Ryanair compensation claims must be heard in the Republic says British court

A British court has ruled that claims taken against Ryanair in the UK for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights should be heard in the Republic.

Liverpool county court ruled on Wednesday that the Irish courts should hear claims brought against the airline on behalf of clients by British law firm Hughes Walker.

Ryanair welcomed the news and pointed out that under its terms and conditions, such claims should be brought in the Irish courts.

Hughes Walkers is taking the cases under EU regulation 261, which requires airlines to compensate passengers for delayed or cancelled flights.

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However, Ryanair says that since 2010 its terms and conditions have required that where passengers use third-party firms to pursue the claim instead, it must be heard in the Irish courts.

Ryanair said the Liverpool court ruling upholds this term, which it added that it introduced to prevent firms from taking cases on behalf of consumers and then charging them a large portion of the compensation in return.

Chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said that where customers have valid EU261 claims, they should submit them directly to Ryanair. In the case of UK passengers, if the airline rejects them, they are then entitled to go through the British courts.