Some customers may be entitled to more than just a refund.
Ryanair announced on Friday that it would be cancelling up to 50 flights every day for the next six weeks.
The reason given for this was so that their work calendar could successfully switch from April-March to January-December, as well as increased holiday days to their pilots and cabin crew.
On Saturday, the Commission for Aviation Regulation announced a statement informing Ryanair customers that some of them may be entitled to compensation depending on how much notice they were given.
In the statement, they say:
"If you have been affected by the Ryanair programme of flight cancellations you are entitled to a choice of refund or rerouting. Compensation may also be payable depending on the notice period Ryanair has given you."
"Passengers who remain unclear about their entitlements, or who have further queries, should contact the Commission's office at
info@aviationreg.ie or on 1890 787 787 or + 353 1 6611700."
The regulator's website stresses that: "It is very important to note that compensation is distinct from and separate to the notion of reimbursement of expenses and/ or the refund of the cost of an unused flight ticket."
The full details of the rules of compensation can be found
here, and are heavily contingent the amount of time given before the cancellation, the cost of the flights, and the circumstances of any potential re-routing, as per their website:
Compensation in the event of a cancellation depends on the distance of the flight and the reason for the cancellation.
If an airline can prove that the cancellation was caused by an extraordinary circumstance which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures were taken no compensation is payable.
As previously stated, the distance of a flight determines the amount of compensation due.
If the flight distance is:
- 1500km or less the amount payable is €250
- 1500km – 3500km and all EU flights over 3500km the amount payable is €400
- 3500km or more the amount payable is €600.
If an airline can offer rerouting to the final destination that does not exceed the following, the compensation will be reduced by 50%:
- two hours for flights of less than 1500km;
- three hours for flights between 1500km and 3500km; and
- four hours for flights over 3500km
