Ryanair has taken legal action against a customer who caused an aircraft to divert on April 9, 2024, causing 160 people to lose part of their holiday.
Suing for more than $15,000.
Ryanair has filed legal proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court against a customer who forced flight FR7124 from Dublin Airport (DUB) to Lanzarote Airport (ACE) to divert to Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) in April 2024. The airline is claiming over €15,000 ($15,438) in damages.
The Ireland-based low-cost carrier further stated that it was unacceptable that travelers who worked hard to enjoy a vacation with family and/or friends were deprived of leisure time as a result of a single individual’s conduct.
The airline also stated that it has a stringent, zero-tolerance policy regarding passenger misconduct. It will continue to take decisive action to fight disruptive behavior on its aircraft for the benefit of those who do not engage in such behavior.
Paying for airline expenses
A Ryanair representative stressed that it was unacceptable for the majority of customers to suffer as a result of a single individual’s actions, which caused unneeded disruption and limited holiday time.
The episode demonstrated just one of the many penalties that passengers who disrupt flights would suffer as a result of the airline’s regulations, the spokeswoman said.
The Irish carrier’s spokesman expressed hope that the legal processes will prevent disruptive behavior on flights, ensuring a comfortable and polite environment for both customers and personnel.
Suing Passengers
According to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Administration (CAA), disruptive passenger behavior was one of the leading causes of aircraft diversions, with unruly behavior potentially jeopardizing the safety of all passengers on board an aircraft.
The CAA said that intoxication on an aircraft carries a maximum fine of £5,000 ($6,168) and two years in prison. If an aircraft’s safety is jeopardized, the prison sentence could be up to five years.
Furthermore, airlines may require that passengers reimburse detour charges ranging from £10,000 ($12,338) to £80,000 ($98,708).In September 2024, an individual who forced a Jetstar flight to divert in 2023 was ordered to refund the company AUD8630 ($5,349) and pay a fine of AUD9,000 ($5,579).
Meanwhile, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) reported that disorderly behavior grew threefold from 2023 to 2019. This includes drinking, hostile or improper behavior, and failure to obey the flight crew’s directions, as safety is their primary job.
In June 2024, Irish stakeholders announced the #NotOnMyFlight campaign, which included an action plan to address such incidents and limit the amount of rowdy people disrupting travel at airports and on planes.