Bailiffs boarding Ryanair plane to enforce debt<\/p>\n
Bailiffs boarded a Ryanair aircraft at Linz airport after the airline did not comply with a court order to pay \u20ac890 in costs and compensation to a passenger. The flight was bound for London, and the seizure occurred on the tarmac as the aircraft awaited departure.<\/p>\n
The action followed a court ruling from Austria two years after a 13-hour delay on a Linz\u2013Mallorca flight in 2024. The passenger sought refund of expenses plus compensation under aviation regulations, and the court ordered Ryanair to pay the amount plus interest and legal costs.<\/p>\n
At Linz, officials said a bailiff was instructed by the Traun district court to carry out the act. The crew could not hand over cash, since Ryanair operates cashless flights, so a seizure notice was affixed to the cabin wall and the plane proceeded to London. The passenger\u2019s representative said enforcement would continue until the debt is settled.<\/p>\n
Ryanair has faced criticism from passenger rights groups over delays and cancellations, with EU rules allowing \u20ac600 per passenger for delays of three hours or more. Ryanair has previously disputed specific compensation cases, with some refunds later issued after media inquiries.<\/p>\n
Authorities rarely seize aircraft in compensation disputes, though there are prior examples, such as a French seizure over subsidies in 2018. In that case, Ryanair settled the outstanding amount after authorities acted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"