CAA launches enforcement action over Ryanair strike compensation

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has started enforcement action against Ryanair, it announced on Wednesday, following the airline's decision that financial compensation was not payable for flight disruption resulting from industrial action by the airline's staff this summer.

Ryanair passengers had made claims for compensation directly to the airline under European Commission Regulation 261/2004, but they had been rejected.

The CAA said passengers had then been able to escalate their complaints to AviationADR, a dispute resolution service approved by the authority, to provide alternative dispute resolution for passenger complaints.

“Ryanair has now informed the Civil Aviation Authority that it has terminated its agreement with AviationADR,” the CAA said in its statement on Wednesday.

“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 in accordance with Regulation EC261/2004.”

As a result of Ryanair's action, passengers with an existing claim would now have to await the outcome of the Civil Aviation Authority's enforcement action.

The CAA said passengers who had made strike-related compensation claims via AviationADR were advised that their claims were currently on hold, and would have to await the outcome of the Civil Aviation Authority's enforcement action.

“Passengers with new claims who are not satisfied with the outcome or who have not received a reply from the airline within eight weeks, should contact the Civil Aviation Authority's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team,” the CAA said.