Risarcimento volo cancellato Ryanair

Ryanair cancellations: what is specific

Ryanair’s cancellation notice is the “your flight has been cancelled” e-mail or app message offering a refund or a free move; its timestamp is the notice date that decides the 14-day rule. Cancellations announced weeks ahead for schedule changes carry no compensation, but you still choose between a full refund and a free rebooking on another Ryanair flight.

Short-notice cancellations for ATC strikes — frequent in French airspace — are usually extraordinary; cancellations for Ryanair crew rostering, aircraft availability or its own staff’s industrial action are not. Ryanair operates only its own network, so if it cannot re-route you promptly it must still refund the unused sector and pay care while you wait; ask in writing rather than accepting the first option in the app.

The three questions that decide a Ryanair cancellation claim

1. When did Ryanair tell you? Informed 14 days or more before departure: no compensation, but a refund or re-routing and care. Less than 14 days: compensation is due unless a replacement flight met the windows below or the cause was extraordinary. Ryanair must prove when and how it informed you — keep its cancellation e-mail or app notification with the timestamp.
2. What replacement did Ryanair offer? Between 7 and 14 days’ notice, no compensation if the re-routing departed no more than 2 hours early and arrived less than 4 hours late; under 7 days’ notice the margins shrink to 1 hour early and 2 hours late.
3. Why was it cancelled? Weather, air-traffic-control restrictions, security and external strikes are extraordinary; Ryanair’s technical problems, crew shortages, rotation planning and its own staff’s strikes are not.

Ryanair DAC (Irish AOC). Flights may also be operated by Ryanair UK (RK), Malta Air (AL), Buzz (RR) or Lauda Europe (LW) under the FR flight number. Check the operating carrier on your boarding pass: the rules follow the airline that flew the aircraft, not the one that sold the ticket.

What you always get, whatever the reason

Compensation may depend on the cause, but three rights never do. Ryanair must offer you the choice between a full refund of the unused ticket (within 7 days, in cash or bank transfer — a voucher only with your agreement) and re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or on a later date of your choice. While you wait for the re-routing Ryanair must provide meals, refreshments, two calls or e-mails and, when an overnight stay becomes necessary, a hotel and transport to it. If it leaves you to arrange this yourself, keep receipts and claim the reasonable amounts.

How much Ryanair owes when compensation is due

€250, €400 or €600 per passenger under EU261, set by the distance of the flight (or of the whole journey on one booking). Ryanair may halve the long-haul amount to €300 when the replacement flight it offered arrived within the reduction windows (2 hours late for short flights, 3 hours for medium, 4 hours for long).

How to claim a cancellation from Ryanair

1. Keep the cancellation notice, the original booking and the details of any replacement flight offered (departure and arrival times).
2. Ask Ryanair in writing for the reason for the cancellation.
3. Submit the claim through Ryanair’s official channel (https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-gb), or by post to Ryanair DAC, Customer Service Department, PO Box 11451, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland, stating the notice date, the replacement offered (or not) and the amount per passenger.
4. If Ryanair refuses or stalls for 8 weeks, escalate to AviationADR (UK flights), then to the courts within the limitation period of the departure country.