PAINUKAA HELVETTIIN!!!

On Friday, Ryanair has cancelled a flight Pisa-Charleroi, apparently due to extreme weather conditions. Passengers were advised to go to hell (tirez votre plan, trek uw plan maar, sorry - help yourself). A Ryanair's spokesman told VRT-Radio Friday morning that pax will have to wait till the next opportunity, as it's usual by "European habits". Ryanair says that they are not obliged to assist the passengers in case of "extraordanary circumstances". Finally, Ryanair says that a hotel would cost them more then the ticket price.

For those pax, stuck in Pisa:

Ryanair doesn't like European legislation, specially not when Charleroi is involved (but that's another 4 mio euro story...). The "European habits", to which Ryanair is referring, actually is a European Regulation = a European law. This Regulation 261/2004, which should be announced at the entry of Pisa-airport, primo doens't gives Ryanair the right to drop you, and b) the "extraordanary circumstances" only exclude Ryanair from offering you a financial compensation. Not from assistance and rerouting/reimboursement.

English text of EU-Regulation 261/2004:
http://tinyurl.com/3ctzhn
Texte Francais du EU-Règlement 261/2004:
http://tinyurl.com/36329f
Nederlandse tekst van EU-Verordening 261/2004:
http://tinyurl.com/2vfder
Italiano:
http://tinyurl.com/36sjqk

Notes LX-LGX:

Article 5.1.(a) says that, when a flight is cancelled, Article 8 applies. That Article 8 starts with "...passengers shall be offered the choice between..." It's thus not Ryanair who has to say what will happen: you have the choice.

Article 5.1.(b) says that, when a flight is cancelled, Article 9.1(a) and 9(2) apply. This is outmost important for you, as Article 9.1(a) obliges Ryanair to pay for your meals and hotels.

Article 5: Cancellation

1. In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall:

(a) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 8; and

(b) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 9(1)(a) and 9(2), as well as, in event of re-routing when the reasonably expected time of departure of the new flight is at least the day after the departure as it was planned for the cancelled flight, the assistance specified in Article 9(1)(b) and 9(1)(c); and

(c) have the right to compensation by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 7, unless:

(i) they are informed of the cancellation at least two weeks before the scheduled time of departure; or

(ii) they are informed of the cancellation between two weeks and seven days before the scheduled time of departure and are offered re-routing, allowing them to depart no more than two hours before the scheduled time of departure and to reach their final destination less than four hours after the scheduled time of arrival; or

(iii) they are informed of the cancellation less than seven days before the scheduled time of departure and are offered re-routing, allowing them to depart no more than one hour before the scheduled time of departure and to reach their final destination less than two hours after the scheduled time of arrival.

2. When passengers are informed of the cancellation, an explanation shall be given concerning possible alternative transport.

3. An operating air carrier shall not be obliged to pay compensation in accordance with Article 7, if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

4. The burden of proof concerning the questions as to whether and when the passenger has been informed of the cancellation of the flight shall rest with the operating air carrier.

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Article 8: Right to reimbursement or re-routing

1. Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between:

(a) - reimbursement within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made, and for the part or parts already made if the flight is no longer serving any purpose in relation to the passenger's original travel plan, together with, when relevant,

- a return flight to the first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity;

(b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the earliest opportunity; or

(c) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at a later date at the passenger's convenience, subject to availability of seats.

2. Paragraph 1(a) shall also apply to passengers whose flights form part of a package, except for the right to reimbursement where such right arises under Directive 90/314/EEC.

3. When, in the case where a town, city or region is served by several airports, an operating air carrier offers a passenger a flight to an airport alternative to that for which the booking was made, the operating air carrier shall bear the cost of transferring the passenger from that alternative airport either to that for which the booking was made, or to another close-by destination agreed with the passenger.

Article 9 : Right to care

1. Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered free of charge:

(a) meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time;

(b) hotel accommodation in cases

- where a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary, or

- where a stay additional to that intended by the passenger becomes necessary;

(c) transport between the airport and place of accommodation (hotel or other).

2. In addition, passengers shall be offered free of charge two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails.


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The only Article that is not applicable to you, is Article 7 = financial compensation: if indeed the weather at Pisa was too bad to operate the flight, Ryanair doesn't have to pay you a financial indemnity, like they would have to do if the flight was cancelled because there was no crew available. But once again: extraordanary circumstances only excludes Ryanair from Article 7, not from Article 8 and not from Article 9.