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AIBU?

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Original poster

Horrible Ryanair Policies

186 replies

PurpleNotebook · 14/12/2021 10:33

Having to cancel Christmas flights due to a ds with positive Omicron test. So stupidly had bought Ryanair. The 'free change fee' is a load of caveated baloney, only flights bought before Oct, only for travel before Dec 31st 2021.

It will cost us £90 per person (six of us) to change our flights to a later date in 2022, even though the flights will cost considerably less than the original flights. We've spent £650 already, and are not flowing in money, this was a big outlay for us, and we trusted them - so stupid to accept the 'No Change Fee' banner they fly all across the site without getting it'd be caveated into uselessness for anyone changing a Christmas period flight.

I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever buy Ryanair again.

It's giving away your money in these unsettled times. BA etc might be more expensive but you are not signing the money away for good should things change, so it has to be worth the difference - the BA flights were 20% more which seemed a lot but now seems a bargain compared to this lot. So upset by this, and so foolish too for buying them.

Will not make the mistake of ever ever buying Ryanair again.

OP posts:
BrimFullOfAsher · 14/12/2021 11:01

Sorry OP but you are definitely BU for two reasons:

Not reading the Ts&Cs when you booked

And

Not having travel insurance

Shitty situation, I appreciate that. But it's not RAs fault

grapewine · 14/12/2021 11:06

How is Ryanair to blame for you not buying travel insurance when you booked? They're cheap for a reason.

It's annoying for you, but it is very shortsighted not to get insurance if you want to travel in the middle of this shitshow.

MakeMineALarge1 · 14/12/2021 11:07

Price you pay for booking flight only and not taking out insurance! Sorry you're the one at fault here.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/12/2021 11:07

As others have said, get insurance before it goes wrong!

I don’t fly with Ryanair because they were very unhelpful when I was flying when pregnant (4 months so perfectly fit to fly, but it was back when seating was free for all and I was anxious about being able to get out to the loo). But generally also because of their reputation for being incredibly unhelpful!

Caspianberg · 14/12/2021 11:10

Yeah, why book flights during a pandemic and not travel insurance covering covid at the same time?

bestdhever · 14/12/2021 11:11

Yabu to not have read the small print OP and definitely BU to not have travel insurance....in the middle of a pandemic Confused

Thehop · 14/12/2021 11:12

We’re in exactly the same situation with Ryanair.

We booked insurance when we booked the flights so it’ll cover the costs, once Ryanair issue us a no show letter.

A shit time of year to learn a lesson OP. Sorry. Hope your son recovers quickly.

strawberrymilk7 · 14/12/2021 11:15

Really crap situation, but Ryanair are very cheap for a reason. We all say we will never fly with them again, but we usually do!! Not sure if travel insurance, unless a good policy, would have covered it on this occasion. Doubt any of the cheaper ones would have.

Is you DS very sick? How old is he?
If you are flying home to visit family over Christmas could you or DH stay with him and the other 4 go, in the hope that DS + parent can catch up later?

MLMshouldbeillegal · 14/12/2021 11:15

I dislike Ryanair intensely and would never choose to fly with them.

But their terms and conditions are/were clear and you chose to ignore them. AND chose not to take out travel insurance.

You are the unreasonable one here, OP.

FasterthanBolt · 14/12/2021 11:15

Travel insurance would have covered you, it's bonkers to think you would book flights in the middle of a pandemic without looking at the necessary insurance first.

BTW, if you're looking for a budget airline, Easyjet let you change your flights free of charge up to 30 mins before departure and it's dead simple to do.

DreamerSeven · 14/12/2021 11:16

I’m not a Ryanair fan and NEVER book with them but even I can see this is your fault for not reading the terms and conditions and not taking out travel insurance almost 2 years into a global pandemic!

Fupoffyagrasshole · 14/12/2021 11:17

Travel insurance - but you can’t go back in time and get it now! You know or future

You also should have read the ts& cs it’s not really the airlines fault it’s yours

Good luck avoiding Ryanair for all future flights - you usually can’t find a better price 😂

I’ve said it myself many times 1 never gonna fly with them again..: but then when I go to book the flight is usually way cheaper so I go with it

For going to Ireland for Christmas this year we paid 11£ each for the flight !

Ba was 300

Are lingus 250

Just get a yearly travel insurance policy so you are always covered for future issues like this

Blinkinname · 14/12/2021 11:17

The mistake was you not getting travel insurance!

bonnymiffy · 14/12/2021 11:17

Unless RyanAir is the only airline to offer the route that you want I see little reason to book with them, ever. YABU for not having read the T&Cs (there was always a chance of someone in your party catching something, particularly during a pandemic) and why on earth you only thought about travel insurance when someone on here mentioned it!! They don't have a good reputation for anything other than cheapness and that will come at a price which you are now paying.

FortVictoria · 14/12/2021 11:18

@AlternativePerspective

Surely everyone knows this is what Ryanair is like? They look cheap on the face of it then add hundreds on to the cost in the small print, their service is beyond shit, their staff are rude, and Michael O’Leary is a self entitled twat.

Anyone knows that booking Ryanair they’re likely to get shafted, but this is the price you pay for going with a substandard airline.

Bearing in mind this is the company which wanted to charge disabled passengers for the use of a wheelchair to their aircraft until they were prevented from doing so legally.

i hope you can resolve this on your travel insurance, but if not and you haven’t bought the tickets I just wouldn’t bother.

This is horrendous. What a way to treat disabled people.
Rainbowshine · 14/12/2021 11:19

Did you use your credit or debit card to buy? You might have some route there for claiming back some money.

In “normal” times we buy an annual travel insurance policy so that we are covered if we buy separate parts to a holiday that wouldn’t be covered by ABTA or similar - it’s paid for itself on several occasions when flights have been cancelled etc. It also costs the same as the difference between the cheaper airlines and the more expensive. Too late for this episode for the OP though, but if you can’t afford to lose the money you need to read the small print or fork out for insurance before you book as others have said.

Helpstopthepain · 14/12/2021 11:19

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get travel insurance when booking a holiday!

I don’t think you can blame Ryanair for your mistake (not reading the terms and not getting travel insurance).

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 14/12/2021 11:20

Ryanair have always been the most shady and money grabbing , Covid won't change them. This is why a good travel policy with covid cover is a must now .

EvilPea · 14/12/2021 11:22

As the previous poster said have you got travel insurance with your bank account?

Lots do have it

Cocomarine · 14/12/2021 11:24

@PurpleNotebook

Ok, this is promising - talk me through the insurance situation. If I get it now pre-flight it'll work?
I really don’t think Ryanair are at fault here. Sure they’ll make a big marketing thing of it, but of course there are T&Cs and they’ll have been available. If you think travel insurance can be taken out after the trigger for pay out has happened… well, it sounds like you’re the sort of person who wouldn’t have checked the original offer T&Cs.

I’m almost impressed with the sheer bravado of booking flights during Covid without travel insurance!

Hope your son recovers quickly Flowers

Diywizz · 14/12/2021 11:24

Sorry op but when is your flight dates. Surely there is still time between now and Christmas for another test.

SagittariusDwarf · 14/12/2021 11:24

I can't stand stand Ryanair, but having looked up their "no change fee" policy just now, it really couldn't be any clearer Confused the stipulations are right at the top of the page, in plain English.

At least you'll know for next time to have travel insurance in place. No you cant retrospectively buy some and then hope to make a claim Hmm

RedToothBrush · 14/12/2021 11:27

'Its not fair i wasn't duly diligent and didn't bother to read the small print properly' is unfortunately not really a position that will help you.

There's been plenty about this over many years. Especially with Ryanair.

This is their business model and they can't offer cheap flights without these type of conditions. You need to be aware of them and be prepared to fall foul of them if you take the risk of booking.

codexa · 14/12/2021 11:28

Ryanair won a recent case regarding charge backs. So beware.

Personally I love them, never had any issues whatsoever, all short haul airlines are like the bus now anyway. Observe the rules and do not expect special treatment or feel "entitled" to anything outside their T+Cs and you are good to go. Their on time record is one of the best also.

You pays your money and take your choice. Insurance for any foreign trip is a total necessity. It is not that expensive either.

NandorTheRelentless · 14/12/2021 11:29

@PurpleNotebook

Ok, this is promising - talk me through the insurance situation. If I get it now pre-flight it'll work?
How do you think this would work.

I wont buy insurance until i have a problem?

do you pay your household or car insurance only when you need it? No, its a cost you pay and hope you dont need