Unable to claim refund or make changes for Ryanair flight change

Nocturn68

Apologies in advance for a long-winded post.

 At the end of September, I booked flights with Ryanair for Summer 2022. The plan is to spend the 1st week in Barcelona and the 2nd in Salou.

Out: 31/07 10:25 Manchester – 11:50 Barcelona / Return:14/08 06:25 Reus – 09:45 Manchester

In early-November, the flight times were changed:

Out: 08:25-11:45 / Return: 09:55-11:20

I was not notified of the change by Ryanair but was willing to accept the changes.

In early-December, the flights were changed again

Out: 08:25-11:45 (unchanged) / Return: 21:35-23:00 (change >11 hours)

Again, I was not notified of the change by Ryanair.

I live in the NE and the change in the return flight means that I will not be home until 03:00 at the earliest and will need to take another day’s leave for myself and my wife. I would like to cancel this flight and find a suitable alternative.

Ryanair will not allow me to do this. They have advised that I can not request a refund or make changes until I have been notified by email/text that the flights have been changed. They have also advised that they do not need to send this notification until the flight times have been finalised (3 months prior to departure?)

I have referred them their terms and conditions.

9.1.2      If we change flight timings or numbers before scheduled departure, we will notify you about these changes by e-mail and text message (if you gave us a phone number for this purpose). Except where clause 9.2 below applies, if, before the date of travel:

• ·         we make a change of at least 5 hours to the scheduled departure time;
• ·         this is unacceptable to you; and
• ·         we cannot book you on an alternative flight which is acceptable to you;

You will be entitled to a full refund of all amounts you have paid to us in connection with that flight.

 I have been discussing the matter, at length,  with a Ryanair rep via DM on Twitter and his last message was:

'**if** we change flight timings or numbers before schedule departure, we will notify you about these changes...' There is the word IF, so once you got the email, then it is confirmed that your flight is changed. Once you receive an email, then you will see all your options.

I will not argue about the terms and conditions. You accepted them at the time of booking. If you are not satisfied with the service, you may file a complaint here:

https://onlineform.ryanair.com/ie/en/contact-us Have a nice day! Balazs

I believe that they have breached their terms by refusing to advise me of the changes and by preventing me from claiming a refund until such notification is sent.

Does anyone have any advice as to what my options are?

Westin

How annoying.

I however expect that RyanAir are of the mind that there could well be further flight rescheduling changes between now and next July/August.