Ryanair lose landmark court case in Sweden

Ryanair have been ordered by a Swedish court to compensate a couple from Nykoping for costs they incurred in travlling home after their Ryanair flight was cancelled at the last minute. The couple had been told that their return flight was being cancelled shortly before they left Brussels for home. Not being in a position to wait several days for the next available flight, the couple decided to make their own way home by car, taxi and train. Ryanair had agreed to refund their ticket fares but had refused to compensate them for the costs incurred in getting home on the basis that the decision was voluntary on the part of the passengers concerned. Sewedn's consumer Ombudsman decided to take a case on behalf of the couple, filing for damages of 4,790 kr. The court found against Ryanair for failing to live up to it's obligations under the European passenger rights laws but limited damages to 2,325 kr and ordered each party to pay it's own costs. The case is thought to be the first to determine the extent of passenger rights and the limits of airline responsibilities under European law