Ryanair has refused to provide refunds to passengers who were stranded at Vatry airport in France in December 2023. The incident occurred when a flight from Dubai to Nicaragua, carrying 303 Indian passengers, was grounded in Vatry for a human trafficking investigation. While this was not a Ryanair flight, the airline's own aircraft and passengers were subsequently affected by the airport's closure.
According to EU Regulation 261/2004, airlines are not obligated to pay compensation if a disruption is caused by "extraordinary circumstances" which they could not have avoided. Ryanair has stated that the police-ordered closure of Vatry airport constituted such a circumstance, absolving them of compensation liability for delays and cancellations that resulted.
Passengers reported being left without adequate accommodation or information for extended periods. Consumer rights associations have criticized the airline's stance, arguing that the duty of care to passengers was not fully met, even if compensation was not required.
The French Civil Aviation Authority has acknowledged the incident but maintains that the application of EU rules in such complex, unforeseen events is a matter for the courts to interpret on a case-by-case basis.
