Ryanair trying to change my flight

Shipster

I am booked to fly with Ryanair to Dublin. They recently emailed me saying they was a slight change to the timings on my flight. When I looked in detail they have changed me on to another flight entirely with different flight number but haven’t told me they are cancelling my flight. Am I still eligible for a refund? I find this to be a really under-hand way of avoiding paying out for a cancelled flight. 

Thrugelmir

Airlines are allowed to make changes to flight schedules. The regulations fully provide for this. Nothing underhand if the change proposed is within these. As you still able to fly to Dublin. The service is still being provided that you paid for. 

Shipster

Current rules are to quarantine for 14 days so my 5 day trip to Dublin is now off. My concern is that they have moved me to another flight entirely with a different flight number at a different time, which would suggest my original flight is cancelled but they haven’t mentioned anything about that. 

bignred05

Shipster said:

Current rules are to quarantine for 14 days so my 5 day trip to Dublin is now off. My concern is that they have moved me to another flight entirely with a different flight number at a different time, which would suggest my original flight is cancelled but they haven’t mentioned anything about that. 

why not try to book on your original flight, you will then know one way or another if its been cancelled.
Ryanair have done this before.

Shipster

There are no flights being returned on searches at all, even on the flight they have moved me to. 

Just wondering if this is their way of trying to avoid refunding me for my original flight by bumping me on to another flight and then saying ‘that new flight went ahead so no refund’. 

Ultimately I guess my insurance would pay out due to the FCO ‘essential travel only’ advice in place at the moment. 

Life__Goes__On

https://www.caa.co.uk/Passengers/Before-you-fly/Making-a-booking/Tickets,-fares-and-schedule-changes/

What changes can an airline make to my flight?

Where an airline has made a change to your flight (the flight time for example) it is known as a schedule change. This is not the same as cancelling flights. Schedule changes should always be notified to passengers at least 14 days in advance, and the change should only be to the time or the date and not the flight number.

Seems the CAA thinks a flight number change is not acceptable.

MATL91

I am having exactly the same experience. Made a group booking for 20 people for a choir trip we were supposed to go on from London Stansted to Portugal, departing May 29th. Our original flight (FR1884) has been cancelled but I have received an email from Ryanair stating there has been a change to my booking and the flight has been rescheduled. This isn't the case at all, we appear to have been automatically rebooked on FR1886.  No other options are offered. Surely this constitutes a cancellation, not a schedule change? As there is £1.8k at stake here I am very worried!

Life__Goes__On

MATL91 said:

I am having exactly the same experience. Made a group booking for 20 people for a choir trip we were supposed to go on from London Stansted to Portugal, departing May 29th. Our original flight (FR1884) has been cancelled but I have received an email from Ryanair stating there has been a change to my booking and the flight has been rescheduled. This isn't the case at all, we appear to have been automatically rebooked on FR1886.  No other options are offered. Surely this constitutes a cancellation, not a schedule change? As there is £1.8k at stake here I am very worried!

Is there a  time difference in the flights?

MATL91

Life__Goes__On said:

MATL91 said:

I am having exactly the same experience. Made a group booking for 20 people for a choir trip we were supposed to go on from London Stansted to Portugal, departing May 29th. Our original flight (FR1884) has been cancelled but I have received an email from Ryanair stating there has been a change to my booking and the flight has been rescheduled. This isn't the case at all, we appear to have been automatically rebooked on FR1886.  No other options are offered. Surely this constitutes a cancellation, not a schedule change? As there is £1.8k at stake here I am very worried!

Is there a  time difference in the flights?

Yes, the flight departs 3 hours later but on the same date.

Life__Goes__On

Trying to read more about it  and regs,
The CAA  say they can't change a flight number.
I feel the reason for the is under EU regulation 261/2004
 https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm#cancellation

Cancelled flight

your original flight schedule is abandoned and you are transferred to another scheduled flight

The airline must offer you, on a one off basis, a choice between:
1) the reimbursement of your ticket

It is clear your flight has been cancelled, and also clear  they must offer you the choice of reimbursement.

Shipster

MATL91 said: the 

I am having exactly the same experience. Made a group booking for 20 people for a choir trip we were supposed to go on from London Stansted to Portugal, departing May 29th. Our original flight (FR1884) has been cancelled but I have received an email from Ryanair stating there has been a change to my booking and the flight has been rescheduled. This isn't the case at all, we appear to have been automatically rebooked on FR1886.  No other options are offered. Surely this constitutes a cancellation, not a schedule change? As there is £1.8k at stake here I am very worried!

Mine is a group of 8 and cost me over £1k as well. Can’t really afford to lose that sort of money.