Ryanair - Computer says no

KM_1978

Any idea on whether our good friends at Ryanair are liable to stand by their incorrect advice and information? So far they've literally stopped just short of telling me to ring 0121DO1

I needed to know my options on cancelling a joint summer holiday in August as the mother of the other family is considered high risk, she has since been hospitalised and thankfully is recovering. At the time I contacted Ryanair,  they said that actually a schedule change would allow me to refund anyway so it was a no brainer..why take the risk. They now tell me more than two weeks after they confirmed on chat it would be cancelled and only by me inquiring as I still saw the flights on may dashboard that this is incorrect  as they have a new policy in place

many thanks

Hello, I'm the Ryanair ChatBot. How may I assist you today ?

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07:55

advisor pls

Hi, I was just disconnected

07:55

please see previous correspondence..

07:57

FIRST CONTACT

I made the booking for flights

18:01

2 families

18:02

the mother of the other family is high risk

18:02

The return flight has a schedule change over 3 hours, so refund can be requested for this booking.

18:02

carries steroid inhaler for asthma (to add has been hospitalised since and shown positive covid from GP previously, although this was not the basis used for the cancellation with Ryanair)

18:02

ah ok we had the time change also

18:02

Sorry, over 2 hours, but as it was before May, it can be requested.

18:02

ok so we need to make a call on this tomorrow

18:03

If there will be anything else we can help with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

18:03

can i get a full refund?

18:03

May I request it for this booking?

18:04

Or would you like to decide it and contact us back tomorrow?

18:04

as in if i get in contact tomorrow will i be entitled to a full refund?

18:04

I have just left a comment in the booking about as the schedule change over 2 hours was made before May, you can request refund for your booking.

18:05

that's amazing

18:06

thanks for all your help

18:06

If you will contact us tomorrow, please enter your surname as well as customer.

18:06

You are welcome ______. If there will be anything else we can help with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

18:06

perfect will do

18:06

thks

18:06

Thank you for using our Live Chat Service.

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18:06

good eve

07:57

SECOND CONTACT

Hello, ______.

07:10

hey

07:10

Allow me a moment to check your booking.

07:10

As discussed a few days ago we need to cxl/refund S_____

07:10

pls

07:10

should be a note on the booking by a colleague

07:11

Yes, I see the note.

07:12

can we arrange to cxl refund pls

07:12

cxl/refund

07:12

I will forward the refund request on behalf of you.

07:14

Due to an unprecedented high volume of refund requests due to the COVID-19 crisis in addition to the government restriction on non-essential work travel refunds are taking considerably longer to process than usual.

07:14

ok

07:18

May I help with anything else?

07:20

so can u confirm pls

07:20

that the flights will be cxl and I will get a full refund for all passengers?

07:20

Yes, the full refund will be done in the next couple of weeks.

07:21

thats great, thank you for your help

07:58

This morning I wanted to check how the refund was going and the person on the chat said i was no longer entitled to a refund

07:59

You started chat with our agent M_______

Welcome to Ryanair Customer Care. I would be happy to help you with your query. Please stay connected while I review your query and previous conversation with our chat bot.

07:59

I can see information about 1-3h schedule change, unfortunately we can't offer refund in this case.

08:09

I don't understand

08:09

I was clearly told on 2 occasions that i could

08:10

We can offer refund only for cancelled cancelled flights.

08:10

or flights with 1-3hrs flight time pre may they said

08:10

and you can see I checked

08:10

then came back and was told the same

08:11

Yes, we can move your flight -1/+1 day from flight date due to this schedule change.

08:11

I need this to be very clear as it will be used in evidence

08:12

you can see I was told

08:12

The return flight has a schedule change over 3 hours, so refund can be requested for this booking.

08:13

I am afraid there is no schedule change over 3h in your booking.

08:13

my original return flight time was 20:25

08:14

was initially moved by more than 3 hrs

08:15

it was moved a few times none of which I accepted

08:16

it is now 18:00

08:16

and I was told by your colleague in writing that as it was before May it was under a 2hr rule

08:16

are you saying that was untrue?

08:17

their words "Sorry, over 2 hours, but as it was before May, it can be requested"

08:17

that's what they said and confirmed

08:18

You need to base this on conditions at time of booking I believe

08:18

I have information about 1-3h schedule change, so unfortunately I can't proceed refund.

08:19

you need to answer the question or pass this on to someone that can help me please

08:19

the advisor told me "Sorry, over 2 hours, but as it was before May, it can be requested"

08:19

and that was the basis for the refund

08:20

and that's why we cancelled everything else

08:20

We have information about 1-3h schedule change in our system, we can't offer refund if there was schedule change over two hours.

08:20

cancellation was confirmed with full refund by your advisor

08:20

I'm sorry are you even reading what I'm typing?

08:21

please see YOUR advisors comments pasted

08:21

you cant expect me to just accept a £1400 loss

08:21

Yes, I am reading what you are typing, but I can't proceed refund because flight is not cancelled. I am sorry, that you was informed you are entitled to get refund, if you wish to make a complaint fill below form please:

08:22

I need to actually speak to someone

08:23

you can appreciate this is a big problem

08:23

If you wish to speak with another agent you can disconnect this chat and start new one.

08:24

no that's not what I want

08:24

you need to tell me why I was told I was entitled to a refund and now I'm not

08:24

Unfortunately I can't transfer this chat to someone else.

08:24

your advisor clearly states

08:25

Sorry, over 2 hours, but as it was before May, it can be requested

08:25

are you saying this is incorrect information?

08:25

Unfortunately I don't know why someone told you you are entitled to get refund, we are refunding only cancelled flights.

08:26

they told me this because

08:26

Sorry, over 2 hours, but as it was before May, it can be requested

08:26

clear information

08:26

which maybe you are not aware of

08:27

but they was

08:27

so I need to know why there is now an issue

08:27

There is 1-3h schedule change in your booking, so you are not entitled to get refund. I am sorry, but I can't proceed with it.

08:28

BUT

08:29

as my flight was booked prior to May as advised by one of YOUR advisors I am entitled to a full refund

08:30

I am afraid one of our agents made a mistake.

08:30

so this wasn't standard policy when I booked our flights in January

08:31

?

08:31

That was standard policy, we are refunding cancelled flights.

08:32

sorry that's not a clear answer

08:33

we are not talking about cancelled flights

08:33

we are talking about schedule changes

08:33

Ok, you booked your flight in January, but there was schedule change 1-3h, so we can't offer refund.

08:34

in January or as your advisor stated prior to May were offering full refunds for flight changes

08:34

I am afraid refund is not possible regarding to schedule change.

Caz3121

you are probably best to try and get a cached version of the website from the time you booked
this article from February does quote it https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/154098/ryanair-flight-time-change
I would concentrate on the fact that it said 2 hours when you booked and not focus on passenger health, inhalers, steroids etc (cancelling for that reason would be for your travel insurance and is not relevant to your request)
Booked flight x date, at that time the website stated ..."If a flight time is changed by more than 2 hours before or after the original departure time, and no suitable alternative flight is available, you can apply for a full refund for the unused flight."
as the flight has now moved by over 2 hours and the alternative is not suitable, I wish to claim a refund based on the information that was provided at time of booking.

epm-84

Has the flight number changed?  If it has you can argue they've cancelled the flight you originally booked and are trying to rebook you on an alternative which is not suitable.

I wouldn't mention the reason relating to your mother being high risk in any correspondence as that implies you want to cancel the trip as your circumstances has changed, opposed to the reason relating to the new/rescheduled flight not being at a suitable time for you.

KM_1978

Hi, thank you. The flight number has not changed they've just moved it 3 times
I do understand your second point, I was completely honest with them and they were the ones who advised me that actually I could cancel anyway due to schedule change and its only today they are now taking that back. 

carynlew91

Hi I’m hoping someone will be able to help? 

My partner booked a holiday through on the beach flying with Ryanair. We’ve booked plenty of flights before and have always put our full names on the booking details along with our children’s full names, we also asked for four seats together. We’ve gone to check in last night to find my two year old son is sat alone from both parents and myself and step daughter don’t have a seat and the only seats left available are down the other end of the plane. So we ring Ryanair to sort the problem to be told a total of £250 needs to be paid to change this, even though we had already paid! We then noticed that they had not put our names down correctly so that needed changing and again that came with a fee. In total today we have had to pay £570 for the mistake of the airline. Where do we stand with this? This is not our mistake but theirs and we are having to pay this money or we loose all the money the whole holiday has cost! 

Any advice would be great, thank you 

KM_1978

Caz3121 said:

you are probably best to try and get a cached version of the website from the time you booked
this article from February does quote it ----------------------------on the fact that it said 2 hours when you booked and not focus on passenger health, inhalers, steroids etc (cancelling for that reason would be for your travel insurance and is not relevant to your request)
Booked flight x date, at that time the website stated ..."If a flight time is changed by more than 2 hours before or after the original departure time, and no suitable alternative flight is available, you can apply for a full refund for the unused flight."
as the flight has now moved by over 2 hours and the alternative is not suitable, I wish to claim a refund based on the information that was provided at time of booking.

That's great info thank you. What they told me last was that I am under the policy on the day the flight was changed (post May20, changed 1-3 hr ) and not when I booked (Jan 2020) which surely cant be right, I was never notified and I didn't click the cheeky link they include to accept any of the changes

Caz3121

carynlew91 said:

Hi I’m hoping someone will be able to help? 

My partner booked a holiday through on the beach flying with Ryanair. We’ve booked plenty of flights before and have always put our full names on the booking details along with our children’s full names, we also asked for four seats together. We’ve gone to check in last night to find my two year old son is sat alone from both parents and myself and step daughter don’t have a seat and the only seats left available are down the other end of the plane. So we ring Ryanair to sort the problem to be told a total of £250 needs to be paid to change this, even though we had already paid! We then noticed that they had not put our names down correctly so that needed changing and again that came with a fee. In total today we have had to pay £570 for the mistake of the airline. Where do we stand with this? This is not our mistake but theirs and we are having to pay this money or we loose all the money the whole holiday has cost! 

Any advice would be great, thank you 

you would have been better starting your own thread but your issue is with On The Beach (not Ryanair) if that is who you booked with.
You would have been required to pay for seating - did On the Beach charge you for that? https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/travelling-with-children/family-seating#!
If you put the correct names in the On The Beach site and they put them wrong into the Ryanair system then again your complaint is with On The Beach
what have they said when you spoke to them about this? you should have been ringing them and not Ryanair.
for future Ryanair also don't rate screenscrapers either and state you should always book direct with them, giving the reasons why
https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/refundfaqs/screenscraperbookings

[Deleted User]

carynlew91 said:

Hi I’m hoping someone will be able to help? 

My partner booked a holiday through on the beach flying with Ryanair. We’ve booked plenty of flights before and have always put our full names on the booking details along with our children’s full names, we also asked for four seats together. We’ve gone to check in last night to find my two year old son is sat alone from both parents and myself and step daughter don’t have a seat and the only seats left available are down the other end of the plane. So we ring Ryanair to sort the problem to be told a total of £250 needs to be paid to change this, even though we had already paid! We then noticed that they had not put our names down correctly so that needed changing and again that came with a fee. In total today we have had to pay £570 for the mistake of the airline. Where do we stand with this? This is not our mistake but theirs and we are having to pay this money or we loose all the money the whole holiday has cost! 

Any advice would be great, thank you 

When did you book?  Was it Love Holidays who took the names down incorrectly or your partner who made a mistake?   Did you not notice this when they sent confirmation through?   Ryanair would have sent a confirmation email also asking if you wanted to choose seats?  Did you do this?    Did you check to see what names they had down?

If you don't  pre book seats then you are automatically given random seats on checking in, but you say your two year old is sat alone,    If two of you are sat together than one of you can go and swap with your child?     

Oh but you say you have already paid over money to rectify it?    In that case if Love Holidays made the mistake then they should pay to correct it but I fear they may have something that tells you to read your documents thoroughly as soon as you get them?
Hope you have a great time anyway.