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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:
PlacidPenelope · 14/12/2021 12:05

I took out an annual travel insurance policy in Sept which will cover me for any flights I need to cancel due to testing positive (and also will cover my hotel costs if I test positive abroad so am unable to travel back).

Which insurance company did you use FaoinDrualus if you don't mind me asking?

You are right about Ryanair, always read their T&C's very carefully, forewarned is forearmed. I've also found it is often cheaper just to dump a Ryanair flight and book another one rather than pay to change it.

RampantIvy · 14/12/2021 12:05

There is literally NO REASON OR EXCUSE to not buy insurance when your book your travel!!

Especially during this pandemic, and even more especially when booking flights with Ryanair.

Travel insurance doesn't just cover you when you are away, but covers having to cancel a holiday/flights.

MarisPiper92 · 14/12/2021 12:05

A similar thing happened to me last month - was planning to fly to Austria, but they went into lockdown when I was due to be there. I did have insurance, but it didn't cover "actions by governments" (which included lockdowns). Serves me right I suppose!

Gonnagetgoing · 14/12/2021 12:06

My (highly educated) SIL never used to get travel insurance until a holiday in Turkey when she was advised to take out travel insurance, she just thought it was a waste of money. The next time they were away was the volcanic ash disaster when they were on holiday in Croatia a few years ago.

They said it was lucky they had insurance as it could've been really expensive paying out extra train/ferry etc fees to get back to UK not using the plane.

As someone else said, it won't do much good now to take out insurance. It's very much bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted and blaming Ryan Air (yes I know they're an awful company generally) isn't fair on them - you used them as they were cheapest for flights so why complain now?

You can get good yearly travel insurance policies if you travel a lot or I used to get a cheap Tescos 'pack' you could buy at the supermarket for every trip. You just never know what will go wrong and it can do.

gogohm · 14/12/2021 12:06

Lesson learned - you have to buy travel insurance before you get sick! Don't you buy it when you book your holidays? We have an annual policy through the bank

Gonnagetgoing · 14/12/2021 12:06

@MarisPiper92

A similar thing happened to me last month - was planning to fly to Austria, but they went into lockdown when I was due to be there. I did have insurance, but it didn't cover "actions by governments" (which included lockdowns). Serves me right I suppose!
Sadly nowadays re travel insurance best to check and double check small print and if need be pay extra to ensure it covers actions by governments. If you're not happy don't fly!
anniegun · 14/12/2021 12:07

I cant believe anyone can buy flights and not have worked through what would happen if the tested positive for Covid.

friendlycat · 14/12/2021 12:08

I'm sorry OP but various things spring to mind.

You took a risk booking a holiday in amongst a pandemic and did not read the terms and conditions properly. Plus neither did you book travel insurance that may have covered you if you could not fly due to catching covid.

Plus there are other carriers that are more expensive but would have allowed a cancellation with a covid positive traveller.

I'm no fan of Ryanair but this really is down to you.

Fidgetty · 14/12/2021 12:09

I always say I'll never fly Ryanair again and then I inevitably get sucked back in Grin

I deluded myself last month flying to Prague that they were the cheapest option for my outgoing flight but by the time I had paid for luggage and seats they were no cheaper than the airline I used for the return flight, which was much nicer, better service/staff etc. and so I said "I'll never fly Ryanair again". Until next time anyway!

notacooldad · 14/12/2021 12:09

Those of you saying " have you got bank travel insurance?'' have you double checked it's been updated to include issues around Covid.
Some policies are excluding covid relating stuff.

WeatherwaxOn · 14/12/2021 12:09

@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.

Jess Thom (an actor) encountered problems with wheelchair/accessibility on a flight some time ago. I can't remember if it was this particular airline but in order to get to the toilet she had to crawl in the aisle.
notimagain · 14/12/2021 12:10

They have a business model that works (“does what it says on the tin”)…and they are hard assed.

Many people’s determination to never fly with them again lasts until they start pricing their next flight because ultimately, when push comes to shove, despite the fine words many people will not pay more in the hope of receiving better service.

Fidgetty · 14/12/2021 12:12

The worst time was when I bought a £100 voucher from them as a present for a friend who frequently used them. They never emailed the voucher, yet the payment came out of my account. I harassed their customer service team for a full year trying to get them to send it and they never did! Awful awful company.

edification · 14/12/2021 12:13

YABU for not checking the rules & getting insurance and understanding the likelihood of testing positive affecting your flights, yes!

notacooldad · 14/12/2021 12:14

I always say I'll never fly Ryanair again and then I inevitably get sucked back in
I'm the same but I've never had an issue with Ryanair. I fly hand luggage only unless it's long haul which excludes Ryanair. I don't really care where I sit so I've never had any extra costs. Staff have always been pleasant. Using them has got me to see some places that I would never have thought if and always had an excellent time.

I was averaging 14 trips a year over the 8 years right up to March 2019 with them. These included week trips, day trips and weekends away.

Tal45 · 14/12/2021 12:15

I don't bother with travel insurance, insurance companies will do anything to get out of paying up, they're as much cowboys as Ryanair are.
I'd never fly Ryanair, much prefer easyjet (over BA too, they have really gone to shit). Although easyjet aren't perfect we were able to change our flight on the day of the flight and only had to pay the difference in price (£50 pp) when we had a late PCR result.

Sparklfairy · 14/12/2021 12:16

Why on earth didn't you get insurance?

Anomelettefortheroad · 14/12/2021 12:18

You booked flights in the middle of a global pandemic, didn't read the terms and conditions and didn't take out travel insurance. I'm no fan of theirs but I'm not seeing what they've done wrong here.

RampantIvy · 14/12/2021 12:18

I don't bother with travel insurance, insurance companies will do anything to get out of paying up, they're as much cowboys as Ryanair are.

You are incorrect. DH once came home from a business trip on crutches. His travel insurance covered his medical expenses. Unfortunately you never know how good an insurance company is until you need to use them.

notacooldad · 14/12/2021 12:19

I don't bother with travel insurance, insurance companies will do anything to get out of paying up, they're as much cowboys as Ryanair are
I'm glad I didnt have that attitude when my son had a terrible mountain bike accident in the Alps when he was 14 and had to be airlifted to hospital and was in intensive care for over 3 weeks.Insurance company took care of everything including getting the whole family back to the UK and supporting us with additional hotel costs. It would have cost us £1000's otherwise.

julieca · 14/12/2021 12:20

@RampantIvy

There is literally NO REASON OR EXCUSE to not buy insurance when your book your travel!!

Especially during this pandemic, and even more especially when booking flights with Ryanair.

Travel insurance doesn't just cover you when you are away, but covers having to cancel a holiday/flights.

I don't buy insurance for a Ryanair flight in Britain. Too expensive for me as I have risky pre-existing conditions.
BadLad · 14/12/2021 12:20

@Sparklfairy

Why on earth didn't you get insurance?
She doesn't seem to know what it is, if you read her second post.
RampantIvy · 14/12/2021 12:22

I don't buy insurance for a Ryanair flight in Britain. Too expensive for me as I have risky pre-existing conditions.

I totally get that. If it is a cheap flight then you would just write it off if you had to cancel.

countrygirl99 · 14/12/2021 12:25

@Tal45

I don't bother with travel insurance, insurance companies will do anything to get out of paying up, they're as much cowboys as Ryanair are. I'd never fly Ryanair, much prefer easyjet (over BA too, they have really gone to shit). Although easyjet aren't perfect we were able to change our flight on the day of the flight and only had to pay the difference in price (£50 pp) when we had a late PCR result.
Good job our friend didn't have that attitude even she needed emergency, life saving surgery on holiday. Her medivac back home after her 2 week hospital stay was over £10,000 alone.
Franklydear · 14/12/2021 12:25

@SummaLuvin

I have limited sympathy for people booking foreign holidays 20 months into an international pandemic without consideration to restrictions/rules changing/testing challenges... Ryanair is not at fault because your son has covid.
Well, sorry for wanting to see my parents after two years, they’re only elderly, let’s hope I do get a chance to go, as it happens not this Xmas either, be kind and all that