Cancelled Ryanair flight

bobgreen11

Ryanair have cancelled our flights to Lanzarote in October this year and have booked us  on one nearly seven hours earlier at the same airport (Manchester).

This flight is really unsuitable and whilst the return flight is only one hour earlier it is not ideal.

They will not let me cancel or change our flights without paying charges because the cancellation has not been confirmed.

We booked the flight on 13/4/22 and was informed of cancellation by asking us to rebook our seat numbers on 18/4/22.

Can you please tell me when they have to confirm the flight cancellation so i can ask for a refund?

eDicky

Did you book directly with Ryanair? Are the original flights still showing as available on their website? Do the flights that they want to move you to have the same flight numbers as the originals (as in the same flights rescheduled rather than cancelled), or different? Do you have any explanation of the curious situation of flights that are 'cancelled' but not 'confirmed as cancelled'..?

bobgreen11

Yes we booked directly with Ryanair and the flights we booked are not showing anymore, but they say we cannot do anything until the cancellation has been confirmed.
The flights they have put us on have different numbers.

eDicky

Thanks for the clarifications. I've never heard of an airline cancelling a flight but has yet to be confirmed as cancelled (when no travel agent is involved), could be a new trick by Ryanair to stall refund requirements etc, other posters may know more. You could try to push them on the point, having specific flights that suit you better ready to request from them.

CKhalvashi

If you booked directly, I can vouch for the live chat team. Had an issue with a cancelled flight (I don't normally use FR, they're the only airline from London on that route) and they were able to change both dates using the 'at the travellers convenience' part of EC261 (which they did need to be reminded of).

When the route was ultimately cancelled I had issues on the website getting a refund and again to give them their due, the money was back on my CC following a quick live chat within 2 days.

Westin

bobgreen11 said:

Yes we booked directly with Ryanair and the flights we booked are not showing anymore, but they say we cannot do anything until the cancellation has been confirmed.
The flights they have put us on have different numbers.

I think this is more clumsy Ryanair wording.  The RyanAir folk in customer services will be working through issues in order of (their) importance and flight date order.  It is of course important to you that you get this matter resolved.  RyanAir is however likely thinking they need to first deal with current cancellations and rescheduling happening in next 48hrs, then in 7-21 days.

For now I would line your ducks up.  Research now and find what alternative you want (perhaps a better outbound flight ex LPL) then try engaging on LiveChat to see if they will make a flight change.  Your online account would be unlikely to allow you to make major amendments at this time without a payment which is why LiveChat might be best option.

Whilst from what you say should be entitled to a refund on that outbound flight, it frustratingly might not be what RyanAir will offer at the moment until their system updates or they get around to dealing with October flight issues.

Finally, whilst I understand flight reschedulings are often unwelcome, there are lots happening at the moment.  If your holiday is over school half term will you find alternatives now at the right price?  Can you perhaps turn it into a positive, accept you will be on holiday 7 hours earlier and have extra time in Lanzarote?  Perhaps take stress out of the airport run by booking a relaxing stay at an airport hotel the night before travelling out to ACE so you are at MAN for that earlier flight?

bobgreen11

thanks but we have already booked the hotel, but it is hardly worth using it when you have to be up for approx. 1.30am