Ryanair emerges from ash cloud

The budget airline Ryanair said yesterday it had responded to all the expense claims submitted after the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud disruption in the spring, although it remained in dispute with a number of passengers.

The disruption in April and May caused the cancellation of up to 10,000 Ryanair flights, affecting some 1.45 million passengers who the airline was obliged to compensate. The low-cost airline has taken a case to the European Court to have "unfair and discriminatory provisions" challenged, which it hopes will be heard next year. In the meantime, Ryanair has settled more than 90 per cent of the expense claims. A spokesman, Stephen McNamara, said: "There remains a small group whose claims have not yet been settled, either because they have failed to provide their receipts to support their claims, or because there is a query over the reasonableness of their claims."