European Union – Consumer protection. Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, read in the light of recitals 14 and 25 thereof, should be interpreted as meaning that the presence of petrol on a runway of an airport which had led to its closure and, consequently, the long delay of a flight to or from that airport, fell within the concept of 'extraordinary circumstances' within the meaning of that provision, when the petrol in question did not originate from an aircraft of the carrier that had operated that flight. The Court of Justice of the European Union so held in proceedings between the applicant passenger and Ryanair Ltd, concerning the latter's refusal to compensate that passenger for a long delay to his flight.