Italy has fined Irish low-cost airline Ryanair 3m euros (£2.5m) for failing to help passengers after cancelling their flights during the volcanic ash crisis.
Italy’s civil aviation authority said it knew of 178 cases of passengers who did not receive mandatory assistance, such as food, between 17 and 22 April.
By: swerve - 17th May 2010 at 11:00
Well they should, but legally according to the aviation regulations, volcanos are something which airlines are not responsible for, and don´t have any obligation to accept or compensate passengers for it.
Er – no. Airlines don’t have to compensate passengers, but they do have an obligation to feed & accommodate them while they are delayed. Ryanair accepted that (after consulting its lawyers), & put a notice on its website saying so, & quoting the relevant regulations. A link to it was posted on this forum a few weeks ago.
This fine is for Ryanair failing to do what it agreed it was legally required to do, & promised to do.
By: Bmused55 - 17th May 2010 at 08:20
“Volcano Tax” no doubt.
You’ll doubtlessly be charged for the privilege of the tax too.
By: steve rowell - 16th May 2010 at 00:45
Ryanair will pass it on to the passengers in some form or another
By: keltic - 15th May 2010 at 23:20
Well they should, but legally according to the aviation regulations, volcanos are something which airlines are not responsible for, and don´t have any obligation to accept or compensate passengers for it. Of course commercially airlines always assist their passengers, but in Spain for example they did it for only 24-48 hours. And only for marketing reasons.
I doubt this sentence is legal at all. I do agree with it, but I am not sure if any other judge would get to the same decission.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th May 2010 at 23:05
Good for Italy.
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May 15, 2010 at 3:56 pm