Austria’s highest court has ruled against Ryanair in a major case over extra charges, declaring several of the airline’s fees unlawful and opening the door for possible refunds to passengers, according to Die Presse.
The Austrian Supreme Court (OGH) found that 14 clauses in Ryanair’s terms and conditions were either unclear or unfairly disadvantageous to consumers. The case was brought by the consumer protection group VKI on behalf of the Social Affairs Ministry, with the decision announced on Monday.
Among the disputed charges were a €55 airport check-in fee, €15 for printing a boarding pass, a €25 fee for infants, and name-change fees of up to €160. The court said some of these charges were problematic because they could apply even in situations where the airline itself was responsible for the issue.
“The ruling makes clear that additional fees must be transparent and must not unfairly burden consumers,” said Petra Leupold, head of legal affairs at VKI.
According to VKI, the judgment could allow passengers to claim refunds for fees they have already paid. The organization has published a template letter to help affected customers seek compensation.
Ryanair, however, rejected parts of that interpretation. A company spokesperson told Reuters that the court did not declare its overall pricing system unlawful and did not require retroactive refunds. The airline also noted that VKI had failed with similar claims in two previous court instances.
Despite the disagreement, Ryanair must stop using the contested clauses in Austria within three months. The airline is also required to publish the ruling on its website and in the widely read daily newspaper Kronen Zeitung.
