EU261 · RyanairUpdated July 2026

Ryanair Flight Delayed or Cancelled? Claim Up to €400 Under EU261

Ryanair operates 3,000+ daily flights and has one of the highest delay rates in Europe. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, delayed or cancelled Ryanair flights entitle passengers to fixed compensation — regardless of ticket price.

The 3-year rule

EU261 claims can be filed up to 3 years after the flight date in most EU countries. A delayed Ryanair flight from 2023 may still be claimable today.

Am I eligible?

Flight departed from an EU/UK airport (any airline)
Flight arrived at an EU/UK airport on an EU/UK carrier
Arrival delay was 3+ hours (not just departure delay)
Cancellation with less than 14 days' notice
Delay caused by extraordinary circumstances (severe weather, air traffic strikes, security events)

How much compensation?

Flight distanceExample routesCompensation
Under 1,500 kmParis–Dublin, Madrid–Milan€250
1,500–3,500 kmLondon–Marrakech, Paris–Tenerife€400
Over 3,500 kmEU to US / Middle East€600

How to file a Ryanair EU261 claim

  1. 1

    File directly with Ryanair

    Ryanair has an online EU261 form. Ryanair is notoriously slow to pay — expect a denial or silence.

    Ryanair EU261 form →
  2. 2

    If Ryanair denies or ignores you (14+ days)

    Escalate to your national aviation authority — the UK CAA, France's DGAC, or Germany's Luftfahrt-Bundesamt. They can mandate payment.

  3. 3

    Use a claims service (recommended)

    Services like AirHelp handle everything — they know Ryanair's tactics and take a success fee (~25%) only when you win.

    Check via AirHelp →

Ryanair's most common denial tactics

  • "Extraordinary circumstances" — valid only for genuine crises, not crew shortages or technical issues
  • Offering a voucher instead of cash — you can refuse and demand cash
  • Claiming the delay was under 3 hours at arrival (check actual landing time)
  • Ignoring the claim entirely — escalate after 14 days

Find past Ryanair claims in your inbox

SubRadar scans your Gmail or Outlook inbox for Ryanair booking confirmation emails from the past 3 years and surfaces potential EU261 claims you may have forgotten about. Free scan, no credit card.

Scan your inbox for missed Ryanair claims

SubRadar detects past Ryanair flights from your booking emails and links directly to the EU261 claim form.

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