Italian court awards €1,750 to Ryanair passengers after 3-hour delay « Euro Weekly News
Seven passengers on a Ryanair flight from Trapani Birgi to Rome Fiumicino have got a combined €1,750 after the plane landed more than three hours late.
The Justice of the Peace Court in Trapani handed down six separate favourable rulings, awarding €250 to each traveller under EU Regulation 261/2004.
Flight FR8916 operated on 15 May 2024. Passengers assisted by claims firm ItaliaRimborso waited more than two years for the outcome. Courts confirmed the fixed compensation for short-haul routes under 1,500 km and ordered the airline to cover the passengers’ legal costs.
Court rejects Ryanair’s ‘no prior claim’ defence
Ryanair argued the passengers could not take the case to court because they had not first lodged a formal written complaint with the airline. Judges dismissed that argument outright. Rulings stated that the right to compensation arises automatically the moment a flight arrives more than three hours late. It does not depend on sending a prior written claim. Nice try Ryanair, but no.
Judges also said the airline could have avoided the entire process by accepting the requests during the earlier conciliation stage. Instead, the seven passengers had to push through to a full hearing, which in the end took more than 2 years.
Why most people on the same flight got nothing
ItaliaRimborso pointed out that many travellers simply give up. They either never claim, accept an initial rejection, or stop because the airline insists on a written complaint first. On this flight, only the seven who kept going with specialist help received payment. Everyone else who suffered the identical delay almost certainly received nothing.
That gap shows why following the correct procedure is important, as well as a large dose of patience. The legal entitlement is identical for every passenger who arrives more than three hours late (unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances). Differences in outcome come down to whether people document the delay, pursue the claim, and continue if the airline pushes back. Passengers who stop after one rejection end up leaving the money on the table.
What EU rules actually say about delays
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, arrival delays of three hours or more normally trigger fixed compensation: €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for medium-haul routes, and €600 for long-haul. Care (food, drink, hotel if needed) is a separate right. Airlines can refuse the cash only if they prove the disruption was caused by events outside their control. For a clear breakdown of the rules, see our earlier guide: Aena Clarifies: Up to €600 compensation for flight delays. Are you claiming yours?.
Euro Weekly News readers flying Ryanair from Spain or elsewhere in Europe have seen similar issues before. One Alicante family previously recovered €508 after a cancellation (Ryanair pays €508 to Alicante family after flight cancelled), while other cases have involved enforcement action against the airline, including bailiffs placing a seizure notice on a Ryanair jet. More general guidance on claiming after Spanish airport delays is available in our coverage of Brits among thousands of Malaga passengers who could claim hundreds of euros.
Passengers on future delayed flights should keep boarding passes, screenshots of arrival times, and any receipts for extra costs. Those who believe they qualify can check eligibility directly via the official EU passenger rights page or contact a claims specialist, like the Italy passengers did. Courts in this case made clear that the right exists from the moment of the delay itself. Waiting for the airline to volunteer payment is rarely enough.
