Ryanair facing payout over passengers stranded by volcanic ash cloud Ash from the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland disrupted flights in 2010. Photograph: Paul Souders/Corbis The budget airline Ryanair has been severely criticised for failing to look after a stranded passenger following the 2010 eruption of an Icelandic volcano in a ruling that imposes extra customer care responsibilities on airlines. The finding by the advocate general at the European court of justice is intended to ensure that travellers cannot be abandoned abroad even if flight disruption is beyond the control of an airline. "It does not appear to be disproportionate to impose on air carriers such an obligation to provide care in so far as they are free to pass on the resulting costs to airline ticket prices," the advocate general, Yves Bot, said in a decision published on the court's website. That is a policy which has already been put into effect by Ryanair, which introduced a special levy in April 2011 in order to cover the costs incurred in providing care to passengers whose flights had been cancelled owing to the eruption of the Icelandic volcano. The case arose from a claim submitted by an Irish passenger, Denise McDonagh, whose flight from Faro to Dublin, scheduled for 17 April 2010, was cancelled because of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. Much of European airspace was closed between 15 and 23 April 2010 due to the persistence of volcanic ash clouds. McDonagh was finally able to return to Ireland on 24 April 2010. She argued that Ryanair did not provide her with assistance and asked for €1,130 (£942) in damages, to cover the costs of meals, refreshments, accommodation and transport. The district court in Dublin referred the case to the court of justice, which interprets EU law to make sure it is applied uniformly across the community. Under EU regulations, airlines are bound to cover the cost of care during disruption due to "extraordinary circumstances" although they do not have to pay compensation for lost flights. Ryanair had argued that the closure of airspace due to volcanic ash went beyond extraordinary circumstances and that it should not be liable for looking after passengers. The ruling, however, said the disruption did constitute "extraordinary circumstances." "The provision of care is particularly important in the case of extraordinary circumstances which persist over a long time," the advocate general said. It is precisely in situations where the waiting period occasioned by the cancellation of a flight is particularly lengthy that it is necessary to ensure that an air passenger, whose flight has been cancelled, can have access to essential goods and services throughout that period. A limitation of the obligation to provide care would in some measure deprive the EU legislation of its effectiveness, since after a few days the air passengers concerned would be abandoned to their fate. The finding by the advocate general will still have to be confirmed by the court. In around 80% of cases the court follows his opinion.