MSE News: Ryanair U-turn: it will care for stranded passengers

vaporate

Deleted_User wrote: »

Actually, I sort of agree with Ryanair here.

It's not their fault that the whole of European airspace was shut down.

If they stand to make £9.99 from you for booking a flight, why should they then be required to pay out £200 for accommodation and meals through no fault of their own? Especially, as they say, when other forms of transport are not required to do the same?

All that will happen is your ticket price goes up to provide for future events where they're required to pay out.

It is about time airlines took some responsibility and coughed up. The public always get screwed over.

The airline set the ticket price, their problem.

mikey72

Maybe we should go back to the old pricing structure then.
I remember I used to fly BA every month, Birmingham to Aberdeen, in the 80's, £356 return.

wave_rider_2

"I remember I used to fly BA every month, Birmingham to Aberdeen, in the 80's, £356 return" ...and my employer today pays £250 return for a London to Manchester ticket, whilst I can fly 5 times that distance (to Spain) for £50 but have somebody sitting next to me who's had to pay double or triple what I've paid - but who will still receive the same appalling service should something not go according to plan!

Is there not a better, fairer way to set airfares, where all of a customer's needs are considered, not just their pocket...?

mikey72

wave_rider wrote: »

"I remember I used to fly BA every month, Birmingham to Aberdeen, in the 80's, £356 return" ...and my employer today pays £250 return for a London to Manchester ticket, whilst I can fly 5 times that distance (to Spain) for £50 but have somebody sitting next to me who's had to pay double or triple what I've paid - but who will still receive the same appalling service should something not go according to plan!

Is there not a better, fairer way to set airfares, where all of a customer's needs are considered, not just their pocket...?

Indeed there is, dump the cheap tickets, charge as much as you can, while still filling enough seats to make a profit. Then if it goes badly, there is less compensation to pay out.

fozmcfc

Anything that upsets Ryanair is good in my eyes, they are out to exploit passengers as much as possible. However in this case, I do think it is unreasonable for the airlines to foot unreasonable bills, for something which is completely out of their control.

Working in the travel industry I have first hand experience of how people blame your company for things which are completely unforseeable and totally out of your control.

As for Ryanair in general IMO they are no longer a budget airline. By the time you add on all the extras and if you buy some food and drink on the flight, you may as well go onto a carrier such as BA, which doesn't levy so many charges and offers free food and drinks onboard.

It's not just standard charges either, but in some cases, extras such as having to fly to and from out of the way locations, which incur extra costs by rail and bus.

wave_rider_2

fozmcfc, when you say "...foot unreasonable bills...", I assume you're referring to their 'duty of care' under EU261/2004. I would urge you to think about this from the airlines' customers point of view (and your customers even) - a family say, with 2 small children stranded (by whatever event) many hundreds or thousands of miles from home at the end of their holiday. Which would you prefer if that were you - an airport departure 'lounge' & airport food or a hotel bed and a decent meal? Without EU261, I don't think many people would have been able to choose the latter which, at least, mitigates the misery of not being able to get home.

The travel insurance industry has so many exclusions, it's unlikely to help many in these situations, the UK govt is certainly not going to help - so thank goodness for simple, unambiguous EU261 and the European lawmakers. It has no 'small print', no time limits and no exclsuions. It's certainly saved me from a night at the airport before now! We, as consumers, need to preserve that law - at least until an equally effective, no questions asked, alternative is made available to us.

mikey72

wave_rider wrote: »

fozmcfc, when you say "...foot unreasonable bills...", I assume you're referring to their 'duty of care' under EU261/2004. I would urge you to think about this from the airlines' customers point of view (and your customers even) - a family say, with 2 small children stranded (by whatever event) many hundreds or thousands of miles from home at the end of their holiday. Which would you prefer if that were you - an airport departure 'lounge' & airport food or a hotel bed and a decent meal? Without EU261, I don't think many people would have been able to choose the latter which, at least, mitigates the misery of not being able to get home.

The travel insurance industry has so many exclusions, it's unlikely to help many in these situations, the UK govt is certainly not going to help - so thank goodness for simple, unambiguous EU261 and the European lawmakers. It has no 'small print', no time limits and no exclsuions. It's certainly saved me from a night at the airport before now! We, as consumers, need to preserve that law - at least until an equally effective, no questions asked, alternative is made available to us.

"no time limits and no exclsuions" and how many laws have been contended (and won) on this very reason alone.

As to being a " family say, with 2 small children stranded (by whatever event) many hundreds or thousands of miles from home at the end of their holiday", they wouldn't have been there without the budget airlines in the first place.

steve1500

As someone who was stuck out there for 4 days, I can tell everyone the complete lack of compassion from Ryan Air was un real, I stood in queue (twice) for over 3 hours -not that we where going anywhere, to be fed duff information from people that were not even Ryan Air employess. They couldn't give a damn. There seemed keener on you taking a refund.

Nobody that I met out there was looking for 5 star hotels, a cup of coffee whilst we were waiting wouldn't even have gone a miss.

This will now cost Ryan Air I sure have my receipts.

Michael O'leary seems to think that if you pay cheap prices you should get crap service.

Didn't Gerald Ratner say what do you expect for a fiver, Crap. We all know what happened to them

mikey72

steve1500 wrote: »

As someone who was stuck out there for 4 days, I can tell everyone the complete lack of compassion from Ryan Air was un real, I stood in queue (twice) for over 3 hours -not that we where going anywhere, to be fed duff information from people that were not even Ryan Air employess. They couldn't give a damn. There seemed keener on you taking a refund.

Nobody that I met out there was looking for 5 star hotels, a cup of coffee whilst we were waiting wouldn't even have gone a miss.

This will now cost Ryan Air I sure have my receipts.

Michael O'leary seems to think that if you pay cheap prices you should get crap service.

Didn't Gerald Ratner say what do you expect for a fiver, Crap. We all know what happened to them

He's still a millionaire, and you pay more for jewellery?

(edit, actually he's online now, http://www.geraldonline.com/ )

jules99

I returned home from Tenerife on Wednesday 21st April (due back 18th April with Rynair) with Jet2, having paid £933 to do so (family of 3). I felt I had no option to return via another airline as was so frustrated with Rynair.

My flights with Rynair cost £570 (including all extra charges - return included). Although this is cheap compared to other airlines, I didn't feel it was a bargain so when I tell people I flew Rynair they always assume I got really cheap flights (such as 50p).

I decided to go with the re-schedule flight option when I was emailed about flight cancellation but the only available flight was 1st May. I thought if I could book that and then re-book if one became available sooner. One was available for the 27th April but this was still too late for us. I went to 'Manage my Booking' just to see if I would be charged extra for re-scheduling again and I would have been if I had booked (another £400). . There was nothing in Rynair's cancellation email to say that once re-scheduled, can't re-schedule again if a flight becomes available sooner without incurring a charge so that would have been helpful.

As airspace was open and Jet2 announced flights, we booked to come home on 21st April..

On top of paying over £900 for the flight home with Jet2, and all the extra accommodation costs, I was worried I wouldn't be entitled to a refund from Rynair as I had chosen to re-schedule for 1st May and as I am now home and that flight should still go ahead.

I rang Rynair this morning and explained and was told I should get a refund. I asked about compensation for accommodation and food costs and they told me to submit my receipts and I should also get those back.

I couldn't believe my ears, so rang again and spoke to a different person and was told exactly the same so fingers crossed. I have noted time of call and person I spoke to just in case. The only problem is I was told I had to fax my claims through for refund of accommodation etc so this isn't helpful

Moneysavingexpert and all the people who contributed about the crisis was fantastic. Couldn't have done without it whilst using my husbands Ipod touch. All those people without wifi/ipods I feel sorry for - must have been a nightmare trying to sort things out.