Ryanair pursue €15k in damages from ‘disruptive passenger’ on Dublin to Lanzarote flight

The flight ended up being diverted to Porto as a result of the disorder.

In a statement posted on their website, the budget airline revealed that they have initiated legal proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court claiming over €15,000 in damages against a passenger who disrupted flight FR7124 from Dublin to Lanzarote on 9 April last year.

According to Ryanair, the passenger’s disorderly behaviour led to the flight being diverted to Porto, where it was delayed overnight.

"It is unacceptable that passengers are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger’s behaviour," said the airline.

"This was regrettably the case for passengers on this flight from Dublin to Lanzarote last April, which was forced to divert to Porto as a result of an individual passenger’s disruptive behaviour, causing €15,000 in overnight accommodation, passenger expenses, and landing costs. We have now filed civil proceedings to recover these costs from this passenger."

The statement continued: "This demonstrates just one of the many consequences that passengers who disrupt flights will face as part of Ryanair’s zero tolerance policy, and we hope this action will deter further disruptive behaviour on flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment."

Ryanair state that they maintain a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft for the benefit of the vast majority of passengers who do not disrupt flights.

The civil action comes just months after Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said he would be 'happy' to introduce a two-drink limit on the airline's flights.

The Irish businessman admitted that the budget airline saw a 'spike' of violent disorder among its passengers last summer, adding that flights to party hotspot Ibiza were often the rowdiest. 

He told Sky News that would be 'happy to [introduce the limit] tomorrow'.

"If the price of putting a drink limit on the airport, where the problem is being created, is putting a drink limit on board the aircraft, we've no problem with that," added O'Leary.

"The real issue is how do we stop these people getting drunk at airports particularly as, like this summer, we've had a huge spike in air traffic control delays.

"They're getting on board with too much alcohol in their system. If we identify them as being drunk on board, we don't serve them alcohol. But that doesn't solve the problem."