The joy of travel with Ryanair - Refund for alternative flight?

[TheMouse]

Briefly... was travelling home from Bristol to Belfast last weekend after a weekend away, flying with with Ryanair. Flight was cancelled. Initially it appeared that the flight was cancelled due to 'volcanic dust in the engine' but later Ryanair changed their position on this to state that the flight was cancelled due to technical reasons unrelated to volcanic ash. Airspace to both Belfast and Dublin was not closed on Sunday night. We tried to get onto the Ryanair flight to Dublin but were told at the airport (by Servisair - no Ryanair rep to be seen) that it was full and that we could only book an alternative flight for the following day by going online.

In the end (it was 8pm at that point and we have a toddler plus we needed to get back for work the next day) we booked an alternative flight to Belfast via Easyjet but paid £270 for the tickets (the original Ryanair flight tickets for the return part of the journey cost £30).

We have travel insurance with Direct Line.

Does anyone know where we stand in relation to getting our money back for the altarnative flight. Obviously it is next to impossible to talk directly to anyone from Ryanair and the information on their website is at best ambiguous (they say they cover reason expenses for delays but explicitly exclude payment of 'alternative travel arrangements'). The best they offer is a form to submit to which they will respond within 28 days. I have a horrible suspicion that they will refuse to pay more than the £30 for the original tickets

I have spoken to Direct Line who say that they only cover compensation for delay and that we should take up the case with Ryanair.

Would appreciate any feedback from experts or those who have been in a similar position.

Bump for the morning crowd...

Nobody at all???

Not sure if this is relevant or not, but while airspace wasn't closed over Belfast/Dublin last weekend, there were hug disruptions.

DP was due to fly home from Belfast at 6pm on Sunday, the flight was cancelled, he was then meant to go on the 8pm, it was cancelled as was the 10pm, he finally got home at 3pm the next day after the flight he was meant to be on was delayed for 2 and a half hours. This was with easyjet.

They told DP he would be allowed to claim from them all reasonable expenses (food and drinks really, as the put him up in the Radisson for the night). But if he had chosen to make his own way home (some of the friends he was with opted to get the boat home) then they were only giving them back the cost they paid for their flight and not for other travel arrangements (even tho that would have been cheaper than what they will give DP

Not sure if this is any help, but if not at least I have bumped for you.

Hi - my brother recently tried to get compensation from Ryanair after being stranded in Venice for 4 days due to the volcanic ash disruption. Ryanair will only pay for accommodation etc if your flight is cancelled and you re-book a later flight with them. My brother made his own way home and is unable to claim anything for his travel expenses/accommodation. He has simply had the cost of his return air fare refunded. I am pretty certain that you will only get the £30 you paid for the cancelled flights.

Thanks for the responses. I was afraid that would be the case. Lesson learnt I suppose :-(