Technical Fault Delays Ryanair Flight for 16 Hours
A Ryanair service linking Krakow with Liverpool was delayed for almost 16 hours after a technical problem forced the airline to arrange a replacement aircraft. Flight FR6359 had been due to leave Poland on the morning of 3 August, but passengers remained at Krakow Airport until after midnight. Ryanair said customers could wait, change flights without charge or request a refund.
How the Krakow Delay Unfolded
- Flight: Ryanair FR6359
- Route: Krakow–Liverpool
- Scheduled departure: 08:55 on 3 August 2026
- Actual departure: 00:32 on 4 August
- Total delay: Around 15 hours and 37 minutes
- Cause given: Technical issue requiring a replacement aircraft
- Passenger options: Refund, free flight change or waiting for the delayed service
- Refreshments: Five voucher sets worth PLN85 in total for customers who waited
"There's no one here we can talk to. We're just waiting and waiting. I'm guessing there's about 150 of us, almost a full plane."
Around 150 travellers were reported to have spent much of the day in the departure area, with several revised departure times adding to the frustration. Ryanair initially issued a PLN17 refreshment voucher per boarding pass, while one passenger said an airport coffee cost PLN21. The airline later confirmed that those who remained received five voucher sets worth PLN85 altogether.
The delay pushed the flight’s arrival into the early hours, when public transport and airport transfer options in Liverpool were more limited. Those who stayed at Krakow Airport spent most of the day in departures, relying on food vouchers and airline updates. Others could request a refund or move to another flight without charge, while onward journeys, work plans and pre-booked transport were left disrupted.
EU passenger-rights rules apply because the flight left Poland. Customers who reached Liverpool at least three hours late may be entitled to compensation unless Ryanair can show that extraordinary circumstances caused the delay. A routine technical fault is not automatically exempt. Anyone who paid for reasonable meals, transport or accommodation because adequate assistance was unavailable should keep itemised receipts and submit a claim directly to the airline.