Ryan Air are cowboys

[Immigrantsong]

I have flights to Spain booked for end of August with Ryan Air, booked well before the pandemic.

Ryan Air seems to be pushing for all flights to happen irrelevant of FCO guidance.

Have contacted them to ask for options available and refund but no reply.

AIBU to think that they are cowboys?

Anyone with any suggestions please let me know. Thank you.

They are most definitely cowboys. I haven't travelled with them for 15 years due to an incident that left me feeling like I was not going to put my life in their hands again.

Do you have travel insurance? Usually is if there is an FCO advice against travel they will pay out.

Otherwise look at their refund policies make sure you follow what is required. Send them written communication and timelines, and if you dont hear back make a section 75 claim on credit card.

Was it over £100 and paid for by credit card? If so, you could try getting in touch with your credit card company and see if they can get the money back for you.

Are you new to travel, everyone knows this

We balance the cheap flights with the knowledge that any tiny slip up will cost you dearly and any chance to exploit the passenger will be seized.

They're called lyin air for good reason....

They are cowboys. I'm still waiting for a refund on my cancelled flights from the Easter holidays.

I would never travel with Ryan air ever again - they are the worst airline ever. I hope you get your money back.

If the flight goes ahead you won't get any money back from them. I was meant to be going to two concerts this summer, one in Cardiff and one in Tallinn. My domestic flight for the Cardiff concert was cancelled by EasyJet (I thought domestic flights were less likely to be cancelled especially as this one was mid-June) yet the one to Tallinn still went ahead and to add insult to the injury I had a look at how much it would have cost if I'd booked last minute and it was £100 cheaper! Gutted . Plus I cant yet re-book for next year because their flight schedule only goes as far as March next year

Erm yeah - they have always been arseholes. as long as people give them give custom they will continue to behave like this

@lifesalongsong

Are you new to travel, everyone knows this

We balance the cheap flights with the knowledge that any tiny slip up will cost you dearly and any chance to exploit the passenger will be seized.

I don't normally travel with them, so wasn't aware.

Easy jet are cheap too, but they have been great with a cancelled flight and issuing refund promptly.

Unfortunately for some destinations cheap airlines are the only options as not all airlines fly everywhere.

This though has definitely taught me never to fly with Ryan Air again, so lesson learned.

They've always been cowboys. I thought it was common knowledge.

Thank you all for your tips and experiences.

I haven't used them before and only bought those flights as part of a package travel to Spain.

The hotel has been refunded in full, as it won't open this summer but the flights frustratingly seem to be going ahead.

I booked this all via On the Beach, which seem to also be poor with customer service.

I will definitely follow the tops re seeing if I can claim back via credit card and bank.

Ryan Air has not answered the email so not sure what else I can do. I did try to get On the Beach to sort this as all was purchased via them as a package holiday, but they seem to want to pass the buck to Ryan Air.

What is bizarre is that even though all the comments here seem to be in agreement, a third seeks to think IABU, which is surprising especially when no one has said as to why.

I don't travel a lot as a disabled person and this was the first holiday in years.

The only thing you can do is claim on your travel insurance. You have to get a ‘no show’ letter from Ryanair after your flights have gone without you (one for each flight).

I hate and detest Ryanair but still use them as they service some obscure routes.

My experience with them is that a. you get what you pay for and b. they will refund you or at least offer a voucher IF YOU ARE VERY PERSISTENT AND PATIENT.

Put your claim with Ryanair in, but also explore whether your travel insurance or credit card would refund you.

Best of luck

You need to pursue this with on the breach, particularly as the hotel isn’t opening. Your contract is with them, not Ryanair, and assuming it was booked as a package you have more rights than if you’d booked it directly.

My travel insurance won't accept a claim for disruption re FCO advice. Ryanair won't refund if the fight is still operational.

I doubt if credit card companies will be helpful if the flight remains operational.

The flights for my original destination for Ryanair are only showing until the end of October and I think I shall book with Jet2 next year.

I think my only option is to write the money off or transfer the flight to an alternative destination next year. There is of course a fee for this.

@Skigal86

You need to pursue this with on the breach, particularly as the hotel isn’t opening. Your contract is with them, not Ryanair, and assuming it was booked as a package you have more rights than if you’d booked it directly.

That's what I thought too originally too as everything is booked through them.

The issue is that On the Beach insist that it is Ryan Air's responsibility to support me with the flights.

They did offer an alternative hotel that is open, but it has no facilities for children as the first one that we originally booked did. They consider that this along with the full refund on the hotel seems to absolve them from the responsibility of dealing with the flights.

I will email Abta to ask for support as I am confused. In my mind, this was a package holiday but On the Beach seem to not agree with this.

I've received refunds eventually from Easyjet & another international airline. They both cancelled the flights themselves.

I contacted my credit card & they told me to contact the airlines

@ilovesooty

My travel insurance won't accept a claim for disruption re FCO advice. Ryanair won't refund if the fight is still operational.

I doubt if credit card companies will be helpful if the flight remains operational.

The flights for my original destination for Ryanair are only showing until the end of October and I think I shall book with Jet2 next year.

I think my only option is to write the money off or transfer the flight to an alternative destination next year. There is of course a fee for this.

Yes same with our situation.

The cost to change the flights is not worthwhile as we can pretty much book new flights for less.

So I guess I will pursue this with Abta for their guidance and see if Ryan Air cancels the flights closer to the date, as that will mean a refund is more likely. Not sure the bank will be able to help but worth trying.

Thank you kindly

The real Cowboys you should be complaining about are Johnson and his shambolic UK Government.

They’ve been like this for years. They also racially profile passengers.

YANBU, Ryanair is a joke of a company. People insist on using them because they're cheap, though.

Don't book with them again !
I have 2 bad experiences with them...
1st was flight booked well in advance, out Thursday & return on a Sunday- was dead chep! Days booked off work all other arrangements done. 1 week before departure told Sunday return is cancelled, I can fly back on the Friday (day after arrival) or following Wednesday or pay extra £30 or £ 40 per person to fly home on Monday. Didn't book with them for years but got stucked in again on low prices... this time outbound flight got cancelled when they had the "pilot shortage" got a refund but had to book more expensive flights with different airline.
Sad thing is, they can change your flight/ schedule in certain circumstances- it's in the small print!

I would rather not go on holiday than fly with them, and anyone who hasn't heard about how bloody awful they are must have been living on Mars for years.

YANBU for calling them cowboys.

However, YABU for only just realising! Lying Air indeed. Michael O Leary makes a dishonest snake look honest.

I too have only just realised this. Our flights were booked last September. They've insisted on flying to spain against advice. My travel insurance wouldn't pay out and credit card said if the flight goes they can't claim. The cost to change the flights was eye watering. We are in Spain and will quarantine when we get home