Bailiffs board Ryanair plane after airline refuses to pay delayed flight compensation

"A bailiff entered the plane, which was bound for London, as it sat on the stand at Linz airport on Monday and fixed a seizure sticker to the cabin when crew were unable to settle the debt. The label, known as a cuckoo sticker, gives the court legal control over the aircraft, which was allowed to continue to operate under set conditions."

"The dispute began in 2024 when a flight from Linz to the Spanish island of Mallorca was delayed by 13 hours. A passenger who was forced to pay for an alternative flight claimed a refund of her expenses and compensation under aviation regulations. Ryanair failed to pay up and the passenger took her case to a court, which ordered the airline to hand over the claimed sum plus interest and legal costs."

"The bailiff asked the crew to hand over the 890, but since Ryanair operates cashless flights they were unable to comply. so the seizure notice was placed on the cabin wall. The flight then departed for London."

Austrian officials boarded a Ryanair Boeing 737 at Linz airport and applied a seizure sticker to the cabin after the airline ignored a court order to pay €890 in compensation and legal costs to a passenger. The dispute originated from a 13-hour flight delay in 2024 from Linz to Mallorca, during which the passenger paid for an alternative flight and sought reimbursement under aviation regulations. After Ryanair refused payment and ignored the court ruling, the passenger requested enforcement action from Austrian authorities. The bailiff attempted to collect the debt directly from the crew, but since Ryanair operates cashless flights, payment was impossible. The seizure sticker grants the court legal control over the aircraft, which can be sold at public auction if the debt remains unpaid by the deadline. The flight was permitted to depart for London under these conditions.

Read at www.theguardian.com