Ryanair - using return ticket without using outbound

ne14coffee

If you've got a return ticket on Ryanair, but have had to change the outbound date, so instead of changing the original booking, a ticket has been purchased for the outbound, so now have a single outbound and a return ticket.

If the outbound (of the return ticket) isn't used (no show), will Ryanair cancel the return section?

jpsartre

ne14coffee wrote: »

If the outbound (of the return ticket) isn't used (no show), will Ryanair cancel the return section?

No, you can still use the inbound part even if you didn't fly the outbound part.

Voyager2002

jpsartre wrote: »

No, you can still use the inbound part even if you didn't fly the outbound part.

That is true with Ryanair, because their return tickets are essentially two single tickets (one in each direction). Don't try this with a full-service airline like BA!

ne14coffee

Thank you so much for your help

2sides2everystory

Yes I confirm it is absolutely no problem whatsoever to use outbound or return legs as single flights to either take or to leave unused.

You need notify no-one.

I have been doing this for years - slightly less so now that even Ryanair are becoming more expensive, but I used to sometimes book multiple flights on consecutive days when I wasn't exactly sure how long I wanted to be away when I originally booked. That often left me with overlapping return bookings so I might go out late on the second booking after leaving a flight unused on the first, and then come back on the original booking's return leg and leave the second return leg unused.

It is part of Ryanair's business model to accommodate this type of flexibility. They know perfectly well how prevalent it is that people like me are doing it as they have access to all the data of who actually uses flights and who doesn't and what the patterns are. Unlike more traditional airlines it also remains part of their business model that despite what I describe, they do not overbook to exploit their knowledge that a number of us might not turn up.

The only downsides I can think of of mixing different return bookings is when a cancellation or delay occurs. I think Ryanair might be less enthusiastic about taking into account the knock on effect of the delay or cancellation to an unrelated (different booking reference) flight coming back. Some other MSE'er may be able to offer their experience.

Up until the last couple of weeks with the sinking pound, I for example am still booking my regular flights in a counter-intuitive way - Europe->UK->Europe rather than UK->Europe->UK because it has been cheaper to pay the whole lot at Ryanair prices quoted in European currencies for return flights originating in Europe. Luckily I have so far not had to ask Ryanair to consider refunding me for an apparently unrelated booking after a cancellation at Stansted which has caused me to call off that particular trip entirely. They might well query what seems to be my return flight from UK to Europe has to do with the next return flight out of Europe to UK especially if I had to explain I was exploiting their Europe/UK pricing differentials :rotfl: