Can't make new flight time as not in the country!!

bagand96

LJDowson said:

Oh and to clear it up both flights were booked on the same booking reference but with different airlines, so Trip were fully aware of both flight times when the change was made to the return flight.  NEVER use Trip !! 

You've booked two different flights with two different airlines. Trip.com acted only as an agent in booking these flights on your behalf, but you have no more protection than if you'd booked directly with Aer Lingus and Ryanair. This is made clear in the T&Cs. Trip.com are not responsible for the airline schedule changes or flight cancellations. Whilst you will have the "same booking reference" that will only be a Trip.com booking reference. There'll be separate airline booking references (PNRs) for each airline booking. 

If you booked any accommodation or car hire at the same time it would be considered a package and you'd have more protections under the Packaged Tavel Regulations. 

LJDowson said:

Little update. Seems I can now get a full refund for the cancelled flight but they're only offering vouchers. Can I insist on a cash refund? I think I can, but what do I argue/quote as my rights?
Ive also found a return flight Dublin to Manchester instead rather than leeds at a similar time so just want a cash refund for this ryanair flight via trip and will rebook the new flight direct (they've said they cant organise this so my daughter needd to contact ryanair to organise a flight change) theyre the so-called travel agent FGS!!
Good job its not til Nov so plenty time to sort this debacle out !!

You are entitled to a cash refund of the cancelled flight. Trip.com may charge an admin fee for this, will be covered in their T&Cs.  

If you have access to the Ryanair booking you may be able to contact them to arrange a change. However be very wary of asking Ryanair directly for a refund as they would refund to the payment method used which will likely be a trip.com credit card and not your own. You'd then have to chase that.

You've learned a valuable lesson, for flight only bookings there's usually no benefit using an online travel agent. In fact it just adds a layer of complication and admin fees! 

eskbanker

LJDowson said:

Little update. Seems I can now get a full refund for the cancelled flight but they're only offering vouchers. Can I insist on a cash refund? I think I can, but what do I argue/quote as my rights?

An airline cancelling a UK/EU flight has obligations under the UK or EU 261 regulations, article 5 of which requires the airline to offer reimbursement or rerouting under article 8, which in turn specifies that a refund should be in cash, under article 7(3):

reimbursement within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made [...]

[...] shall be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank orders or bank cheques or, with the signed agreement of the passenger, in travel vouchers and/or other services.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2004/261/contents is the UK version, currently still identical to the EU one for those clauses, I think either could apply to a Ryanair flight from Ireland to the UK.

However, as above, the fact that Ryanair is obliged to refund Trip.com in full doesn't mean that you'll get to see the full amount if Trip.com has Ts & Cs allowing deduction of a processing fee, so it may be that they're offering full value in voucher form but could pay a lower value in cash, assuming it's Trip rather than Ryanair who are proposing the voucher?

CKhalvashi

eskbanker said:

LJDowson said:

Little update. Seems I can now get a full refund for the cancelled flight but they're only offering vouchers. Can I insist on a cash refund? I think I can, but what do I argue/quote as my rights?

An airline cancelling a UK/EU flight has obligations under the UK or EU 261 regulations, article 5 of which requires the airline to offer reimbursement or rerouting under article 8, which in turn specifies that a refund should be in cash, under article 7(3):

reimbursement within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made [...]

[...] shall be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank orders or bank cheques or, with the signed agreement of the passenger, in travel vouchers and/or other services.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2004/261/contents is the UK version, currently still identical to the EU one for those clauses, I think either could apply to a Ryanair flight from Ireland to the UK.

However, as above, the fact that Ryanair is obliged to refund Trip.com in full doesn't mean that you'll get to see the full amount if Trip.com has Ts & Cs allowing deduction of a processing fee, so it may be that they're offering full value in voucher form but could pay a lower value in cash, assuming it's Trip rather than Ryanair who are proposing the voucher?

If it's an RK code, yes, although the airline will prefer the UK law.

If it's an FR code, it's not departing the UK so EU law will apply alone.

Ryanair (FR) and Ryanair UK (RK) are completely different airlines operating with their own aircraft, crew and under different national laws.

As above, Ryanair are obliged to refund their customer, which is Trip.com. Any terms you have with Trip.com as their customer is between you and them as long as it's not an unfair term.

In future, even when mixing and matching bookings, it's advised only to contract directly with the airline, said as someone who self-connects (at my own risk) at least a few times a year as 'official' connections are expensive and I need to go sometimes to a country without direct flights to UK since 2020.

eskbanker

CKhalvashi said:

eskbanker said:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2004/261/contents is the UK version, currently still identical to the EU one for those clauses, I think either could apply to a Ryanair flight from Ireland to the UK.

If it's an RK code, yes, although the airline will prefer the UK law.

If it's an FR code, it's not departing the UK so EU law will apply alone.

That's not how I'd interpret the UK regulations?  3(1)(b)(i) says that a flight operated by an EU carrier into the UK is in scope:

This Regulation shall apply:

(a) to passengers departing from an airport located in the United Kingdom;

(b) to passengers departing from an airport located in a country other than the United Kingdom to an airport situated in—

(i) the United Kingdom if the operating air carrier of the flight concerned is a Community carrier or a UK air carrier; or

(ii) the territory of a Member State to which the Treaty applies if the operating air carrier of the flight concerned is a UK air carrier,

unless the passengers received benefits or compensation and were given assistance in that other country.

tightauldgit

LJDowson said:

Little update. Seems I can now get a full refund for the cancelled flight but they're only offering vouchers. Can I insist on a cash refund? I think I can, but what do I argue/quote as my rights?
Ive also found a return flight Dublin to Manchester instead rather than leeds at a similar time so just want a cash refund for this ryanair flight via trip and will rebook the new flight direct (they've said they cant organise this so my daughter needd to contact ryanair to organise a flight change) theyre the so-called travel agent FGS!!
Good job its not til Nov so plenty time to sort this debacle out !!

I'm pretty sure if the booking is cancelled they need to refund you via the payment method you used, vouchers might be OK if it's a goodwill gesture rather than a legal obligation. 

When you say you want a refund for the Ryanair portion is that the one that changed or the one that's still running as planned? if it's the latter I don't see that you'll be entitled to cancel it. Is the new flight also Ryanair? They'll probably charge more to change the booking than just to book again mind you.