Ryanair oh dear

theonlywayisup

Locornwall said:

Don’t agree. Out of luck suggests you’re not looking at this from a legal perspective. My view is that it should be down to Ryanair to put in clear intelligible language what would happen. Stating one thing in an email, which I still see as unclear and then allowing individual flights to be cancelled is their error. Having contacted them to clear this up at the earliest opportunity I gave them a chance to rectify this. I think that’s reasonable and they refused, probably because they are now charging 6 times the price I originally paid for the ticket.

The email refers to your 'reservation' rather than your [inbound/outbound] flights.  Was your reservation for a return flight?

Aylesbury_Duck

Locornwall said:

Don’t agree. Out of luck suggests you’re not looking at this from a legal perspective. My view is that it should be down to Ryanair to put in clear intelligible language what would happen. Stating one thing in an email, which I still see as unclear and then allowing individual flights to be cancelled is their error. Having contacted them to clear this up at the earliest opportunity I gave them a chance to rectify this. I think that’s reasonable and they refused, probably because they are now charging 6 times the price I originally paid for the ticket.

"Out of luck" was a poor choice of words on my part.  What I meant is that it appears they have things covered by the wording of the email so I don't think you have anywhere to go, but without knowing the terms and conditions of the booking I can't be sure.  I think their language in the email was clear and intelligible - it referred to cancelling your reservation.  I take that as referring to the collection of flights, not particular flights.

The problem you have is that you're dealing with Ryanair.  They're not known for customer service so relying on negotiation or goodwill seems hopeful, which leaves legal/credit card route as an option, but what are you going to do with the holiday happening next month?

theonlywayisup

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Locornwall said:

Don’t agree. Out of luck suggests you’re not looking at this from a legal perspective. My view is that it should be down to Ryanair to put in clear intelligible language what would happen. Stating one thing in an email, which I still see as unclear and then allowing individual flights to be cancelled is their error. Having contacted them to clear this up at the earliest opportunity I gave them a chance to rectify this. I think that’s reasonable and they refused, probably because they are now charging 6 times the price I originally paid for the ticket.

it appears they have things covered by the wording of the email so I don't think you have anywhere to go, but without knowing the terms and conditions of the booking I can't be sure.  I think their language in the email was clear and intelligible - it referred to cancelling your reservation.  I take that as referring to the collection of flights, not particular flights.

I concur.  Any reasonable person would expect a 'reservation' to be for the entire booking.  If that was flights, car hire and hotel I would expect the entire lot to be refunded.  The email is clear and certainly not ambiguous. 

sheramber

theonlywayisup said:

Locornwall said:

Don’t agree. Out of luck suggests you’re not looking at this from a legal perspective. My view is that it should be down to Ryanair to put in clear intelligible language what would happen. Stating one thing in an email, which I still see as unclear and then allowing individual flights to be cancelled is their error. Having contacted them to clear this up at the earliest opportunity I gave them a chance to rectify this. I think that’s reasonable and they refused, probably because they are now charging 6 times the price I originally paid for the ticket.

The email refers to your 'reservation' rather than your [inbound/outbound] flights.  Was your reservation for a return flight?

I booked 4 return ticket flights

sheramber

it would be unusual if someone was cancelling because of extra tax due  ( the reason Ryan Air offered cancellation)that they only cancelled one  flight only.

Did you look at changing the dates of your return flight?

Manxman_in_exile

Perhaps I'm being very thick or perhaps it's just a bit too late at night, but can anyone explain to me what the OP actually booked?

Locornwall said:

... I booked 4 return ticket flights from stansted to budapest this July. My partner later decided she wanted to stay a week longer and we therefore booked 3 additional return flights, understanding we would lose 3 of the original tickets without the option to get anything back...

Did they originally book return tickets for both themself and their partner (ie 2 x outward and return legs: Stanstead > Budapest > Stanstead) or did they buy four return tickets (ie 4 x outward and return legs: Stanstead > Budapest > Stanstead )?

And then they bought what?  Does "3 additional return flights" mean 3 x outward and return legs or does it just mean three one way tickets?  I'm completely confused...  

I assume that the OP ended up cancelling all of the original "4 return flight tickets" when they only wanted to cancel the return legs of those tickets?

I wouldn't have thought it was possible to cancel just one leg of a return ticket.  Wouldn't it have been easier just to change the date on the return ticket?

I think the "therefore" here is adding to my confusion:

Locornwall said:

...My partner later decided she wanted to stay a week longer and we therefore booked 3 additional return flights, understanding we would lose 3 of the original tickets without the option to get anything back...

Why "therefore"?

Manxman_in_exile

Jumblebumble said:

jon81uk said:

It is common that if a return flight is cancelled then both legs of the booking are cancelled I think.

This is not relevant in Ryanairs case
https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360017824978-Refund-Policy

Can I cancel my Ryanair flight?

Once a Ryanair flight is operational, and does not have a delay exceeding 5 hours, then it is not possible to get a refund. All Ryanair flights are changeable but they cannot be cancelled.

Flight dates/times/routes can be changed up to 2.5 hours before the flight departure time (name changes can be changed up to 2 hours before the flight) via 'My Bookings' unless you have already checked in, in which case please contact one of our agents using our live chat.

You don't need to notify us if you are unable to travel and if you can’t use your outbound flight, you can still use your return flight.

Maybe I'm having a very bad night, but does that link say what you think it does?  (Or am I misunderstading the point your making?)

It says (1) you can't cancel Ryanair flights but you can change them, and (2) if you don't use the outward leg of a return ticket, you can still use the return leg?

user1977

Manxman_in_exile said:

Jumblebumble said:

jon81uk said:

It is common that if a return flight is cancelled then both legs of the booking are cancelled I think.

This is not relevant in Ryanairs case
https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360017824978-Refund-Policy

Can I cancel my Ryanair flight?

Once a Ryanair flight is operational, and does not have a delay exceeding 5 hours, then it is not possible to get a refund. All Ryanair flights are changeable but they cannot be cancelled.

Flight dates/times/routes can be changed up to 2.5 hours before the flight departure time (name changes can be changed up to 2 hours before the flight) via 'My Bookings' unless you have already checked in, in which case please contact one of our agents using our live chat.

You don't need to notify us if you are unable to travel and if you can’t use your outbound flight, you can still use your return flight.

 (Or am I misunderstading the point your making?)

That. 

In common with most of the budget operators, you don't book "return tickets", so what happens with your outward journey is irrelevant. 

Locornwall

Sorry about not replying earlier.

I booked 4 return ticket flights. I then booked a separate 3 one way flight ticket, which would return my partner and 2 children back.

on a slightly separate note, I have just had a conversation with a colleague and it appears there are general issues with companies cancelling flights for whatever reason and some then reinstating the flight with significantly increased ticket prices. It’s really not on. People make all kinds of commitments based on these flights.

Jenni_D

The devil is in the detail, which you're still (maybe) not getting. Did you book 4x return flights (edit: plus 3x inbound flights)? Or did you book 8x individual flights - 4x outbound and 4x inbound (edit: plus 3x inbound)?

And what exactly was cancelled? All 11x flights? Only the 7x inbound flights and the outbound are still in place?

If the website let you (apparently) cancel only 3x of the original inbound flights then the doctrine of Contra Proferentem applies ... where a term can be ambiguous, then the meaning which favours the party who did not draft them shall apply. In other words - if the website let you do what you wanted to do then Ryanair are wrong and have breached the contract by cancelling the other flights. However your challenge will be in making them accept this.