Had a Ryanair flight delayed or cancelled? Here is how to claim.

This guide explains who Ryanair is, how they usually answer claims, what your rights are, and how to send Ryanair a proper letter by Royal Mail.

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About Ryanair

Ryanair is one of Europe's largest low cost airlines, operating Boeing 737 aircraft across a wide UK and European network.

The UK arm is Ryanair UK Limited, based at Stansted Airport in Essex. The CAA granted Ryanair UK its UK operating licence on 3 January 2019 and it began flying under that licence on 12 March 2019. Your flight may be operated by Ryanair UK Limited or by its Irish sister airline, Ryanair DAC. In either case, complaint letters can be sent to Ryanair UK Limited at Stansted.

Many passengers report that initial claims are declined, often citing "extraordinary circumstances" under Regulation EC 261/2004. Case law including Huzar v Jet2 and Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia has narrowed what genuinely qualifies, and the CAA has previously taken enforcement action against carriers over compensation handling. A formal letter sent by Royal Mail creates a clear paper trail with proof of posting, which is useful evidence if your claim later goes to AviationADR or the small claims court.

Registered office

Ryanair UK Limited
Enterprise House, 2nd Floor, Bassingbourn Road
London Stansted Airport
Stansted, Essex
CM24 1QW
United Kingdom
Companies House number: 01917579 · Incorporated: 30 May 1985 · Regulator: UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) · UK AOC granted: 3 January 2019 · IATA / ICAO codes: RK / RUK (Ryanair UK); FR / RYR (Ryanair DAC)

Group structure

Ryanair Holdings plc

This is the Irish parent company. It owns all the other Ryanair airlines. It is listed on the stock exchange in Dublin and also traded on NASDAQ in New York. If you need to take Ryanair to court in the UK, you do not sue the parent. You sue Ryanair UK Limited instead.

Registered in Ireland

Ryanair DAC

This is the original Irish airline. It flies most of Ryanair's flights across Europe. Lots of flights leaving the UK are still run by Ryanair DAC, not Ryanair UK. You can spot it by the "FR" code on your ticket.

IATA code FR / ICAO code RYR

Ryanair UK Limited

This is the UK arm. It has a UK flying licence from the CAA. You can send legal letters to its Stansted office. Most UK domestic flights, and some flights from the UK to Europe and Morocco, are run by Ryanair UK.

Companies House 01917579

Other group airlines

The Ryanair Group also owns three smaller airlines. Buzz (based in Poland), Lauda Europe (based in Malta) and Malta Air. Sometimes a Ryanair flight you booked is run by one of these. Your UK261 rights are the same no matter which airline in the group flies the plane.

What a Ryanair reply usually looks like

1A quick auto email saying Ryanair got your claim. This usually arrives within a day.
2A first reply saying no. It often blames "extraordinary circumstances" without saying what actually went wrong.
3An offer of a Ryanair voucher instead of cash. You do not have to take a voucher. Cash is what UK261 entitles you to.
4A second reply if you push back. Sometimes this one gives a brief reason for the delay.
5Silence. Ryanair does not always reply at all. After 8 weeks of silence, you can take the claim to AviationADR.
6A final "deadlock letter" if Ryanair has fully refused. This letter is your green light to escalate the case.

How much can you claim from Ryanair under UK261?

Compensation amounts are fixed by flight distance and apply to delays of three hours or more at the final destination, cancellations with less than 14 days' notice, and denied boarding. The flight distance is the “great circle distance” between the departure and arrival airports, not the route flown.

Flight distance	Delay length	Amount per passenger
Up to 1,500 km (e.g. London to Dublin)	3 hours or more	£220
1,500 km to 3,500 km (e.g. London to Athens)	3 hours or more	£350
Over 3,500 km (e.g. London to New York)	3 to 4 hours	£260
Over 3,500 km	4 hours or more	£520

Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority, UK261 compensation guidance.

Your rights

UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 5 (cancellations)

Did Ryanair cancel your flight less than 14 days before take-off? You have two choices. You can get your money back. Or you can ask Ryanair to put you on a different flight. The choice is yours, not theirs. On top of that, you can usually get cash as well. How much cash depends on how far you were flying. The amounts are set in Article 7.

UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 6 and the Sturgeon ruling

What if your flight was just late, not cancelled? Article 6 covers delays. Then in 2009, a big court case called Sturgeon went further. It said that any delay of 3 hours or more should be paid out, the same as a cancellation. The UK kept this rule after Brexit, so Ryanair has to follow it.

UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 7 (compensation amounts)

This is the rule that sets the cash amount. The four amounts are £220, £350, £260 and £520 per passenger. Which one you get depends on how far the flight was and how late you arrived. Ryanair cannot pay you less just because your ticket was cheap.

UK Regulation 261/2004, Articles 8 and 9 (refund and care)

On top of the cash, two other rules look after you. Article 8 lets you pick between a refund or a new flight. Article 9 says Ryanair has to look after you while you wait. That means free food, free drinks, two phone calls or emails, and a hotel if you have to stay overnight.

UK Regulation 261/2004, Article 5(3) (the "extraordinary circumstances" rule)

Ryanair can get out of paying only if BOTH of these are true. One, the cause was outside their control. Two, they could not have stopped it even if they tried hard. Things that DO count are bad weather, war, and air traffic control going on strike. Things that DO NOT count are Ryanair's own staff going on strike or a normal aircraft fault. Ryanair has to prove the cause, not just say "extraordinary circumstances" and hope you go away.

Limitation Act 1980, section 9

How long do you have to claim? In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you have 6 years from the date of the flight. In Scotland, you have 5 years. A 2014 court case called Dawson v Thomson Airways made this clear. That means you can still claim today for a flight that was delayed in 2020.

Common Ryanair situations

Ryanair said it was extraordinary circumstances

Ryanair often sends back a vague email. It just says "extraordinary circumstances" but does not say what actually happened. That is not enough. The law says Ryanair has to PROVE the cause was outside their control. Write back and demand the exact reason. Ask for the proof too. If Ryanair does not answer in 8 weeks, take the case to AviationADR.

Your flight was cancelled because of a Ryanair strike

Did Ryanair's own pilots or cabin crew go on strike? Then Ryanair has to pay you. The CAA has said that an airline's own staff going on strike does NOT count as extraordinary. The CAA took action against Ryanair over this exact issue in December 2018. So if a Ryanair strike was the reason, claim your money under Article 7.

Ryanair offered you a voucher instead of cash

A voucher is not the same as cash. The law (Article 7) says you can have cash. You can take a voucher if you want, but you do not have to. Write back and say you want the cash, not the voucher. Give them your bank details. If Ryanair still says no, that is a breach of UK261. Take it to AviationADR.

Ryanair has not replied for 8 weeks

8 weeks is the magic number. Once 8 weeks have passed with no proper answer, AviationADR will take your case. Send your demand letter by Royal Mail to start the clock cleanly. Keep your proof of postage. If Ryanair still has not answered after 8 weeks, send everything to AviationADR.

Ryanair refused because you used a claims company

A 2019 court case (Bott and Co v Ryanair) said Ryanair can refuse to talk to claims companies. If you used one, send the claim again in YOUR name with YOUR contact details. Ryanair then has to deal with you. The PostRight letter goes from you, not from a claims company, so this is not a problem.

Your flight was delayed by a technical fault

A normal fault on the plane does not count as extraordinary. A 2008 court case (Wallentin-Hermann) made this clear. Faults are part of running an airline. The only time a fault counts is if it was caused by something unusual, like a hidden defect from the factory or damage from outside. Ryanair has to prove this. They cannot just say "technical fault" and walk away.

You missed your next flight because Ryanair was late

If you booked both flights on one booking, the compensation is based on the total distance to your final destination, not just the Ryanair leg. A 2013 court case (Folkerts) confirmed this. Ryanair does not sell connecting tickets directly, so this only matters if you booked through another website that put the flights together.

Send your Ryanair claim letter via Royal Mail

PostRight writes your UK261 claim letter for you. Answer a few simple questions. Check the letter. Pay. We print it and post it by Royal Mail the next working day. A real letter is much harder for Ryanair to ignore than an online form.

✓Quotes the right part of UK Regulation 261/2004 for your situation
✓States the exact cash amount you are owed under Article 7
✓Pushes back if Ryanair has used the "extraordinary circumstances" excuse
✓Gives Ryanair a clear 14-day deadline to reply
✓Explains the next step (AviationADR) if Ryanair says no or stays silent
✓Printed on quality paper and posted by Royal Mail. From £2.79.

Send a Ryanair letter from £2.79

Frequently asked questions

How much can I claim from Ryanair?

It depends on two things. How far the flight was meant to go. And how late you arrived. Most Ryanair flights are short trips under 1,500 km. If yours was, and you arrived 3 or more hours late, you can claim £220. If the flight was between 1,500 km and 3,500 km (like London to Athens), you can claim £350. Ryanair does not fly the really long routes, so the bigger amounts (£260 and £520) rarely apply to Ryanair flights. The amount is per person. So a family of four on a short flight can claim 4 × £220 = £880. Ryanair cannot pay you less just because your ticket was cheap.

What if Ryanair says it was extraordinary circumstances?

A generic reply saying "extraordinary circumstances" is not enough. The law says Ryanair has to prove the cause was outside their control and that they could not have stopped it. Write back and demand the exact reason. Ask for the documents that prove it. The CAA has said that staff strikes are NOT extraordinary. Normal aircraft faults are NOT extraordinary either. If Ryanair will not give details, take the case to AviationADR after 8 weeks.

How long do I have to claim from Ryanair?

A long time. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the limit is 6 years from the date of the flight. In Scotland, it is 5 years. So a flight that was delayed back in 2020 can still be claimed today in most of the UK. A court case in 2014 (Dawson v Thomson Airways) made this clear. Ryanair sometimes tries to argue for a shorter time limit in their terms and conditions, but the law beats their terms.

Can I claim if I booked Ryanair through a travel agent or comparison site?

Yes. The right to claim belongs to you, the passenger. It does not matter who booked the flight. But after a 2019 court case (Bott and Co v Ryanair), Ryanair can refuse to deal with claims sent in by a claims company. Send the claim in YOUR name with YOUR contact details and Ryanair has to handle it. A PostRight letter comes from you, so this is fine.

What if Ryanair offered me a voucher?

You do not have to take a voucher. The law gives you the right to cash, not vouchers. If Ryanair has offered you a voucher, write back and ask for the cash instead. Give them your bank details. Quote Article 7 of UK261 if you want to be formal. If Ryanair still refuses to pay cash, that is a breach of the law. Take the case to AviationADR.

Is Ryanair a member of an ADR scheme?

Yes. Ryanair is in AviationADR, which is approved by the CAA. AviationADR handles Ryanair complaints for flights that left from or landed in the UK, Spain, Sweden or Denmark. Ryanair did pull out of the scheme back in November 2018, but rejoined later. Today, you can use AviationADR to settle a Ryanair claim without going to court.

What happens when I send my case to AviationADR?

AviationADR looks at the evidence from both sides. They make a decision within 90 days of getting all the paperwork. The service is FREE for you. If they say Ryanair has to pay, Ryanair has to pay. The decision is binding on the airline. If you do not agree with their decision, you can still go to court instead. You have to wait 8 weeks from your written complaint to Ryanair, or get a final no from them, before AviationADR will take the case.

What if AviationADR rules in my favour but Ryanair still does not pay?

AviationADR's decision is binding, but they cannot force Ryanair to pay. If Ryanair still refuses, the next step is a county court claim using Money Claim Online. You do not have to argue the case from scratch. You just enforce the AviationADR decision. That makes the court claim much simpler.

Ready to claim from Ryanair?

PostRight prints and posts your UK261 claim letter via Royal Mail. Tracked 24 is available for £9.99 if you want proof of delivery. From £2.79.