RyanAir Flight delay and poor response

[Johnwrights]

RyanAir Flight delay and poor response

 I missed my flight yesterday.

Original departure  time: 7.05PM
Delayed departure time: 7.56PM

I was waiting in the lounge at Stansted airport. I noticed that my flight still had “go to gate” in “big screen”. Google flight status and liveflightstat notified that flight is delayed by 56 minutes. All other flights had status changes such as “go to boarding” and “final call”. My flight had status as “just go to gate”.

my 1 year old kid and I went to the gate just 15 minutes after the original departure gate(6.35pm) around 6.50pm. 5 min walk from main screen. There was no one at the desk. I informed the security who was standing at the next gate. My wife arrived 10 minutes after me(in total, she spent 20 minutes extra in security check) as child food needed detailed security check. Security took me to the small helpdesk, where she informed that boarding is closed just 10 minutes back . I said there was no announcement and big screen just said “go to gate”, she did something in system and after which I went to check the main display and directly changed to “gate is closed”. In that area, there were atleast 5 gates.
Almost 20 passengers missed the flights due to “wrong gate numbers and boarding closed early” for delayed flights. Most are RyanAir and EasyJet.
Security asked us to speak to the flight help desk.

RyanAir ticket sales people were not really friendly except one guy.

I explained this to the Ryanair helpdesk. The first girl said this is not a RyanAir problem. I said, as a consumer I was affected and you should help me. What should I do?. I showed the google flight status. This girl directly said this flight is not delayed. If you think it is delayed, go and sue google.com and airport.

I went to the next guy. Same thing went on. He said the flight is not delayed. He persisted that google is wrong. Where it says flight is delayed!!!.This guy said boarding is closed by 6.56PM(original closing time is 6.35pm). I was there by 6.50PM. Then, he really doubted where I was inside the airport. He asked me the gate number . I asked him to check the camera if he doesn’t believe me.He went inside and came back. He seems to knew that everything I said was true. This time he said you probably arrived at the boarding gate on time and you might have missed the flight because you waited for your wife. He said nothing he can do. Pay 100GBP per passenger to reschedule the flight.

I noticed that two more Ryanair customer was unhappy with the responses and asked for complaint forms. Other customers had argument and help desk guy said I d9nt even work for Ryanair. Probably outsourced to contractors!!!. I also asked for the complaint form because I was not happy with the answer.

He said, my manager listens to us. I think nothing you can do now and my manager will also give the same answer.

I said to him that I will be back in 10 minutes if I need the ticket. I discussed with my wife and then brought my credit card to pay. This guy just said I closed for the day. Come back tomorrow morning by 4am. And then, I spoke to his colleague. He said I saw you are speaking with my colleague, I finish my work about 9.30pm, I need to watch football. I said I just went to collect my credit card. The first guy laughed and said “it is not about the credit card”
It’s unbelievable to hear such poor response from help desk that was saying “We are here to help” Oh,really?!?!Were you even considering us?

Is there any wrong in asking the complaint form?

The next day I came early about 7AM(2 hrs travel from my home). This time Ryanair guy said he doesn’t have any notes at all. All flights are fully booked. Then, he said only one ticket is free. I persisted and he gave me 3 tickets after paying 300GBP. Though he didn’t sell me at first and eventually he gave the tickets. Atleast he was helpful in one way.

Again for the rescheduled 12,O clock ticket. I got the notification for 30 minutes delay from google by 9AM. The main screen displayed the delay by 10AM and gate number was displayed by 11.25. Event though big screen showed as “go to gate”, screen on the way to Gate , small screens showed that “gate is open”. May be there is a delay or statuses are not updated for all flights.

I spent about 400GBP in taxi itself. More than money, My child spent more than 8 hours in taxi.

Now , questions are..

Do I have any chance to get the refund?.

Do I need to complaint about RyanAir or Stansted airport?.

Assume that I caught this flight on time, since the flight is delayed I might have missed the car hire at Oslo airport as they close early.

What should I do? There were 20 people like me, supposed to catch flights at the gates 8x, missed them.

I have photos and screenshots to support my case.

Ryanair is awful at the best of times, but this sounds like your fault.

You are quibbling because the flight was disagreed according to something online.

The official boarding time was never 6.56. You and your wife should have been able to be there by 6.35. You weren't. You missed the flight. It was your fault.

6.56 may have been the time that the air side crew left the aircraft with all paperwork completed, rather than the time to be in board by.

Why didn’t you wait for your wife in the security area and all go through together?

Delayed. Not disagreed..

If the original departure time was 7.05 and you was directed to the gate you should have been at the gate by around 6.20 waiting for further instructions. What’s google got to do with it? Unless I read it wrong?

I've often seen this, it says go to gate and then no further update.

Unfortunately you didn't go to the gate so you are totally in the wrong here.

You decided to use a third party to tell you that the flight was delayed. You should have gone to the gate.

It sounds like you were faffing around. You should have gone to the gate.

And ultimately you booked with RyanAir. What were you thinking

Departure time 7.05.

Gate closes half an hour before scheduled departure time.

At gate for 6.35.

You weren’t.

So how’s that Ryanair’s fault?

They always tell you to go to the gate when called. They always tell you to arrive for your scheduled departure time and check in as normal.

Why didn’t you?

You were late. Whatever screens, google, ryainair desk etc said... you were too late.

Have to say flown Ryanair loads and only ever had one issue with a delayed flight.

You should have been at the gate for the original depuatire time simples. Theyve loaded the plane ready for the delayed slot or possible earlier slot.

Two choices suck it up or hand your passport to the nearest Embsay.

Do I have any chance to get the refund?
No

Do I need to complaint about RyanAir or Stansted airport?
Neither

What should I do?
Nothing

Put your flippin' phone down! When you are in the airport, look at the boards and if it says 'to gate', go there! Forget checking it out on google, physically being there means you should be doing what the board says! Allow more time, it sounds like you were coming through security as the flight was closing. Why? And how can that be anyone's fault but your own?

I fly a lot and I watch boards like a hawk and I do exactly what it says straightaway. That's what you should be doing.

You didn't get to the airport in time. The end.

As others have said you need to get to the airport earlier and go to the gate when the screens tell you to. Don't even refer to Google! I don't understand why you would take 3rd party info over the screens in front of you anyway. It sounds like everyone else made the flight pretty much so the error lies with you

You were not there on time. You should have been. It is EASIER to be there on time when the flight has a small delay. What is difficult?

I left my wife at security to complete the checks. I reached the gate on time
What use is that? Unless you planned to fly on your own without your wife and child. I presume you were going there to tell them to hang on, my wife is on her way. Unfortunately it doesn't work like that!

Why cut it so fine time wise? You were never going to make this flight if your wife was still in security as the gate closed.

This is the first time I've stuck up for Ryanair by the way!

And they tell you to pay for another ticket and you go and discuss with your wife (where was she at this point) come back and expect them to reopen after working hours to sell you a ticket.

And they tell you to come back the next day for 4am and you rock up at 7am.

Bottom line is that you were late.

It honestly reads like you thought you were being clever and had no plans to be waiting around for anyone, so thought you could get there last minute and all would be fine. You messed up though.

Sorry OP but from what I can understand of your post, I drew the same conclusion.

I agree that the staff sound rude. But then again I don’t know what you said/how you spoke to them.

I missed a flight once through no fault of my own. Except of course it was my responsibility to ensure that I allowed enough time to get through security and immigration. The World Cup was on (years ago) and my country of departure was playing a match. It hadn’t occurred to me that there would be only one person working on security while everyone else watched the game and a looooong queue built up. I was there maybe 3 hours before departure for a short EU flight but I still missed it. No recourse because it’s always your responsibility to make it to your flight. That’s life.

You didn't go to the service desk until after you were too late at the gate, based on the original 'gate closing' time. So it doesn't really matter what they told you then, you'd already missed boarding.

Once the 'boarding' time point has passed they will close the gate if there are no more passengers to board. If anyone have arrived yet then they miss the flight if they weren't there at the 'boarding' time.

OP this year and last year I've been on Ryanair flights where I've been on the plane sat on the tarmac for about an hour. In both cases we, as I didn't travel by myself, started boarding about 5 -10 minutes after the gate closing time.

As PP said when it says go to gate on the screens go to the gate.

Flight trackers for both my flights showed that the planes departed late but both times all passengers were on the plane while the pilot was waiting for a slot to take off. I checked because we had transpired booked at the other end. Flight trackers are actually for people coming to meet you at the other end, not for you the passenger onboard the flight.

It isn't Ryanair's or the airport's fault you didn't go to the gate on time so missed your flight.

Transport rather.

Another one wondering why you didn't go to the gate when it said 'go to gate'. It's quite a clear instruction.

Are you one of those types that likes to breeze in at the last minute so that you don't have to queue with the rest of us? I think you need to change your attitude or this will keep happening. Even BA won't wait for you to finish your coffee and stroll on.

Why did you use google and not Ryanair’s own website or app? I just looked and they have live flight information on there.

I agree with others there is no complaint for them to answer (except rudeness but that depends on how you spoke with them). Even if a flight is delayed, you get yourself to gate as they can turn them round quickly to make up the time. Could you actually see the plane when you were at the gate?

As an aside I’ve flow with Ryanair frequently and never had an issue, but then I go to gate as soon as it’s announced and get to the airport as they suggest - 2 hours before.

As everyone else has said you should have followed the screens in the airport, not your phone. When it says 'go to gate' you're supposed to go to gate. Departure time isn't the time to get to the gate. That's time by which everyone should be on board with the doors closed and ready to take off.

I've had two delayed flights with Easyjet in the last 10 days. The first was showing a 30 minute delay due to the incoming flight being delayed. They managed to do a speedy turnaround and we ended up taking off 10 minutes late and landing on time.

The second flight was also delayed for 30 minutes due to the incoming flight being delayed. They opened the gate to our flight before the plane had landed. Again another speedy turnaround and we were on board. We had a air traffic takeoff time 3 hours delayed from the original takeoff. The pilot decided to get everyone on board and shut the doors and plead for a new takeoff time. It worked and we were only 40 minutes late landing at the other end.

My point is, things change constantly and 3rd party apps (and in our case even the Easyjet app) can't keep up with the updates. The only reliable updates were the airport screens.

Next time get there in plenty of time and follow the screens. Ryanair and Stanstead don't owe you anything.

Google should not come into it. Not when you are Physically there. That is like me searching a shop opening time and kicking off because it is wrong. It is almost comical. The internet is not gospel.

Anyone can write anything on google. You will look silly if you mention that on a complaint form.