Ryanair passengers facing a compensation minefield

Ryanair passengers who have been told their flights have been cancelled face potential confusion when it comes to claiming compensation.

Although EU rules have strengthened consumer rights in recent years, working out what you can claim can be complicated. And with some estimates suggesting that nearly half a million passengers will be affected, there are sure to be more than a few headaches over the coming weeks.

Many of the rules surrounding compensation and passenger rights depend on how much notice you are given, and consumer group Which? provides a handy guide here: http://bit.ly/ryanaircomp

“Ryanair’s cancellation of hundreds of flights at short notice is a nightmare for its passengers, with thousands facing huge inconvenience,” said Alex Neill, of Which?

“This highlights once again the need for automatic compensation across the industry. Ryanair should now take the initiative and pay out to passengers it knows are entitled to compensation without making people jump through hoops.”

Flights from numerous airports are affected by the chaos, but London Stansted is being hit particularly hard.

Hayley Shearer, of flight-comparison site Skyscanner, said affected passengers who were trying to rebook their flights might do well to look at neighbouring airports.

“For travellers who have been affected by the Ryanair cancellations, there are still some alternative flights available, although travellers may have to consider travelling out of a different airport,” she said.

“For example, our research has shown that travellers can still reach many destinations which are being affected by flying from Luton instead of Stansted.”