Ryanair has announced it has started taking legal action to recover losses against disruptive passengers.
The airline described the policy as a “major misconduct clampdown”.
It said it has filed legal proceedings against a passenger in Ireland to seek 15,000 euros (£12,500) in damages related to a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote in April last year.
Ryanair contends the passenger’s behaviour forced the flight to divert to Porto, where it was delayed overnight and caused 160 passengers to “face unnecessary disruption as well as losing a full day of their holiday”.
The airline described the passenger’s behaviour as “inexcusable” and “completely unacceptable”.
It said the 15,000-euro figure comes from the cost of overnight accommodation, passenger expenses and landing costs.
Ryanair said it is the first time it has brought a civil case against a disruptive passenger in Ireland.
The airline declared it has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct, adding it “will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft”.
In August last year, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary told the Daily Telegraph that a limit of two alcoholic drinks per passenger should be introduced at airport bars to tackle disorder on flights.
Airline Jet2.com said it already takes civil action against disruptive passengers.
In February 2017, the carrier said a court judgment awarded in its favour after an aggressive, drunken passenger caused a flight from Glasgow to Ibiza to be diverted to Toulouse.
It is understood easyJet’s policy is to push for criminal prosecutions and to ban disruptive passengers from future flights, rather than to launch civil proceedings.
Airlines are required to provide care to passengers during flight delays, which can include food, drinks and overnight accommodation.
