Belgian consumer association Test-Aankoop/Achats introduces class action against Ryanair

Last summer, several strikes were organised by Ryanair staff. As a result, several passengers have had their flights cancelled or delayed. Although European regulations and jurisprudence are very clear in this area, Ryanair refuses to compensate them. After introducing several individual actions against the Irish company, Test-Aankoop/Achats decided to step up and introduce a class action suit. Those interested can register on www.testachats.be/actionryanair (French) or www.test-aankoop.be/actieryanair (Dutch).

Repeated strikes

For several years now, Ryanair has been facing structural deficiencies in the management of its personnel, which has led to many requests for recognition of fundamental social rights of the staff. The first social actions of Ryanair’s Belgian staff date back to the early 2000s, and Ryanair’s difficulties with its staff have since been recurring.

New large-scale social movements took place in the summer of 2018 in various European countries, including Belgium. Due to these strikes, many Ryanair flights to and from Belgium have been cancelled or delayed on 25 and 26 July 2018, 10 August 2018 and 28 September 2018. According to the information available to Test-Aankoop/Achats, approximately 172 flights were affected by these cancellations or delays.

Ryanair refuses to compensate

Although regulations and European case law provide for compensation for passengers affected by delays and cancellations in the event of a strike by airline personnel, Ryanair persists in its refusal to comply. That is why Test-Aankoop/Achats introduced, at the end of August 2018, several proceedings before the courts of Zaventem and Charleroi.

Class action

“Since the individual procedures take longer than expected and we want all the passengers targeted by the strikes to be compensated, we have filed a class action in the company court in Brussels,” says Julie Frère, spokeswoman of Test-Aankoop/Achats, for whom “it’s enough to make fun of the rights of air passengers!“. Anyone wishing to know more about this action, and follow its different steps can register on www.testachats.be/actionryanair (French) or www.test-aankoop.be/actieryanair (Dutch).