Ryanair cancelling flights....

blue_haddock

A month or so ago i booked some flights from Liverpool to Rimini to travel in 2 months time and today have had an email stating that due to an "operational review" they are cancelling all bookings after 25th March and that i can have either a refund or rebook from/to a different airport.

Now obviously i cannot force them to fly me there but i have booked accommadation, transfers etc based on my flights. I can speak to the various people i have booked with and worst case claim on my travel insurance but i'd rather not have to do it.

Does anyone know where i stand legally regarding this?

ian41

This thread should help you

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3830875

apt

I doubt many travel insurance policies would cover Ryanair taking its bat home. Mine certainly wouldn't as it has this clause that you are not covered for cancellation if the provider fails to carry out the travel arrangements. You have a right under the EU travel directive to insist that Ryanair re-route you so you can get to Rimini rather than send you a refund. Whether you can persuade such a disreputable airline to comply with its obligations is another question.

VfM4meplse

I don't rate your chances. This is Ryanair after all.

blue_haddock

I have now found that i can cancel my hotel with cost and the transfers were not expensive so i can write those off but my main problem is that as i booked to go away over a bank holiday and i am now commited to those dates (due to work)

All the remaining flight prices have risen dramatically so even if i end up with a refund from ryanair any new booking will be significantly more expensive than the one they have cancelled.

The above EU ruling seems more geared towards last minute cancellations rather than ones with just under two months notice - does it apply in my case?

ian41

blue_haddock wrote: »

The above EU ruling seems more geared towards last minute cancellations rather than ones with just under two months notice - does it apply in my case?

Yes it does. While you are not entitled to compensation under Articles 5 and 7 of EU Reg 261/2004, you are entitled to re-routing or refund at your choice under Article 8.

If I may add, it is vital that you do this carefully - you could follow what I suggested in the thread referred to in post#2 and please do not use the word refund under any circumstances when contacting Ryanair.

blue_haddock

ian41 wrote: »

Yes it does. While you are not entitled to compensation under Articles 5 and 7 of EU Reg 261/2004, you are entitled to re-routing or refund at your choice under Article 8.

OK well seeing as they only fly to rimini from stansted now would it be possible to get them to pay the increased costs i'd incur by going via stansted instead of liverpool?

ian41

In your shoes, I would do the following. I would calculate the cost of getting from Stoke to Stansted return. Don't try to claim it on a per mile basis, calculate the actual cost of the petrol to get you there and back if you are driving or the cost of coach tickets.

I would then contact Ryanair and say that a re-route with Ryanair from Stansted would be acceptable (specify flight, time and date both ways) providing they pay for your petrol or travel costs both ways which you calculate to be £x in line with Article 8.3 of EU Reg 261/2004.

If they say yes, you need that confirmed by email.

If they say no, and if you have identified a more convenient flight option with another airline other than the Ryanair Stansted to Rimini return, ask Ryanair to re-route you on those flights at their expense in line with Article 8.1(b).

If they refuse to do that, you then notify them that as they have refused your two reasonable requests under Article 8.1 and 8.3, you will re-route yourself, pay for it and then expect Ryanair to re-imburse you for the additional cost.

Doing it that way, you can demonstrate that you have followed the correct procedure in trying to get a re-routing under comparable transport conditions - which is your right.

That is the way I would deal with it but others may have a different view.

Ich_2

You could also try reading their T & Cs which cover this situation pretty much word for word to the EC conditions

From the EC

If a flight is cancelled, passengers are automatically entitled to their choice of (a.) re-routing to the same destination at the earliest opportunity (under comparable conditions); (b.) later rerouting, at the passenger's convenience, to the same destination under comparable conditions (subject to seat availability); or (c.) a refund of the ticket as well as a return flight to the point of first departure, when relevant. Any ticket refund is the price paid for the flight(s) not used, plus the cost of flights already flown in cases where the cancellation has made those flights of no purpose. Where applicable, passengers are also entitled to refreshments, communication and accommodation as described below. Where re-routing is to another airport serving the same destination, the airline must pay for onward transport to the original airport or to a close-by destination agreed with the passenger. These choices, and the entitlement to refreshments, etc., apply to all cancellations, regardless of whether the circumstances are extraordinary or not.
The airline is also required to pay cash compensation as described below, unless one of the following conditions applies:

• the airline notifies the passengers at least two weeks prior to departure
• the airline notifies the passengers between one and two weeks prior to departure, and re-routes passengers so that they can:
  • depart no more than two hours earlier than scheduled, and
  • arrive no more than four hours later than scheduled
• the airline notifies the passengers less than one week prior to departure, and re-routes passengers so that they can:
  • depart no more than one hour earlier than scheduled, and
  • arrive no more than two hours later than scheduled
• the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided by any reasonable measure.

The airline must also provide an explanation to passengers of alternative transport.

blue_haddock

ian41 wrote: »

In your shoes, I would do the following. I would calculate the cost of getting from Stoke to Stansted return. Don't try to claim it on a per mile basis, calculate the actual cost of the petrol to get you there and back if you are driving or the cost of coach tickets.

I would then contact Ryanair and say that a re-route with Ryanair from Stansted would be acceptable (specify flight, time and date both ways) providing they pay for your petrol or travel costs both ways which you calculate to be £x in line with Article 8.3 of EU Reg 261/2004.

If they say yes, you need that confirmed by email.

If they say no, and if you have identified a more convenient flight option with another airline other than the Ryanair Stansted to Rimini return, ask Ryanair to re-route you on those flights at their expense in line with Article 8.1(b).

If they refuse to do that, you then notify them that as they have refused your two reasonable requests under Article 8.1 and 8.3, you will re-route yourself, pay for it and then expect Ryanair to re-imburse you for the additional cost.

Doing it that way, you can demonstrate that you have followed the correct procedure in trying to get a re-routing under comparable transport conditions - which is your right.

That is the way I would deal with it but others may have a different view.

The difference between me driving to liverpool and me driving to stansted is about a further 120 miles each way and 2.5 hours. Working on approx £6ish per gallon and 30 to a gallon it works out to about £50 in fuel or can i claim the full distance each way which takes it up to about £70 in fuel.

There are no other suitable flights as not many people fly to it apart from ryanair who fly to the next nearest airport which is bologna and that flight also leaves from stansted!

I'd be just as happy if they said i could have another set of flights to a different destination now i know i can cancel the hotel without a problem.

blue_haddock

Ich wrote: »

You could also try reading their T & Cs which cover this situation pretty much word for word to the EC conditions

From the EC

Problem with that is its very vague as to exactly what is covered and what isnt. To me the regulations seem to be based on short notice cancellations rather than ones with nearly 2 months notice