- Ryanair is suing a passenger it said had forced a flight to divert, it announced Wednesday.
- The airline said it paid for 160 passengers’ accommodation after the diversion meant an overnight delay.
- It said it would take action against “disruptive passengers personally.”
Ryanair announced a clampdown on passenger misconduct as it revealed it was suing someone it accused of disrupting a flight and forcing it to divert.
The budget airline said it wants to claim over 15,000 euros, around $15,500, in damages, having filed proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the airline said it would now take action against “disruptive passengers personally” in a “major misconduct clamp down.”
It added it would “continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behavior.”
In the statement, it said that the incident occurred on April 9, 2024, on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote — a popular vacation destination in Spain’s Canary Islands.
The flight, with 160 passengers on board, diverted to Porto, Portugal, and was delayed overnight, the airline said.
The airline accused the passenger of “inexcusable behavior” but did not elaborate on what they had specifically done.
A Ryanair spokesperson said the incident cost the airline 15,000 euros for overnight accommodation, passenger expenses, and landing costs.
“It is unacceptable that passengers — many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday — are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger’s behavior,” the spokesperson said.
“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 behavior on flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment,” they added.
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