Almost 100 people missed a Ryanair flight from Bordeaux to Cork last July because of a Microsoft IT outage which forced the airline to revert to manual check-ins, a small claims court hearing in Balbriggan, Co Dublin was told.
Some passengers who were at the airport hours before departure were classified as no-shows, with Ryanair telling the court it had no obligation to cover the costs of those who made alternate arrangements to get home.
The case was taken by David Hickey from Cork who told District Court Judge Stephanie Coggans that on July 19th, 2024, his family of five were due to travel from Bordeaux to Cork on a Ryanair flight departing at 9.05 am.
He said they checked in online but could not check in their luggage at the airport as a result of the IT outage which impacted airlines globally.
The flight subsequently took off, leaving the Hickey family and dozens of others in the departures hall.
The family made their way back to Cork via London and Mr Hickey wanted the airline to cover the cost of their return travel, amounting to just under €2,000.
Tuesday’s hearing in Dublin was his third time travelling up from his home for the case.
“I was here on February 21st and the case was settled pending payment,” Mr Hickey told Judge Coggans.
However, he subsequently received correspondence from Ryanair that, contrary to what its solicitor told him in court, it would not be settling the case.
It cited concerns that Mr Hickey’s wife was also considering a claim, which would take the total claim over the €2,000 limit set for the small claims court.
Judge Coggans asked Mr Hickey if he could give assurances that no further claim from his wife would be lodged, allowing the case to be concluded on the basis of the previously agreed settlement. Mr Hickey was given time to consult with her.
When he returned to the stand, he said the couple would forgo any future claim. Judge Coggans was on the verge of confirming a settlement when Ryanair’s barrister, Jennifer Goode, said she had been instructed to defend the claim.
“That is not what you said earlier,” Judge Coggans said. “I am very disappointed,” the judge continued, stressing that it was “categorically not” the basis on which she had instructed Mr Hickey to consult with his wife.
Outlining Ryanair’s defence, Ms Goode highlighted the airline’s “delicate” ecosystem which could be thrown off if departures were delayed to accommodate late-arriving passengers or baggage.
Giving evidence via video link from France, Bertrand Moulet Delpech of Bordeaux Airport outlined what happened last July when aviation systems crashed.
He said the Cork-bound plane had taken off with only 87 of the passengers on the fully-booked flight on board.
Judge Coggans expressed incredulity that over 90 people “don’t get to board a flight and Ryanair think that is okay?”.
Ms Goode expressed sympathy to impacted passengers, describing it as a “horrible situation”, but pointed to EU rules governing flights and case law highlighting the limits to which airlines can be held responsible if passengers don’t get to board flights.
Judge Coggans asked if there was any specific case law governing the circumstances the Hickey family were in and Ms Goode conceded there was not.
“I wouldn’t like to be quoted as describing it as nit-picking but this is what is going on,” the judge said. “This flight took off half-full and people were not able to board because of software issues.”
She added that people had “incurred costs [and] the airline is saying that has nothing to do with them”.
The judge expressed the view that “there has to be some obligation on behalf of Ryanair” and concluded the hearing by saying she would need time to consider a ruling.
