After booking a flight in Linz, Ryanair pays off a debt of 900 euros.
The case of the seizure of a Ryanair low-cost airline plane at Linz Airport has ended after the company paid an amount of approximately 900 euros that was due as a result of a legal dispute with one of the passengers. According to the Austrian news agency APA, the payment came after a media uproar caused by the enforcement of the seizure on the plane after it landed at Hörsching Airport in Upper Austria.
The background of the case dates back to a flight to Palma de Mallorca in the summer of 2024, when a passenger was unable to take her flight as planned due to a significant delay. The passenger later had to book a more expensive alternative flight, resulting in additional expenses.
A law firm from the town of St. Florian near Linz took over the case on behalf of the traveler, demanding compensation from the airline for the additional costs. After the amount was not paid as stated by the lawyers, a request was made to enforce the court seizure order.
Indeed, the reservation was executed on a company plane after it landed at Horsching Airport on Monday, where an employee from the law office waited with the enforcement officer for the arrival of the plane to place the official reservation mark on it.
Initially, the airline denied that a reservation had occurred, stating in a statement that any reports indicating a booking of one of its planes were incorrect. However, the case received widespread media attention, prompting a law firm representing the company in Vienna to later contact the traveler's lawyer.
After that, the required amount of approximately 900 euros was paid quickly. Based on this payment, the traveler's lawyers announced that they would stop the enforcement proceedings, which means lifting the seizure of the aircraft and not proceeding with any additional measures such as selling the aircraft at a judicial auction.