by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:10 AM ET, Thu August 15, 2019
The world's leading airline passenger rights company AirHelp recently won a landmark court case in the Netherlands against Ryanair which struck down the carrier's policy making it harder for passengers to file claims and receive compensation.
Ryanair's policy required its passengers to contact the airline directly for claims filings and would not permit customers to receive legal assistance until after being formally rejected.
With AirHelp reporting that almost 50 percent of airlines around the world are wrongfully rejecting claims, the passenger rights company is fighting hard against similar regulations that would reduce opportunities for eligible passengers to receive compensation.
"This is the first ruling of its kind in a country that is a large player in the aviation industry, and it confirms our beliefs that passengers must be put first," AirHelp Chief Legal Officer Christian Nielsen said in a statement. "Air passengers should undoubtedly be allowed to execute their rights in any way they want."
"We hope the ruling will resonate well with courts all over Europe," Nielsen continued. "AirHelp's work with disputing unfair terms and conditions has only just begun. Fighting on behalf of passengers is part of who we are as an organization and will continue to be a priority."
A similar set of regulations to those implemented by Ryanair were recently upheld by courts in England, which has resulted in several airlines serving the country adding passenger compensation rules that primarily benefit the carriers.
Last year, U.S. airlines wrongfully rejected more than 25 percent of claims.
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