€52m refunds for airline disruption not being claimed

Irish people missed out on €52m worth of refunds owed by airlines which delayed or cancelled their flights in one year alone, according to a company established to aid passengers claim their compensation.

EU regulations rule that airlines must pay up to €600 for cancelled or heavily delayed flights in or out of an EU airport, or where they were denied boarding because of overbooking.

The Commission for Aviation Regulation, which is the public body responsible for licensing the travel trade in Ireland, has a website, flightrights.ie, that outlines passengers’ rights in relation to cancellations and delays.