possible to find your booking ref somehow or are people putting in claims without this info? Thanks

Do you have any evidence of actually paying Ryanair for the booking? You'll need to provide some sort of evidence that you paid them for a service that they didn't deliver.
But there's no requirement to have a booking reference per se in order to claim, just some evidence that you was actually on the flight.
Of course, if ryanair have a loophole, expect them to exploit it, so a court case in order to succeed is on the horizon.

[Loanranger]

Hope someone can advise.
Heavy snow today and we're due to fly with Ryanair today at 5pm. Some flights already diverted and cancelled from East Mids Airport today.
Can anyone tell me my rights, please, in event of delay or cancellation? thanks

[Mark2spark]

You've got rights to care as per the EU guidelines, ie a meal and refreshment after 2 hours depending on the length of journey/delay, or an overnight hotel if required, but there's no claim for delay compensation if the snow is the reason as per the AIRPORT saying so. Meaning that if other airlines are still flying, and the airport remains open, but Ryanair have CHOSEN to cancel then there's a different scenario.

[karenelainehughes]

Originally Posted by Mark2spark

Do you have any evidence of actually paying Ryanair for the booking? You'll need to provide some sort of evidence that you paid them for a service that they didn't deliver.
But there's no requirement to have a booking reference per se in order to claim, just some evidence that you was actually on the flight.
Of course, if ryanair have a loophole, expect them to exploit it, so a court case in order to succeed is on the horizon.

Yeah, I guess I need to log on to various accounts & look back to my credit card & bank details from 2010 to see what I can find.. can't remember how we paid for it now. I think airlines are legally required to keep all passenger manifests for each flight, not sure how long for but I'd expect several years.. this must be a problem most people claiming would have.. I can't imagine anyone keeping their reservation no to hand for longer than a couple of months. I only picked up on this listening to Moneybox on Saturday.

[Loanranger]

Thank you Marks 2Spark.