The High Court today awarded Ryanair’s 1,000,000th passenger €67,500 damages and her costs after she sued the airline for misrepresentation and loss of expectation.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly ruled that Ms Jane O'Keeffe (35), of Mount Eagle View, Leopardstown Heights, did have a contract with the company following her award of free flights for life in 1988.
He said this contract had been broken by the airline when it started restricting the offer nine years later.
He added that Ryanair's outspoken chief executive, Mr Michael O'Leary, was “hostile and aggressive” when the mother-of-two from Dublin contacted the airline to complain.
The financial award was made in respect of past and future losses connected with not being able to utilise the prize and her costs.
During the hearing, Ms O'Keeffe had claimed she was "harassed" by Ryanair's chief executive Mr Michael O'Leary when she sought to avail of a free flight to Scotland in 1997 - a claim denied by Mr O'Leary.
Mr O'Leary acknowledged in court the company was wrong when it sought that year to put a limit on the annual number of free flights which Ms Jane O'Keeffe could take.
The company claims Ms O'Keeffe had simply received a gift bestowed on her by the company.