Ryanair refund thread

bagand96

eawest29 said:

Try now - our flight for May 13th has just been cancelled but when I go on to get a refund and it says which passengers won't let me select either of the name so I can't get any further - a new Ryanair trick? 

There's a 3rd option something along the lines of "Refund all passengers and flights on this reservation".  Are you sure that isn't selected, and that's why it won't let you select individuals?

mr_stripey

My flights to / from Oslo in May have just been cancelled (as expected). I was able to submit the "refund request" just now on the website. I presume I'm not going to get one though - and I'm not especially bothered about that - but will I be offered a voucher? Voucher would be ok for me - I just don't want to rebook now as I have no idea when I'll be able to travel again, but I will be needing to at some point!

bagand96

mr_stripey said:

My flights to / from Oslo in May have just been cancelled (as expected). I was able to submit the "refund request" just now on the website. I presume I'm not going to get one though - and I'm not especially bothered about that - but will I be offered a voucher? Voucher would be ok for me - I just don't want to rebook now as I have no idea when I'll be able to travel again, but I will be needing to at some point!

Yes.  it currently goes like this:

1) Ryanair notify you flight is cancelled
2) You submit refund request
3) You get a refund voucher, which has 12 months validity from the date of the cancelled flight
4) You have to get in touch again to request cash refund, which they are currently saying won't be processed until the crisis has passed.  You can get in touch by waiting for hours on the phone or the webchat, or by taking 3 minutes on Facebook Messenger

mr_stripey

bagand96 said:

mr_stripey said:

My flights to / from Oslo in May have just been cancelled (as expected). I was able to submit the "refund request" just now on the website. I presume I'm not going to get one though - and I'm not especially bothered about that - but will I be offered a voucher? Voucher would be ok for me - I just don't want to rebook now as I have no idea when I'll be able to travel again, but I will be needing to at some point!

Yes.  it currently goes like this:

1) Ryanair notify you flight is cancelled
2) You submit refund request
3) You get a refund voucher, which has 12 months validity from the date of the cancelled flight
4) You have to get in touch again to request cash refund, which they are currently saying won't be processed until the crisis has passed.  You can get in touch by waiting for hours on the phone or the webchat, or by taking 3 minutes on Facebook Messenger

ah ok, thanks. I really don't think I can be bothered to battle with them to get a cash refund which may never come! A voucher will suffice (assuming there is something approaching normal service by this time next year!)

Lissagriffin

cbrown7 said:

Procedural question while this is waiting to be sorted out.
I'm in the same boat as most other people here, requested cash refund, RA acknowledged refund request, sent voucher etc.
I have not and don't intend to go through the extra steps RA have now prescribed to redefine my refund request, I have already requested a refund, it is RA that chose to ignore that.
Anyone else going down that route or do I need to get in the 'priority refund queue', as someone described it?
(As that person also mentioned, I'm surprised there isn't a fee!) 

Yes, that's pretty much what I've decided to do, though I did reply to their email offering vouchers categorically refusing to accept them. Who knows whether anyone read it though? I would like some kind of reply but am not expecting one. It doesn't really matter though, Ryanair's legal obligation to refund (providing vouchers is not refunding) can't be altered unless you agree to it. I might try the Facebook Messenger thing, if it's as simple as others say it is. I'll have to open a Facebook account first though.

A lot of people on this thread have said they have been 'sent vouchers'. All I got was an email with a link to click on if I wanted to accept vouchers. Of course, I didn't click on it. Have people actually been sent vouchers without their asking for them?

cbrown7

A lot of people on this thread have said they have been 'sent vouchers'. All I got was an email with a link to click on if I wanted to accept vouchers. Of course, I didn't click on it. Have people actually been sent vouchers without their asking for them?

Hi Lisa,
My personal experience is that I was sent voucher details in an email; voucher name, voucher number, value and expiry, when I specifically asked for a refund, but I think you got that bit. I tend to agree that there should be no need to re-apply for a refund as I have requested one already. I did reply to the email containing the voucher stating that I reject the voucher, pointing out that they need to process the refund as I instructed and they acknowledged. Like you, I received no reply.

labp04

Mine is a pretty familiar story: offered choice of refund/voucher; chose refund and got email saying this will be paid; then got email a couple of weeks or so later asking me to click on link to accept voucher which I haven't done. I have: tried using Twitter and got no response; tried Facebook Messenger and got a message saying that a voucher has been offered with no guidance re how to refuse this and request a cash refund; sent an email reply to the email with link to voucher and got no reply. 
Does anyone have a link to RA finance department or thoughts on what-to-do-next?

linandgersharpe

Same for us. We requested a refund and then 10 days later received another email advising voucher and the link to refunds goes back to info on vouchers. I managed to get through on telephone after 35 minutes and agent told me she would change it to refund.  My worry is that in my account with Ryanair the booking has vanished. Previous bookings already flown are showing but nothing for this one so PLEASE keep all your details. Flight numbers, reference etc. as you can not get this information from your account. I live in hope. Good luck.

NHR1001

From European Consumer Centre

Maybe of interest to some

Thank you for your enquiry to the European Consumer Centre.

The European Consumer Centre provides advice and assistance on individual issues of consumer law to UK consumers where they are experiencing problems with goods or services purchased from a company based within the EU, Iceland, UK, or Norway. Please note, that we offer advice and assistance in consumer complaints but we are not an investigative body and do not have any enforcement powers.

Based on the information that you have provided so far it appears you had booked flights with Ryanair that have now been cancelled and you have been offered or given a voucher for later use, rather than an immediate refund of the monies paid.

Ryanair is a company based in the Republic of Ireland. The European Consumer Centre network functions by sharing the details of cases with counterpart centres in the country where the company is based. That centre will first analyse the case for legal correctness in that country then, if the situation gives the consumer a right to a refund or other remedy, contacts the company on behalf of the consumer. In this instance, the European Consumer Centre in the UK will not have direct contact with Ryanair that, if appropriate, will be the role of the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in Ireland.

To be best able to advise and if necessary, assist by sharing the case with ECC Ireland, you need to have considered or carried out the following:

Given that Ryanair is based in Ireland, air passenger rights are governed by EU regulation 261/2004. This legislation states that if the airline cancels the flight, they must offer a refund or rerouting and that any refund must be processed within 7 days. Airlines can offer a voucher, but you do not have to accept it.

Ultimately, if you are still not happy with the response from the airline the only way to change this response and, perhaps enforce the payment of a refund, would be to take the airline to court. In the current circumstance this may take many months to complete. In all instances the Courts would expect various action from yourself.

1. With the massive disruption to the airline industry and the huge numbers of similar requests that each airline will be receiving it is reasonable that you consider whether you are able to accept a voucher for a rearranged flight in the future. The time and trouble of pursuing your complaint should be balanced with the inconvenience caused by accepting a voucher. We note that Ryanair are not refusing refunds but are suggesting that it may take many months to process them.

1. If you then decide you wish to pursue a refund you need to put this request in writing to the airline within 6 weeks of being issued the voucher. You can email the airline and make the request; however, you might consider sending a registered letter as this can sometimes be more effective. If shared by us, to our Irish counterparts, they will expect to see proof that you have contacted the airline. You would also be expected to have done this if you took the airline to court. We therefore advise that you keep copies of all your communications with the airline.  In your communication to the airline, lay out brief details including reference numbers dates and costs and set a reasonable date (we suggest around three months) for a response and/or the receipt of a refund. When considering what is reasonable take into account the current circumstances of Covid-19.

1. If you have travel insurance that covers this situation then also consider sending a similar letter to the insurance company, this may be an easier route to a refund. Please note you are not legally entitled to receive a refund more than once, here you are simply keeping all options open to you in what is a difficult and complex situation.

1. If you bought the tickets on a card then also consider sending a similar letter to your credit card company or bank. If there has been a breach of contract you may be able to claim from the bank or credit card company. Again, you are keeping your options open, you are not entitled to receive a refund for the same issue from more than one source. For more information on how to claim, please see: 

1. The ECC in Ireland has indicated to us that due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, you may not receive a response from Ryanair as quick as you’d like and to allow around 90 days for a response to your registered complaint. If following all the advice above, your case has still not been resolved within 90 days, please feel free to contact us again.

1. If you still wish to pursue a refund through ECC UK, then please then send us proof of your original booking, copies of letters or emails to the airline that demonstrates your attempt to resolve the issue and any responses from the airline. Unfortunately, we are currently not receiving post so any paperwork will need to be scanned and emailed to us by replying to this email and adding them in as attachments.

 

We are currently dealing with high demand and are operating an email only service. Our phone lines are temporarily closed.

 

sarahsummers

Please can someone enlighten me to whether what Ryanair are doing is legal. I want to change 8 flights that cost £198 each (inc bags) from June to August, the new flights are £195 each (inc bags) there website says if the new flight is cheaper I won’t receive a refund, which is fine but when I try and change them online and through an agent it adds £44 to each flight and £38 extra for bags, I asked the agent why she was charging me more than the advertised price and she just said because the system will make you pay more when we try to move them. She also wants to add £90 admin fee to change them . A total of £172 extra for each flight! That is actually a cheaper flight . I understand the admin charge but surely adding extra on the advertised new flight price and then an extra £38 for bags has got to be wrong ?? 

Any advice greatly received , thanks in advance