Budget Airline Compensation: Ryanair vs easyJet vs Wizz Air Compared

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  EU261 coverage: Ryanair: all EU/UK departures | easyJet: all EU departures (EU261) and UK departures (UK261) | Wizz Air: W6 (EU261), W9 (UK261), W5 (neither)

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  Compensation amounts: All three: €250 under 1,500 km | €400 from 1,500-3,500 km | €600 over 3,500 km (or GBP equivalent for UK261)

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  First-attempt denial rate: Ryanair: high | easyJet: moderate | Wizz Air: moderate (refund requests) to high (when voucher default is in play)

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  Easiest claims channel: easyJet: app and online form | Ryanair: online form, slow | Wizz Air: app, but defaults to credit

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  Home NEB: Ryanair: Irish CAR (aviationreg.ie) | easyJet: UK CAA (caa.co.uk) | Wizz Air: Hungarian CAA (W6) or UK CAA (W9)

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  ADR scheme (UK): Ryanair: AviationADR | easyJet: AviationADR | Wizz Air UK: varies, check caa.co.uk

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  Average timeline to payment (straightforward cases): easyJet: 4-8 weeks | Wizz Air: 4-10 weeks | Ryanair: 8-16 weeks

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  Best for DIY claim: easyJet (most responsive, clearer process) | Worst for DIY: Ryanair (most likely to deny and require NEB escalation)

All three airlines operate primarily under EU261 or UK261, but the specific entity and route matters. easyJet operates from EU airports under an EU license and from UK airports under a UK license after Brexit. Ryanair is Irish-licensed and covered by EU261 across its network. Wizz Air's coverage depends on the subsidiary.

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  Ryanair DAC (FR): Irish-licensed. EU261 applies to all EU and UK departures. For UK departures, UK261 (same amounts, GBP) applies.

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  easyJet (U2, UK-licensed): UK261 for UK departures. easyJet Europe (EC, Austrian-licensed) covers EU departures under EU261.

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  Wizz Air Hungary (W6): EU261 for all EU departures and EU-arriving flights. UK261 does not apply.

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  Wizz Air UK (W9): UK261 for UK departures. EU261 does not apply to W9 flights.

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  Wizz Air Abu Dhabi (5W): Neither EU261 nor UK261. UAE regulations apply.

The claims process differs significantly across the three airlines, with easyJet consistently rated as the most straightforward and Ryanair as the most adversarial.

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  easyJet: Online EU261 claim form at easyjet.com. Claims can also be submitted through the app. easyJet typically responds within 4 to 6 weeks and has a higher first-attempt acceptance rate than Ryanair.

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  Ryanair: Online EU261 compensation claim form at ryanair.com under 'Help.' Ryanair is known for using automated denial systems and citing extraordinary circumstances broadly. Multiple rounds of back-and-forth with Ryanair's customer service team are common before a claim succeeds or requires NEB escalation.

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  Wizz Air: App-first process with a 'Request refund' option under 'Manage booking.' The main issue is the default voucher flow for cancellations. For delay compensation (as opposed to refunds), Wizz Air's EU261 form is available on its website.

Practical tip: For all three airlines, always submit your claim in writing (online form or email), cite 'EU Regulation 261/2004' by name, specify the exact compensation amount, and request a written response within 14 days. Vague claims citing 'my flight was delayed' get handled differently from precise claims citing the specific regulation and amount.

Each airline has a characteristic denial pattern. Knowing what to expect helps you prepare your documentation in advance.

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  Ryanair most commonly cites extraordinary circumstances (weather, ATC restrictions, security incidents) and argues that delays were below the 3-hour arrival delay threshold at the final destination. Ryanair also contests the delay measurement if passengers measure from departure rather than arrival.

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  easyJet cites extraordinary circumstances less aggressively than Ryanair on average. easyJet's denials more often involve disputes over the exact delay duration or arguments that re-routing made arrival within 3 hours of the scheduled time.

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  Wizz Air refund disputes are more likely to involve voucher-versus-cash arguments rather than extraordinary circumstances claims. For delay compensation specifically, Wizz Air uses extraordinary circumstances defenses similarly to other low-cost carriers.

Across all three airlines, NEB complaint data shows that many first-attempt denials citing extraordinary circumstances are later overturned. The extraordinary circumstances defense is legal but frequently abused. See the EU261 complete guide for the legal standard courts apply.

At the escalation stage, the differences between the three airlines become more pronounced.

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  Ryanair at the NEB stage: The Irish CAR (Ryanair's home regulator) has issued multiple formal findings against Ryanair and compelled payments. Ryanair has also been fined by Spanish AESA and Italian ENAC for systemic EU261 non-compliance. NEB escalation has a strong track record for Ryanair claims.

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  easyJet at the NEB stage: The UK CAA has taken enforcement action against easyJet for systemic UK261 failures. easyJet typically resolves claims at the NEB stage without requiring court proceedings.

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  Wizz Air at the NEB stage: The UK CAA has issued enforcement decisions against Wizz Air UK. The Hungarian CAA is less publicly aggressive but has handled Wizz Air W6 cases. Wizz Air tends to resolve clear refund violations at the NEB stage.

For small claims court, all three airlines typically settle before hearings in UK and Irish courts. German and Spanish small claims courts also have strong records of awarding EU261 claims against budget carriers.

For all three airlines, the DIY route works well for clear-cut claims with strong documentation. A claims service is worth the fee when:

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  The airline has denied based on extraordinary circumstances and you are not comfortable arguing the legal standard.

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  The claim requires court proceedings (particularly for Ryanair, where court filings are more common).

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  The claim amount is €400 or €600, making even a 25% fee worth it versus losing the entire claim.

TravelStacks handles EU261 claims against Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air on a 25% no-win, no-fee basis. For a full comparison of claims services, see the AirHelp vs DIY guide. For your full EU261 rights, see /rights/eu261.

Q: Which budget airline is easiest to get EU261 compensation from?

easyJet has the highest first-attempt resolution rate among the three. Ryanair is the most adversarial and most commonly requires NEB escalation. Wizz Air is easier for delay compensation but harder for cash refunds due to its voucher-default system.

Q: Do all three airlines use the same EU261 compensation amounts?

Yes. EU261 sets fixed amounts based on flight distance, and all three airlines operate under the same regulation. The amounts are €250 (under 1,500 km), €400 (1,500 to 3,500 km), and €600 (over 3,500 km).

Q: Which NEB do I use for each airline?

File with the NEB of your departure airport country, not the airline's home country. For any UK departure, use the UK CAA. For Irish departures, use the Irish CAR. For Spanish departures, use AESA. The airline's nationality (Irish for Ryanair, UK/Austrian for easyJet, Hungarian for Wizz Air) is relevant for the home-regulator appeal, but NEB jurisdiction is set by departure airport.

Q: Ryanair denied my claim but easyJet paid a similar claim. Why?

Ryanair has a historically more aggressive claims denial posture than easyJet. Both airlines operate under the same EU261 rules, but their internal processing and extraordinary circumstances determinations differ. A Ryanair denial does not reflect the legal merits of your claim.

Q: I have claims against both Ryanair and Wizz Air from the same trip. Can I file both at once?

Yes. Each claim is separate and filed against the respective airline for the respective flight. File each through the airline's own claims form and escalate to the relevant NEB for each if needed.

Q: Wizz Air gave me Wizz credit for a delay. Can I get cash like I would from Ryanair or easyJet?

Yes. EU261 requires cash payment, not store credit, unless you explicitly choose the voucher. If Wizz Air issued credit without offering you the cash option clearly, you can demand cash by citing Article 8 of EU261.

Q: easyJet settled quickly but Ryanair is dragging its feet. Why the difference?

easyJet has made internal operational changes in response to regulator pressure and generally resolves clear EU261 cases faster. Ryanair's model has historically relied on denying claims in the first round and settling or paying at the escalation stage. The correct strategy for Ryanair is to plan for NEB or ADR escalation from the outset.