Ryanair compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight
Ryanair flies under European licences, so Regulation (EC) 261/2004 applies to all of its flights to and from the EU, including those from Romania.
Which Ryanair flights are covered
The Ryanair group flies under several licences: Ryanair DAC (Ireland), Buzz (Poland), Malta Air and Lauda Europe (Malta), all European. Your boarding pass shows the airline that actually operated the flight; that airline is liable for compensation.
Ryanair UK flights departing from the United Kingdom are covered by the UK version of the regulation.
How much you can get on a Ryanair flight
| Flight distance | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km, or any flight within the EU over 1,500 km | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km, departing from or arriving outside the EU | €600 |
| Route (example) | Distance | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Sibiu – Munich | 973 km | €250 |
| Bucharest – Rome Ciampino | 1,135 km | €250 |
| Iași – Milan Bergamo | 1,380 km | €250 |
| Bucharest – London Stansted | 2,066 km | €400 |
| Bucharest – Dublin | 2,530 km | €400 |
The examples show the straight-line distance between airports, not the airline's current timetable. We work out the exact distance for your flight when you check it.
How Ryanair handles claims
Ryanair takes compensation claims through the form on help.ryanair.com and asks claim companies to register with it before filing for passengers. Do not be put off if the first answer is a refusal: many cases are only settled after a complaint to the authority or in court.
Sometimes, in reply to a compensation claim, the airline refunds only the ticket. A refund and the fixed compensation are different things: you can receive both.
Where to complain and where a case is heard
For flights departing from Romania, the body that enforces the regulation is the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC). If it comes to court, the airline can be sued at the court for the airport of departure or arrival (Rehder ruling of the EU Court of Justice, 2009), so a flight from or to Romania can be heard in Romania even if the airline is foreign.
What documents you need
- your boarding pass or booking confirmation;
- an identity document, for the assignment agreement you sign online;
- if you have them, any messages from the airline about the delay or cancellation.
How long you have to claim
In Romania you can usually claim up to 3 years after the flight. Even if the flight was two years ago, it is worth checking.
How Jet Claim helps
Check your flight for free in two minutes and sign online. We handle the correspondence with the airline, the complaint to the authority and, if needed, court. Our fee is 25% + VAT of the amount recovered, deducted only if you get paid. Every situation is explained on the passenger rights page.
Frequently asked questions
Ryanair blamed a strike. Am I entitled?
It depends on the strike. A strike by air traffic controllers or airport staff is usually an extraordinary circumstance. A strike by the airline's own employees is not (Airhelp v SAS ruling of the EU Court of Justice, 2021).
The airline said it was a technical problem. Am I still entitled?
Usually, yes. The EU Court of Justice has ruled that technical faults found during maintenance or before departure are part of an airline's normal business and do not excuse it from paying (van der Lans ruling, 2015).
Can I claim for a flight from two years ago?
Yes. In Romania the time limit is usually 3 years from the date of the flight. All you need is the flight details and your booking.