Irish Ferries hit by adverse legal ruling about compensating passengers

Court of Justice of the EU ruled that EU regulations providing that compensation is payable to sea passengers affected by cancelled sailings applied to Irish Ferries

Irish Ferries contends that a decision by the National Transport Authority requiring it to pay compensation to many of the 20,000-plus passengers who had to change their travel plans is invalid. Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

Irish Ferries – which is owned by ICG – has suffered a setback in its legal challenge to avoid paying compensation to thousands of passengers whose trips were cancelled on sailings between Ireland and France in the summer of 2018.

The ferry company contends that a decision by the National Transport Authority (NTA) requiring it to pay compensation to many of the 20,000-plus passengers who had to change their travel plans is invalid, irrational, disproportionate and in breach of its rights under the Constitution and EU law.