📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Ryanair refund less than paid due to exchange rate

I recently cancelled a Ryanair flight due to a schedule change, which I originally paid in Euros. However when I looked at my bank statement the amount refunded in GBP was lower than I paid, presumably due to changes in the exchange rate. I have queried this with Ryanair but I'm not holding my breath since as far as they're concerned they've refunded the amount I paid.

I always pay in Euros in such instances (as the exchange rate is better, and as MSE encourages!) but it's now made me think twice as should there be a need to get my money back I'm concerned I could lose out again. I was wondering has anyone else come across this and/or have any suggestions for what to do about it? Is it just a risk you have to accept when not paying in your native currency?

Comments

  • aerostar
    aerostar Posts: 1,737 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    On the other hand you could have won!! and you obviously would not send the extra back.

    It is a risk you take with ALL foreign currency transactions.
  • PeacefulWaters
    PeacefulWaters Posts: 8,495 Forumite
    The refund should be in the currency you've paid with.

    Some you win ...
  • richardw
    richardw Posts: 19,459 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    What percentage is the difference?
    Posts are not advice and must not be relied upon.
  • About 13% less (paid £82 and got back £71). But I bought the flights last December and refund was issued in May so I suppose that's just the markets in that time. It's not a mega amount of money so that's not so much the issue (and to a degree, I'm glad I've learned when the amounts at stake aren't higher).

    I guess that the decision to "always" pay in local currency should be done with the knowledge and acceptance that it is a risk should you need to seek a refund (and while it might sound obvious I'm sure there are others like me who just didn't think about it and then get caught out).
  • PeacefulWaters
    PeacefulWaters Posts: 8,495 Forumite
    sarah194 wrote: »
    About 13% less (paid £82 and got back £71). But I bought the flights last December and refund was issued in May so I suppose that's just the markets in that time. It's not a mega amount of money so that's not so much the issue (and to a degree, I'm glad I've learned when the amounts at stake aren't higher).

    I guess that the decision to "always" pay in local currency should be done with the knowledge and acceptance that it is a risk should you need to seek a refund (and while it might sound obvious I'm sure there are others like me who just didn't think about it and then get caught out).

    Will it still buy you the same amount of Ryanair flight is, perhaps, what it would boil down to.

    I got lucky with a booking where payment involved a small deposit in Euros. When it came to clearing the balance in Euros the Sterling cost was about £300 cheaper.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 597.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.6K Life & Family
  • 256.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.