Horrible Ryanair Policies

[PurpleNotebook]

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.

YANBU. Horrible company. I booked flights for next summer and was looking for the cheapest, I actually booked BA in the end because after you take into account all the extra charges with Ryanair, BA was no more expensive.

How is it Ryanair's fault that you didn't bother to read the conditions of the offer and didn't bother to get insurance?

@CatJumperTwat it is Ryanairs fault for misleading advertising.

[quote julieca]@CatJumperTwat it is Ryanairs fault for misleading advertising.[/quote]
Was it misleading?
We only know that OP didn’t understand it - but she also didn’t understand that you can’t take out insurance to cover something that already happened, so…
Maybe it was mishearing - god knows I don’t trust Ryanair! - but I don’t think you can say that for sure.

Obviously I don’t know what advert OP saw, but current website link is pretty clear.

Ryanair is Ryanair- a flying bus with add-ons. I have never had a problem using them but I am aware of their terms and conditions and certainly now never book a flight with them (or any airline) I am not prepared to loose the cost of. I understand that for lots of people who do not fly from the main London airports there is not much choice apart from budget airlines. The thing is, Ryanair is a business and the model works, hence lots of other airlines now have adapted their policies. Easyjet now charge for carry-on luggage, and although their re-booking policy during covid is excellent, they are also considerably more expensive and you now also have to add luggage fees for a cabin suitcase.

Ryanair have flown me to lots of places for around £10, which is the same as a daily bus ticket in some more provicincial areas. I know I need to pay extra for a small suitcase and a specific seat if I want one (not bothered). I know if I book with them now, even if I take advantage of their (quite limited) free change, they charge to move luggage. So I am not booking with them (adding luggage later is double the cost). They know that although people swear never to use them again, when they see a cheap flight from the local airport they likely will.

@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.

Just wow! Such a selfish attitude. It's not just about you. What would happen if god forbid you died or were seriously injured on holiday? Your poor family would have to pay to have you flown home and for any expensive medical treatment. Would you be happy for them to sell their homes to pay for this? I have worked in travel insurance in the past and I saw this happen a few times. Or for them to desperately create crowdfunding pages to try to pay instead if they don't have assets?

Also the insurance issue, lots of cheaper policies will not cover this now and even if they do, there is the excess which lots of people set quite high to keep the policy cost down. Excess is charged per person covered on most policies so unless your flights are megabucks then you are unlikely to get much (if anything) back. Insurance is very important due to potential hospital charges etc and repatriation costs if the worst happens which can run into several thousands.

@Cheeseandlobster that’s a bit strong!
Not taking out insurance is a valid choice.
I don’t have it, for example, for my household appliances or mobile phone. Over 30 adult years, I’m financially better off with that choice.
I personally wouldn’t forgo travel insurance as costs can spiral quickly.
But my estate will pay out more than enough for repatriation if I die, for example.

@49Cheeseandlobster you beat me to it! This is what travel insurance is for. I have travelled during this pandemic and booked flights which I have not been able to take. I know the risks and have never booked a flight assuming I would be able to take it (if they take off but I cannot go, such as Malta this summer as UK not vaccinating teens) and expect the airline to refund me. We had flights booked back in April 2020 and Ryanair refunded, same with Wizz air and Easyjet. However as time goes on, if the flight takes off it is not their problem if we cannot take it for whatever reason. Easyjet have been the best, if they cancel flights we have been allowed to move them to any future date if scheduled. We travelled to Turkey in October half term on £20 flights moved to a time when prices were around £250 each way. We also have flights for skiing moved 3 times to a peak date (not holding out much hope). They also have a very flexible policy at the moment to move flights, however their prices for peak times now are more than flagship carriers.

But my estate will pay out more than enough for repatriation if I die, for example.

And who do you think would pay for everything in the weeks before your estate was settled and paid?

[quote FaoinDrualus]@PlacidPenelope I booked with Allianz.
They have this in the faq for annual insurance -

If you contract an epidemic or pandemic disease or are subject to compulsory quarantine whilst on your trip
If you fall ill with an epidemic or pandemic disease (including COVID-19) or are required to quarantine as a result of your exposure to the disease, you will be covered for medical costs incurred as a result if you are outside the UK when falling ill. We will also provide cover for cutting short your trip, repatriation and/or extending your trip if you aren’t well enough or able to travel home as planned.
Our policies will also cover the cost for one member of your travel party to stay abroad with you, where medically necessary, until you are fit enough to return home. It is important that you contact our 24-hour medical emergency helpline for advice and assistance if you are admitted to hospital or are unable to travel home as planned.

If you need to cancel your trip
Cancellation cover will apply if your trip is cancelled because you or your travel companion either have symptoms or are diagnosed with an epidemic or pandemic disease (such as COVID-19), There is also cover if you or your travel companion are required to quarantine (self-isolate) as a result of your individual circumstances, such as being requested to by the NHS Test and Trace service.
If you are unable to travel due to a general quarantine being placed across a region or nation, then this cover does not apply.[/quote]
Thank you very much FaoinDrualus.

I really don't like RyanAir or EasyJet, and prefer to fly BA when there is the option. However, I do acknowledge that these companies have transformed the industry, and made it a lot more affordable (with lots of cons for both staff and competitors too!).

OP, you really have a responsibility to check these things out in advance. I'd have zero sympathy for you in this situation. It's not a question of trust, and the stupidity is very much on your side in this case.

[quote Cocomarine]@Cheeseandlobster that’s a bit strong!
Not taking out insurance is a valid choice.
I don’t have it, for example, for my household appliances or mobile phone. Over 30 adult years, I’m financially better off with that choice.
I personally wouldn’t forgo travel insurance as costs can spiral quickly.
But my estate will pay out more than enough for repatriation if I die, for example.[/quote]
Hmmm. I don’t think you’d really want grieving relatives to be left to organise repatriation and then be waiting on the estate to pay out to reimburse costs. Insurance companies at least take that burden on.

This happened to a relative and at least the insurance company were great. Ryanair (who they had flown out with) were worse than appalling. That’s why we don’t ever fly Ryanair.

@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.

That's nonsense. And false economy.

My ex-H's travel insurers were happy to pay for him being taken off a mountain by ski patrol, then taken by ambulance to hospital, get triaged, then taken by ambulance to a different hospital, X-rayed, have an emergency operation to fix his broken leg and pay for a week long hospital stay. They also organised and covered my costs of flying out to stay with him, my 2 hour taxi transfer from the airport to the town he was hospitalised in, a weeks hotel accommodation for me, and then a nurse to fly out and stay in the same hotel as me the day before we returned to sort out getting us back to the UK etc., through the airport with him in a wheelchair, business class flights home as he needed extra legroom, and then a taxi from Heathrow back up to the north west. The total cost was getting on for £20k. His policy cost him £15. He said it was the best 15 quid he's ever spent. They didnt quibble anything and were really helpful and useful at a very stressful time.

The nurse told us some real horror stories she'd experienced with people who'd not bothered with insurance, mostly people who'd had accidents and ended up with severe brain injuries whose family had had to find many tens of thousands ££ to have people brought home with a medical team because they were in such a bad way.

@Stepmonstera

But my estate will pay out more than enough for repatriation if I die, for example.

And who do you think would pay for everything in the weeks before your estate was settled and paid?

My husband, who could afford that. Look, I did say I’d never go with travel insurance myself! I just thought the reaction of “wow! Such a selfish attitude” was a bit strong.

[quote Cocomarine]@Cheeseandlobster that’s a bit strong!
Not taking out insurance is a valid choice.
I don’t have it, for example, for my household appliances or mobile phone. Over 30 adult years, I’m financially better off with that choice.
I personally wouldn’t forgo travel insurance as costs can spiral quickly.
But my estate will pay out more than enough for repatriation if I die, for example.[/quote]
It's a valid choice with your mobile phone and household appliances. The inconvenience is minor and mainly limited to you.

But travel insurance for medical expenses is not just for you. Like someone said below, your estate would be paid via probate which isn't quick. Who pays in the mean time? Also your estate may cover this but lots of people who don't take out insurance also don't have an estate. Hence frantic relatives trying to pay for and arrange things in an unknown country with different rules and red tape. Its not fair on anyone's family to refuse to take this cover

I would have thought this is a general airline issue, not just a Ryanair one.

Its not just the financial cost though, is it? It's organising everything else as well, on top of dealing with your estate. Would he be the one that would have to be ringing round foreign hospitals/undertakers and sorting transport and flights? Or are you expecting him to shove you in the back of a hired Transit van and drive you back himself?

They cancelled my flight in 2020.

Took 7 months to get my money back.

I'll never give them my money again!

We are in the same position with RA flights in January . I assumed RA would allow some flexibility like other airlines. Easyjet have been really good.

You must be able to get amazing travel insurance in the UK. We are in Dublin. A few years back I paid for a decent policy ( not a bank freebie) or so I thought . Our villa was broken into in Spain.

We were upset but relieved we had insurance. Well they wangled out of almost everything , it was quite incredible really . We got almost nothing back despite losses of about 4k.

Had a small claim a second time a few years later and they also managed to dodge most of it ( a different company ). I assume all of you who talk about insurance have actually claimed as my experience has been TERRIBLE !

Anyway, what a pity OP. Am hopeful they may allow some flight changes or people just won't book with them as travel is too uncertain. However , I w ason live chat with them today and no joy !

I’ve never once had an issue with Ryanair, and I fly with them 10-15 times a year. But, I do read the T&C’s of what I book.

I also get travel insurance, unless I’m travelling both from and to countries that I’m a resident or citizen of (where I know what I’d do in an emergency, and it wouldn’t cost me anything).

It’s not Ryanair’s fault you didn’t read their T&C’s (they’re not even ‘small print’ - very easy and quick to find and read on their website), it’s not their fault you didn’t buy travel insurance when you were meant to.

@Bunnyfuller that sounds absolutely right. It doesn’t sound like you booked a flexible flight, so of course they’re going to charge you to move the dates. BA, easyJet, everyone else would do the exact same thing. Unless the ticket is flexible. Which, for a 2022 booking, it isn’t. You need to claim on your insurance.

Ryanair have extended the zero change fee to bookings made in the last 4 weeks, it’s not only up to 31st Oct - people can check this on the website. But it only allows you to move to flights up to 15th Jan. It’s not for people who want to move a holiday because they’ve decided not to go anymore, it’s for those affected by temporary travel restrictions, or those who have fallen ill but will be able to travel in a couple of weeks. People who have fallen ill and can’t rebook until later on in 2022, should claim on their insurance. Simple as that.

For repatriation it's not just the financial side.
How many of us would even know where to start organising an air ambulance and doctors?
I've been in the unfortunate situation of being repatriated with a relative who was taken ill quite suddenly. It was the most stressful time of my life and I cannot imagine how much harder it would have been had I had to organise it myself instead of the insurance company liaising with the hospital abroad, the doctors abroad, the ambulance transfer abroad and the NHS in the UK when we returned.
It really isn't just about the money

[quote Cocomarine]@Cheeseandlobster that’s a bit strong!
Not taking out insurance is a valid choice.
I don’t have it, for example, for my household appliances or mobile phone. Over 30 adult years, I’m financially better off with that choice.
I personally wouldn’t forgo travel insurance as costs can spiral quickly.
But my estate will pay out more than enough for repatriation if I die, for example.[/quote]
If you lose your mobile the cost is finite, a are your appliancesbehind repatriated, can run to millions

[quote julieca]@CatJumperTwat it is Ryanairs fault for misleading advertising.[/quote]
Explain please...