Ryanair has announced it is pursuing legal proceedings against a troublesome passenger.
In what it termed a “significant crackdown on misconduct,” the airline stated it is requesting €15,000 (£12,500) in compensation from a passenger in Ireland whose actions caused a flight destined for Lanzarote to reroute to Porto in Portugal last year.
Ryanair asserts that the diverted flight experienced an overnight delay, forcing 160 passengers to “endure unnecessary disruptions and forfeit a full day of their vacation.”
The airline condemned the passenger’s actions as “unforgivable” and “entirely intolerable.”
It indicated that the €15,000 figure was determined based on the expenses incurred for overnight lodging, passenger costs, and landing fees.
The passenger is being sued for over £12,000. Pic: PA
This marks the first instance in which Ryanair has initiated a civil lawsuit against a disorderly passenger in Ireland, but the airline cautioned that it will “persist in implementing strong measures to tackle unruly conduct by passengers onboard.”
“It is intolerable that passengers—many of whom are traveling with family or friends for a peaceful summer holiday—experience needless interruptions and a diminished holiday experience due to the misconduct of a single disruptive passenger,” a representative stated.
“This exemplifies just one of the numerous repercussions that individuals who disrupt flights will encounter as a part of Ryanair’s zero-tolerance approach, and we trust that this action will discourage further misconduct on flights, allowing both passengers and crew to travel in a comfortable and respectful atmosphere.”
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Ryanair boss on in-flight drinking
In September of the previous year, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary stated to Sky News that he is willing to enforce a two-drink limit on flights—if a similar regulation is applied to airport establishments.
He indicated that Ibiza is one of the locations most significantly affected by passenger disorder.
“The fundamental issue is how we can prevent these individuals from getting inebriated at airports, especially since, like this summer, we’ve faced a substantial increase in air traffic control delays,” Mr. O’Leary remarked.
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“Individuals are boarding with excessive alcohol levels. We refrain from serving those identified as intoxicated onboard, yet that fails to address the core problem.”
Airline Jet2.com has reported that it already pursues civil actions against disruptive travelers.
It is also understood that easyJet opts for criminal charges and lifetime bans for disruptive passengers rather than pursuing civil litigation.
