Ryanair Secures €15,000 Compensation from Disruptive Passenger Following Flight Diversion
A badly-behaved passenger from Dublin has been ordered by the courts to pay €15,000 (approximately £13,000) in compensation to budget airline Ryanair. The ruling comes after the man caused significant disruption on a flight in 2024, forcing the aircraft to divert from its intended route.
Flight Diverted to Porto Due to Passenger Misconduct
The incident occurred on a Ryanair flight from Dublin to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Due to the passenger's harassing behaviour, the plane was diverted to Porto, Portugal. While specific details of the misconduct have not been fully disclosed, Ryanair confirmed that both passengers and crew members were assaulted during the flight. The airline emphasised that it pursued legal action to recover costs associated with the disruption.
The diversion resulted in 160 passengers and six crew members requiring overnight accommodation in hotels before they could continue their journey to Lanzarote the following day. Ryanair argued that this caused unfair disruption, with travellers losing 24 hours of their holiday.
Court Orders Compensation Covering Diversion Costs
The Dublin Circuit Court has now ruled that the passenger must pay €15,000 to Ryanair. This figure reportedly covers the costs incurred by the airline, including overnight accommodation for passengers, additional passenger expenses, and landing fees at Porto Airport. The court's decision underscores the financial consequences of such disruptive behaviour.
Ryanair welcomed the ruling, with a spokesman stating, "We welcome the Dublin District Court's ruling, which sentenced a Dublin man to pay €15,000 in compensation following the diversion of a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote, which was diverted to Porto due to his harassing behaviour."
Ryanair's Zero-Tolerance Policy on Passenger Misconduct
The airline reiterated its strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct. A spokesman described the behaviour as 'inexcusable' and 'completely unacceptable,' adding that Ryanair is committed to ensuring a comfortable travel environment free from unnecessary disruption.
"Ryanair has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to tackle harassing behaviour on aircraft for the benefit of the vast majority of passengers," the spokesman said. "This ruling confirms the serious consequences for passengers who behave inappropriately, including travel bans and fines, according to Ryanair's zero-tolerance policy."
Legal and Policy Implications for Future Incidents
Ryanair hopes this court ruling will serve as a deterrent to other passengers considering disruptive behaviour. The spokesman added, "We hope that this decision will help to further discourage irreverent behaviour during flights, allowing passengers and crew to travel without having to deal with such reprehensible behaviour."
On its website, Ryanair outlines its behaviour policy, stating that if a passenger's actions endanger the aircraft or anyone on board, or prevent crew from performing their duties, cabin crew may take necessary measures. This can include restraining or removing the passenger from the plane, refusing them a seat on future flights, and potentially prosecuting them for offences committed onboard.
The policy explicitly states, "If, as a result of your behaviour or disruption, we divert the aircraft to offload you, you must indemnify us in relation to all reasonable and proper costs of the diversion (including our legal costs in bringing such action(s) against you)." This case demonstrates Ryanair's commitment to enforcing this policy through legal channels.
