Ryanair parking Stansted airport - no parking and no refund

KiwinLondon

Bought parking with Ryanair via Ryanair app but didn't receive a confirmation email so had to purchase parking direct form Stansted Airport. Requested a refund from Ryanair and they refused. This is a common problem but they have proof of my payment to them and told me to contact Stansted Airport who have no record of my parking (as I don't). How can I get my money back from Ryanair?

oldernonethewiser

Do you have a record of payment via the app on a bank statement or credit card statement?

witold1937

I paid for Stansted airport parking but I am not going to use in January 2025. I contacted MAG Stansted Car parking the have send me to Ryanair . Ryanair claim that I booked parking thru third party and send me back to Stansted Car park. They refused refund for 11 days of not using car parking. I am left £120 out of my pocket. What should I do next? Can you give me advice ,please.

eskbanker

witold1937 said:

I paid for Stansted airport parking but I am not going to use in January 2025. I contacted MAG Stansted Car parking the have send me to Ryanair . Ryanair claim that I booked parking thru third party and send me back to Stansted Car park. They refused refund for 11 days of not using car parking. I am left £120 out of my pocket. What should I do next? Can you give me advice ,please.

Is it a refundable booking according to the Ts & Cs?

Smugger

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a frustrating experience I had recently to warn others about booking Stansted Parking (or any third-party service) through Ryanair. It seems I'm not alone in facing this issue, and I hope this helps others avoid the stress and financial loss I encountered.

I booked flights to Dublin (November 2024) with Ryanair and included insurance and parking in the Blue carpark at Stansted Airport as part of the package. I normally book these separately but trusted Ryanair for a seamless experience.

Unfortunately, the Blue carpark booking was never confirmed, even though I paid for it through Ryanair. As the trip approached, I became concerned and tried to contact both Ryanair and Stansted Parking. Ryanair told me to contact Stansted, and Stansted directed me back to Ryanair. It became clear there was no resolution to be found.

When I arrived at the Blue carpark, the barrier didn’t recognize my booking. Upon my return, I was forced to pay £201 to exit the carpark, as the parking had not been properly booked despite my payment to Ryanair.

Ryanair refuses to refund the parking fee, and Stansted Parking insists I deal with Ryanair. Both companies are pointing fingers, leaving customers like me out of pocket.

My advice to everyone:

Avoid booking parking or any third-party services through Ryanair. Their lack of accountability is appalling.

Book parking directly with Stansted Airport. It may save you money and stress in the long run.

If you've experienced similar issues, please share your story here. Hopefully, together we can push for more transparency and better accountability from these companies.

Safe travels,

Westin

In the booking flow, and when selecting the Short Stay 'Blue Zone' car parking, under further information it mentions this:- 

How do I know I have a confirmed booking?

Within 24 hours of completing your booking you will receive a confirmation email from the local provider. If you do not receive this email, please contact the provider directly. Their details can be found here. As each provider has slightly different procedures it is recommended that you read the terms and conditions. These can be found below where you enter your vehicle registration details after choosing parking.

I didn’t receive my confirmation email from the provider.

If you have not received your email within 6 hours, please check your spam folder. Alternatively, please contact the parking company directly quoting your Ryanair booking reference. You can find your booking reference number by logging into the Ryanair website, accessing your booking and launching your travel itinerary for the trip.

Did you do any of this?

Smugger

Thank you for your response, but I’d like to address a few points and clarify my situation.

The guidance you’ve quoted regarding confirmation emails from the local provider and the need to contact them directly in case of non-receipt was not highlighted or clearly communicated at the time of booking. I trusted Ryanair, as the seller of the parking service, to handle the booking process and ensure it was completed correctly.

Here’s what actually happened in my case:

I received confirmation for my flights and travel insurance but did not receive any confirmation email regarding the parking reservation.

Despite this, I attempted to contact both Ryanair and Stansted Parking to verify my booking. Ryanair insisted I contact Stansted, and Stansted advised me to go back to Ryanair, creating a loop of responsibility with no resolution.

There was no clear indication or accessible follow-up process provided during the booking flow for me to verify my parking reservation independently.

I followed the reasonable expectation that the parking booking I paid for through Ryanair would be completed and honoured. On arrival at the car park, the system did not recognise my booking, which suggests a failure in the booking process handled by Ryanair.

The information you’ve quoted may be buried in Ryanair’s terms or fine print, but customers should not have to chase third-party providers for confirmation of services purchased through Ryanair’s platform. It was Ryanair’s responsibility to either ensure my booking was confirmed or assist me in resolving the issue.

This experience has highlighted a significant gap in Ryanair’s service and accountability when offering third-party services. While I appreciate your comment, the core issue remains: Ryanair failed to fulfil the parking reservation I paid for, resulting in significant financial loss and inconvenience.

If you have additional insights or constructive suggestions on how this could have been better handled, I’d welcome them. Otherwise, I stand by my complaint and hope it helps others avoid similar issues.

Westin

Did you see the stage and input your car registration?

Smugger

Thank you for your question. Yes, I did input my car registration during the booking process, which is why I fully expected the barrier to open when I arrived at the Stansted Blue carpark. This further reinforces my point: I completed all required steps on my end, trusting that Ryanair had successfully processed my booking.

 

Despite providing my registration, the system did not recognise my vehicle, and I was forced to request a ticket to gain entry. Upon my return, I had no choice but to pay an additional £201 to exit, as the booking I made and paid for through Ryanair was not honoured.

 

This suggests a failure in Ryanair's system or their communication with the parking provider. Customers who follow the process correctly should not be penalized for technical or administrative errors outside of their control.

 

I hope this clarifies that I took all necessary actions during the booking process and underscores why I hold Ryanair responsible for this issue.

eskbanker

Nobody is disputing that there was some sort of failure during the booking process and that the company you paid is ultimately responsible, but, in the context of your stated desire to help others by highlighting this issue, the point being made was that the glitch could have been spotted at an earlier stage rather than turning up on the day assuming all had gone to plan, despite the lack of the promised confirmation.

daveyjp

I've just booked some parking at a local airport, via the airport website.  When I paid via Applepay the phone made the sound for a payment being made, but when the website updated it gave me 'page unavailable', not a confirmation page.

I immediately checked my credit card and no pending payment showing, there was also no payment notification on my phone.  

Contacted the airport asking if they had a booking, there was no record so the booking had failed (I suspect an issue with Applepay on some websites as I've had it before).  New booking made by entering the card details and no further issues.

So my comment is if you have no confirmation do some basic checks around the payment and query immediately.