Ryanair refuses to pay compensation despite ruling

Enes Gültekin, 20, and his mother were delayed for 30 hours after their flight from Bosnia to Italy was cancelled last summer, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reports. Though the Swedish National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN) ruled in his favour, Ryanair has not paid the compensation.

Gültekin said he was surprised by the airline’s refusal. Ryanair claims the cancellation was beyond its control.

Maria Wiezell, a consumer advisor at the Swedish Consumers’ Association, said such cases are common. “Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for airlines to ignore ARN’s decisions,” she told SVT.

This year alone, ARN has received over 1,400 complaints about scheduled flights, most concerning delays or cancellations where passengers are entitled to fixed compensation. According to the Financial Times, European airlines owe passengers €3.2 billion in unpaid compensation over the past 15 years, often due to cumbersome claim procedures and low passenger awareness.

The airline industry argues the regulations are unclear. “Many disputes arise because the rules are broad and open to interpretation,” said Fredrik Kämpfe of Transportföretagen Flyg, an industry group.

SVT sought comment from Ryanair but received no response.