Ryanair Welcomes Court German Decision

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Ryanair News
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News Release
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06.10.08
Ryanair Welcomes Court Decision to Refuse Passenger Compensation

Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline, today (6th Oct) welcomed the decision of Simmern Court in Germany to dismiss a passenger’s compensation claim after Ryanair was forced to cancel a flight due to unsafe weather conditions in Jerez in October last year.

The German court found that bad weather prevented Ryanair from landing safely and represented extraordinary circumstances which were beyond the control of the airline under EU261 regulations.

The passenger, who was seeking compensation of over €1,600 as a result of this forced cancellation, had his claim dismissed by Simmern Court. The passenger must now settle all costs associated with the case, including Ryanair’s costs.

Welcoming the finding, Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“The decision of the court was in accordance with the provisions of EU261. We understand that cancelled flights can be frustrating. However, we must always make decisions which prioritise the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft.

“In this case bad weather made it unsafe to land at Jerez and we had no alternative but to cancel the return flight. We welcome this decision which clarifies the fact that EU261 compensation claims do not arise in cases where bad weather forces airlines to put passenger safety ahead of passenger convenience”.