A number of Ryanair customers have reported that compensation cheques they received from the airline have been rejected by their banks, with some incurring extra fees as a result.
The cheques were issued without signatures due to an “admin error”, according to Ryanair, which said 190 of 20,000 documents issued in July were affected.
According to the BBC, one passenger said she waited 11 months for compensation following a cancelled flight for her 25th wedding anniversary and received a €20 fee from her bank when the cheque bounced.
Ryanair said the cheques were re-issued last week with a “letter of explanation”.
The Irish low-cost carrier also took the opportunity to explain that passengers whose flights are cancelled as a result of ongoing staff strikes across Europe were not entitled to compensation under EU261 rules because industrial action is “beyond the airline’s control”.
However, flight delay compensation law firm Bott and Co says a recent EU court ruling means strikes are no longer considered ‘extraordinary circumstances’ outside of the airline’s control. Both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and passenger rights specialist Airhelp confirmed passengers can claim for compensation under EU261 rules, while consumer rights group Which? says this applies if their carrier has not informed customers of flight cancellations at least two weeks prior to departure.
The ruling does not apply to cancellations and delays caused by air traffic control strikes and staff shortages because they are not the responsibility of airlines.