Irish Aviation Authority obtains €1m in refunds for passengers

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) last year obtained €1 million in refunds and compensation for disgruntled air passengers, according to its 2023 annual report.

Last year the aviation watchdog handled 4,969 complaints about airlines withwith the bulk of them concerning long delays and cancellations.

The IAA received 2,275 complaints over cancellations and 2,444 over long delays.

The report said that €204,000 was obtained in refunds following IAA intervention and more than €794,000 in compensation was awarded to passengers in respect of the 1,155 upheld complaints.

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The €998,000 payout compares to the IAA’s predecessor, the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) obtaining €348,000 in refunds and compensation for air passengers in 2022.

The 2023 report also pointed out that 1,797 complaints were not upheld in favour of the complainant “and the main reason was that the air carrier was able to prove that a disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances and therefore would be exempt from paying compensation”.

In 2023, Aer Lingus accounted for 35 per cent of all complaints, Ryanair accounted for 30 per cent of all complaints while Emerald Airlines made up 7 per cent of all complaints, the report said,

The remaining 28 per cent of complaints related to 56 other airlines.

The report said that complaint numbers for 2023 remained broadly in line with 2022 figures and overall there has been a significant increase in the volume of complaints concerning the rights of air passengers if flights are cancelled or delayed; they are denied boarding or are downgraded.

The report showed that last year, the IAA paid out €1.58 million in legal costs and settlements made up of €1.1 million in legal costs and settlements of €487,000.

The number of legal cases totalled 12.

The report said that the legal costs and settlements above amounts in relation to the settlement of an employment law case with former chief executive Eamonn Brennan. He initiated legal proceedings against the IAA for breach of employment contract in the amount of €782,644. No breakdown of costs were provided.

Last year, revenues at the IAA declined by 57 per cent to €91 million arising from the transfer of air navigation functions to a new commercial semi-state, AirNav Ireland.

The authority recorded a pretax profit of €1.7 million last year, which was down 92 per cent on the pretax profits of €22.2 million in 2022.

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