Passengers flying with Ryanair will be compensated for flight delays and cancellations as well as for lost and damaged luggage in future following action by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in Britain.
The OFT announced today it had forced the budget airline to change its contract terms "to give air travellers a fairer deal."
The changes affect Ryanair's liability for flight delays and cancellations, lost luggage, and damaged luggage.
The OFT was concerned that Ryanair's options to travellers in the event of a flight delay or cancellation did not reflect consumers' full rights under EU rules.
Ryanair has now amended its terms and has removed its exclusions of liability for damage to sporting equipment, infant equipment, medical or mobility equipment and musical instruments.
It also amended its regulations about claims for lost luggage after the OFT considered that the airline had gone beyond the current international baggage rules.
OFT director of services Ray Hall said the improvements would be of great benefit to passengers.
"The OFT's action has secured improvements to Ryanair's terms that will benefit passengers. We expect other airlines using similar terms to stop doing so immediately. Continued use of such terms will be considered a breach of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999," he said.