RYANAIR has been fined more than half a million dollars after Hungary's Supreme Court upheld a previous order related to consumer protection laws.
The airline has previously been fined for other consumer-related incidents across Europe, one of which was even overruled by a Hungarian court.
Ryanair was ordered by the Budapest municipal government office to pay HUF200 million (US$545,000) for violating consumer protection laws. This was in relation to a flight delay that took place earlier this year, reports Montreal's Simply Flying.
In February, there was a delay in Ryanair's flight from Budapest to Gran Canaria. However, the carrier did not update the passengers about the schedule change and failed to comply with procedures in such matters.
According to a report by ch-aviation, Hungary's Supreme Court, the Curia of Hungary, has also sided with Budapest municipal government and upheld its order to fine the budget carrier.
This isn't the first time Ryanair has been fined for not following consumer laws. In August, the low-cost carrier was fined EUR5.6 million (US$6.1 million) for not compensating passengers for cancelations following a strike by its cabin crew in 2018.
The two-day strike forced the carrier to cancel more than 300 flights at Spanish airports. Ryanair did appeal against the fine, but it was rejected by the Supreme Court. The airline was found violating EU legislation regarding the assistance provided to passengers during a delay or cancellation.
The law states that if flight disruptions are not caused by external factors beyond the control of the carrier, passengers can claim compensation under the EU261 law.
The carrier, however, has been able to convince courts in its favour in the past. In June 2022, the Government of hungary imposed a tax on companies with good financial performance to shield itself from the inflation caused by the war in Ukraine.
Ryanair was one of the listed companies, and asked for the tax to be scrapped, claiming that it would affect flights and tourism to the country. A consumer protection investigation launched by Budapest municipality a month after the tax came into effect found that Ryanair was deceiving passengers with unfair practices. The carrier was fined EUR763,000. But the Metropolitan Court of Budapest later annulled the fine.
SeaNews Turkey
The airline has previously been fined for other consumer-related incidents across Europe, one of which was even overruled by a Hungarian court.
Ryanair was ordered by the Budapest municipal government office to pay HUF200 million (US$545,000) for violating consumer protection laws. This was in relation to a flight delay that took place earlier this year, reports Montreal's Simply Flying.
In February, there was a delay in Ryanair's flight from Budapest to Gran Canaria. However, the carrier did not update the passengers about the schedule change and failed to comply with procedures in such matters.
According to a report by ch-aviation, Hungary's Supreme Court, the Curia of Hungary, has also sided with Budapest municipal government and upheld its order to fine the budget carrier.
This isn't the first time Ryanair has been fined for not following consumer laws. In August, the low-cost carrier was fined EUR5.6 million (US$6.1 million) for not compensating passengers for cancelations following a strike by its cabin crew in 2018.
The two-day strike forced the carrier to cancel more than 300 flights at Spanish airports. Ryanair did appeal against the fine, but it was rejected by the Supreme Court. The airline was found violating EU legislation regarding the assistance provided to passengers during a delay or cancellation.
The law states that if flight disruptions are not caused by external factors beyond the control of the carrier, passengers can claim compensation under the EU261 law.
The carrier, however, has been able to convince courts in its favour in the past. In June 2022, the Government of hungary imposed a tax on companies with good financial performance to shield itself from the inflation caused by the war in Ukraine.
Ryanair was one of the listed companies, and asked for the tax to be scrapped, claiming that it would affect flights and tourism to the country. A consumer protection investigation launched by Budapest municipality a month after the tax came into effect found that Ryanair was deceiving passengers with unfair practices. The carrier was fined EUR763,000. But the Metropolitan Court of Budapest later annulled the fine.
SeaNews Turkey
