A Ryanair flight was thrown into chaos after bailiffs boarded the aircraft to seize the plane.
Austrian bailiffs stepped aboard the Ryanair aircraft at Linz airport on March 9, attaching a seizure notice to the cabin wall after the budget carrier allegedly failed to compensate a passenger for a significantly delayed flight.
The Boeing 737, which had been preparing to depart for London, was targeted following the airline's apparent refusal to comply with a court ruling.
Officials from the district court of Traun had instructed bailiffs to take action against the carrier.
A Linz airport spokesman said: "We were informed that there was a pending claim against Ryanair in court and that a bailiff has been instructed by the district court of the city of Traun to carry out an official act."
"We accompanied the bailiff to the aircraft, where the bailiff carried out his official duties," they added.
The dispute stemmed from a 2024 journey from Linz to Mallorca that experienced a 13-hour delay.
The unnamed female passenger was forced to purchase an alternative ticket and subsequently sought reimbursement along with compensation under aviation rules.
Austrian bailiffs stepped aboard a Ryanair aircraft at Linz airport on March 9
|GETTY
When the airline reportedly failed to settle the claim, she pursued the matter through the Austrian courts.
The court ordered Ryanair to pay €890 (£742) covering compensation, interest and legal expenses.
The airline did not respond to this ruling, prompting enforcement action, according to The Guardian.
The bailiff reportedly requested that crew members hand over the €890 sum, but Ryanair operates without cash on board - so officials physically slapped a seizure notice on the aircraft.
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The court ordered Ryanair to pay €890 (£742) covering compensation, interest and legal expenses (file photo)
|GETTY
This notice, referred to as a "cuckoo sticker", transfers legal control of the aircraft to the court whilst permitting continued operations under specific conditions.
The court official warned: "If no payment is made or the initiating party does not request a stay of execution, the aircraft will be appraised and subsequently sold."
Ryanair has disputed this, maintaining that the plane was never physically taken.
A spokesperson for the airline told said: "In fact, it departed Linz airport that morning following a very brief delay and has continued to operate as normal ever since."
Officials from the district court of Traun had instructed bailiffs to take action against the carrier
|The carrier insisted: "The District Court Traun does not have possession of the aircraft nor can they 'sell it'.
"As we expect to receive the termination of enforcement proceedings shortly, the matter can be considered closed."
Under British law, airlines are compelled to compensate passengers if a flight arrives at the destination more than three hours late.
However, if the delay was not the airline’s fault - such as extreme weather or air traffic control employee strikes - travellers are not eligible for a payout.
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