Did you recently book a Ryanair flight that ended up getting delayed or even cancelled? A delay or a cancellation is bound to have affected your plans and greatly inconvenienced you, and we understand your pain.
We’ve curated this detailed guide to help address your concerns, but before that, we help you understand the regulations that protect you in such an event.
To start with, Ryanair is a budget European airline headquartered in Ireland. While it proves to be a popular choice for travel within Europe year after year, like any other airline, it too is prone to disruptions like delays and cancellations.
However, as with any other European airline, any delays or cancellations for which Ryanair is at fault entitles passengers to up to €600 in compensation. This compensation is guaranteed under the provisions of the European Union’s Regulation EU261 (or EC261). It ensures and protects the rights of airline passengers in the event of disruptions caused by the negligence of a European airline.
In this guide, we show you how you can file for a Ryanair EU261 claim and examine the various criteria your situation must meet to avail you of the different levels of compensation you’re entitled to.
What is EU261 and How Does it Apply to Ryanair?
Before we move on to understand how you can claim EU261 compensation for Ryanair, let’s have a closer look at EU261 and what rights it entitles airline passengers to.
EU261, also known as EC261 or Flight Compensation Regulation 2004 is a piece of European Union legislation that protects the rights of airline passengers during travel disruptionst. This law covers a range of situations, including:-
- Flight Delays – If your Ryanair flight has been delayed for three hours or longer, EU261 entitles you to compensation. Similarly, Wizz Air passengers are covered under EU261 compensation for delays and cancellations caused by the airline.
- Flight Cancellations – If the airline cancels your flight without adequate notice, you’re entitled to compensation. You might also be able to get a full refund of the ticket’s price under these circumstances.
- Overbooking – If an airline overbooks its flight and denies you boarding as a result, EU261 entitles you to compensation.
- Missed Connection Flight – If your flight gets delayed and you miss your connecting flight as a result, EU261 entitles you to compensation for the loss and inconvenience incurred.
Which Ryanair Flights are Covered by EU261?
Since Ryanair is a European airline, passengers on its flights are protected under the terms of EU261. This regulation covers flights to Europe, even those departing from outside the EU. Checking a Ryanair review can be helpful to see how they manage EU261 claims in practice.
The table below illustrates the two criteria that flights must meet for passengers to be covered by the provisions of EU261:
| Itinerary | Protected by EU261 |
| Flights departing from EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights landing at EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How Much Can You Claim with Ryanair EU261 Compensation?
The compensation you can get for disruptions caused to a Ryanair flight depends on the flight’s length. The longer the distance to be traveled, the greater the compensation you may be entitled to. However, your situation must meet certain criteria for you to be eligible for compensation. Briefly put, these include:
- Your flight must be delayed by more than 3 hours.
- Your flight should be cancelled by the airline fewer than 14 days before departure.
- You’re denied boarding due to the airline overbooking the flight.
- The disruption caused must be a result of the airline’s negligence, and not as a result of “extraordinary circumstances” such as extreme weather conditions, for instance.
According to the provisions of EU261, you’re entitled to the following amounts in compensation based on the distance of your flight and your itinerary –
| Distance | Compensation Amount |
| Flights under 1,500 km | €250 |
| Flights within the EU over 1,500 km | €400 |
| Non-EU flights between 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 |
| Non-EU flights over 3,500 km | €600 |
How to Claim Ryanair EU261 Compensation
If your Ryanair flight has been delayed or cancelled, and you want to claim compensation, you’ll need to fill in our EU261 compensation form. Unlike other websites, our form is designed to simplify the process and ensure all the necessary information is provided accurately, minimizing the chances of errors.
Filling out our form is straightforward, and it avoids the common complications found with other claim submission platforms. Once you’ve submitted your claim through our form, we take over the process to handle the follow-up with Ryanair and ensure your claim meets all the EU261 requirements.
Additionally, by submitting your claim through our platform, you streamline the process and increase the chances of successfully receiving the compensation you’re entitled to under EU261 regulations.
What to Do if Ryanair EU261 Form is Not Working
Due to occasional technical glitches, you might find the Ryanair EU261 compensation claim form not working. However, this doesn’t need to prevent you from submitting your claim. Instead, you can easily fill out our compensation form, allowing our team of experts to start the claims process for you.
By submitting the form through our platform, you can bypass the technical issues and ensure that your claim is properly submitted without delay, maximizing your chances of receiving the compensation you’re entitled to under EU261 regulations.
Other Rights Covered by Regulation EU261
Aside from receiving compensation for the disruption caused on a Ryanair flight, the airline is also required to offer you other benefits. We discuss these benefits and rights that airline passengers are entitled to in this section.
Your Right to Know About EU261
Every airline must inform you of your rights laid out in EU261in the event of a delay, cancellation, or if you’re denied boarding on the flight. You can also familiarize yourself with the official document that lists your rights under the EU261 regulation. This will prevent the airline from misleading you in any way, as you’ll be aware of your rights and protections.
The airline is also required to provide you with a written notice that outlines the rules airlines must follow to provide you with the required assistance and compensation.
Right to Care
If you are denied boarding, your Ryanair flight is cancelled or delayed for more than two hours, the airline is obliged to provide you with assistance in the form of food, drink, communication (phone calls or emails) and accommodation (if necessary).
The provision of these benefits depends on the duration of the delay and the distance the flight was scheduled to travel.
Ticket Refund
If your flight is delayed or cancelled by more than five hours, the airline must refund you the cost of your ticket. Refunds must be made immediately, and you’re entitled to a full refund of the ticket price or for the part of the trip that wasn’t completed.
Upgrading and Downgrading
If the airline offers you a seat on an alternative flight and you receive an upgrade (economy to business, for example), the airline cannot charge you extra for the higher fare. However, if your ticket is downgraded on the alternative flight, you can be entitled to anywhere between 30-75% of the original price you paid for the ticket.
FAQ
Once you submit the Ryanair EU261 claim form for compensation, you must note that it can take at least three months for you to be compensated. However, if the case is taken to the court, you can expect a further delay of a few months.
To be eligible for Ryanair compensation under EU261, your flight must be delayed by 3 hours or more upon arrival at your final destination.
Yes, Ryanair is required to pay compensation under EU261 if your flight is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked due to circumstances within their control. Compensation amounts vary based on the distance of the flight.
The time limit to file a compensation claim under EU261 varies by country, but generally, you have up to 6 years from the date of the disrupted flight to submit your claim, depending on the jurisdiction.