Bailiffs have boarded a Ryanair aircraft at Linz airport in Austria after the airline refused to pay compensation to a passenger whose flight was delayed. The action followed a court order requiring Ryanair to pay €890 (£742) in legal costs and compensation for a delay that occurred two years ago.
The dispute began in 2024 when a flight from Linz to Mallorca was delayed by 13 hours. The passenger, who had to pay for an alternative flight, sought a refund and compensation under EU aviation regulations. After Ryanair failed to pay, the passenger took the case to court, which ruled in her favour. When the airline still did not comply, the passenger requested enforcement action from Austrian authorities.
On Monday, a bailiff entered the Ryanair Boeing 737, which was bound for London, as it sat on the stand at Linz airport. The crew were unable to settle the debt because Ryanair operates cashless flights, so the bailiff affixed a seizure sticker, known as a “cuckoo sticker”, to the cabin wall. This gives the court legal control over the aircraft, which was allowed to continue operating under set conditions. If the debt remains unpaid by a deadline, the court can sell the plane at public auction.
A spokesperson for Linz airport confirmed that the bailiff had been instructed by the district court of Traun to carry out the action. The flight subsequently departed for London. A lawyer for the passenger stated that she intends to continue enforcement until the debt is paid.
Ryanair denied that the aircraft had been seized but declined to comment on whether a seizure notice had been applied or whether the debt has been settled. Passenger rights groups have criticised low-cost airlines for failing to compensate travellers, noting that under EU regulations, passengers delayed by three hours or more are entitled to up to €600 each.
Disputes over unpaid compensation rarely lead to aircraft seizure, as claimants often give up or airlines pay before enforcement. However, in 2018, French authorities impounded a Ryanair plane carrying 149 passengers over a long-running dispute about illegal subsidies, prompting Ryanair to pay €525,000.
