Ryanair Faces Upheld $545,000 Fine by Hungary’s Supreme Court

Hungary’s supreme court, the Curia, has affirmed the Budapest municipal government’s decision to impose a HUF200 million forint (USD545,000) fine on Ryanair (FR, Dublin International). The ruling, stemming from an “official consumer protection procedure” initiated in April 2020, alleges that the low-cost carrier violated consumer protection laws by not adequately informing passengers about a flight delay from Budapest to Gran Canaria on February 18 of the same year.

The Budapest municipal government office, acting as a consumer protection authority, maintains that Ryanair’s failure to provide timely information amounted to “an unfair commercial practice.” Ryanair has not yet responded to the recent ruling.

This decision is separate from another consumer protection fine imposed on Ryanair in Hungary, totaling HUF300 million (USD818,000), related to a departure tax implemented by the national government in the previous year. In June 2023, the Metropolitan Court of Budapest annulled this fine, stating that the airline lawfully passed the tax on to consumers in accordance with European Union regulations, a verdict welcomed by Ryanair.

It remains to be seen how Ryanair will address the upheld HUF200 million fine from the supreme court.