Italy fines Ryanair over volcano ash passenger help 'failings'

[BEagle]

This will probably soon be shunted off into some minority forum as it's not about the people-tube driver's market, but it's newsworthy nonetheless:

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.
More at BBC News - Italy fines Ryanair over volcano ash 'failings' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8684683.stm)

[Basil]

Yes, I'd heard that and it's excellent news. Over, e.g., a decade, the costs are negligible but, when it happens, support is important to individual passengers.

Of course, the respectable operators know, and action, all that already. :ok:

btw the foregoing comment applies to passenger care; I have no reason whatsoever to believe that Ryan or Easy or any other British operator has lower safety standards than the majors.

[Sober Lark]

Under the circumstances I don't think it is reasonable for people to claim against any airline. I wouldn't.

Surely the law wasn't designed to penalise airlines for events where no one was responsible? The event was 'an act of God' and outside the control of humans. In my opinion the law certainly is an ass in this case.

[ILS25]

Sober Lark, I couldn't agree more.

Can anyone answer that if there where storms out at sea for a few days, and ferry companies had to cancel sailings, do they have to fork out compensation to passangers for food and accomodation if they cannot offer them an alternative route to their destination? Just a question.

[manrow]

The ash flow may well have been an 'act of God'; the subsequent closure of airspace was man made and initially badly managed (or not managed) depending upon your viewpoint!

[TSR2]

Posted by ILS25
Can anyone answer that if there where storms out at sea for a few days, and ferry companies had to cancel sailings, do they have to fork out compensation to passangers for food and accomodation if they cannot offer them an alternative route to their destination? Just a question

No ...... because there is no EU legislation requiring them to do so.

If the reported facts are correct, Ryanair chose to ignore their responsibilities and cannot complain at the consequencies.

If anyone feels that the legislation is so unfair on the airlines then I suggest you lobby your EMP for a change to the current legislation.

[larssnowpharter]

As under the Montreal Convention, obligations on operating
air carriers should be limited or excluded in cases
where an event has been caused by extraordinary
circumstances which could not have been avoided even
if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such circumstances
may, in particular, occur in cases of political
instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with
the operation of the flight concerned, security risks,
unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes that
affect the operation of an operating air carrier.

para 14 of the EU Regulation 261/2004

[racedo]

This already being discussed on Ryanair forum. To reiterate what said there the Italians better have researched this fully and can prove that every airline looked at every single passenger because targeting one will not hold up in court which is where this is headed.

[Facelookbovvered]

You may will be right, however it was only motor mouth O'leary that went public and said " i will not comply with the regulations" until the legal dept said "if you go down that path its the same as saying i won't comply with FTL or safety over sight and we could have our AOC pulled, hence the rapid about turn.

You can bet your bottom dollar that all sorts of programes are in the making looking at how Ryanair and others have dealt with refunds and expenses claims,how big is Ryanair's customer service deptment?

[pwalhx]

What a shock Racedo defending FR. Who says they won't target othr airlines, but it would be reasonable to suggest FR are the first target as they were the one that tried to wriggle out the most of paying anything.

[racedo]

Pwa - either concentrate on the issue being discussed or don't bother as Mods get shirty with personal stuff

Italian authorities have been very quick to "Impose" a fine and the issue I have been very clear on is that to target a particular airline which is exactly what has happened will not stand up in court. A single case involving any other airline where the Italian authorities have not attempted to extort money will show that it is a direct attack on Ryanair and will head to European courts. The fine makes good publicity but will be seen as an attempt to target an Italian Non National Airline which EU competition law will deal with.