Ryanair - Cancelling Flights - Refund?

[Clivey]

Morning all,

A colleague booked some flights with Ryanair over the Internet last night. This morning however, he received information that means he will not be able to travel. Ryanair's website states that bookings cannot be cancelled. Is it that straightforward or can he get a refund?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Edited by Clivey on Saturday 18th October 10:06

[HTP99]

A friend of ours was due to go on holiday with us in the summer, however she dislocated her knee a few weeks beforehand and due to complications she couldn't come, she tried for a refund of her flights with Ryan Air however got nowhere.

[Clivey]

HTP99 said:

A friend of ours was due to go on holiday with us in the summer, however she dislocated her knee a few weeks beforehand and due to complications she couldn't come, she tried for a refund of her flights with Ryan Air however got nowhere.

Thanks for the reply. - I've heard / read lots of similar stories. Does the fact that it's less than 24 hours since the booking count for anything, I wonder? It seems unjust that the airline's able to keep £500> having done essentially nothing.

[BigBob]

But they have done something - they've bought/leased the plane, employed the staff, paid for the fuel etc.

Not saying Ryanair are the best ..............

Isn't ther normally 2 different pricing levels - the normal 'budget' one and the more expensive 'flexible' option.

BB

[surveyor]

In theory you can get the tax back. You will find however that Ryan Flair charge an admin fee for this - about the cost of the tax...

[HTP99]

Clivey said:

HTP99 said:

A friend of ours was due to go on holiday with us in the summer, however she dislocated her knee a few weeks beforehand and due to complications she couldn't come, she tried for a refund of her flights with Ryan Air however got nowhere.

Thanks for the reply. - I've heard / read lots of similar stories. Does the fact that it's less than 24 hours since the booking count for anything, I wonder? It seems unjust that the airline's able to keep £500> having done essentially nothing.

I guess that Ryan Air may be able to re-sell the seats if you cancel, they may not re-sell though but in all honesty it isn't Ryan Air's fault that you can no longer go, I think it will have to be chalked up as experience I'm afraid.

My friends seats weren't filled with anyone else, on the way there and on the way back they were both empty.

[Clivey]

BigBob said:

But they have done something - they've bought/leased the plane, employed the staff, paid for the fuel etc.

There's that on one side...but on the other, they would've done that anyway as it's a scheduled flight. A reasonable "administration charge" would be understandable...

BigBob said:

Not saying Ryanair are the best ..............

Isn't there normally 2 different pricing levels - the normal 'budget' one and the more expensive 'flexible' option.

BB

I don't know - I've never flown with them myself.

[Cat]

Travel insurance?

Cat

[SpeckledJim]

They are a deeply unfriendly organisation. But they are also hugely cheap.

Friendlier, more expensive airlines are also available.

Hope he gets some joy, but I doubt he will.

[DIW35]

What does it say in the small print, assuming he read it?

[skeeterm5]

Depending upon the reason, why not claim on his travel insurance?

S

[TigerS6]

HTP99 said:

A friend of ours was due to go on holiday with us in the summer, however she dislocated her knee a few weeks beforehand and due to complications she couldn't come, she tried for a refund of her flights with Ryan Air however got nowhere.

My wife broke her shoulder 2 days before we were due to fly to Venice with EasyJet...
As above the 'cheapo' tickets are non-refundable, but they did send us a headed letter to forward to my travel insurance (to remove any doubt we could not get a refund through the airline). My travel insurance paid out the airline cost and the cost of our accommodation too.

[Clivey]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Apparently, after exploring his options, there may be a way he can still go. We will have to see - he's awaiting further information at the moment.

[spikey78]

Ryan air do offer a spectacularly awful service generally, but in their defence they did refund me the cost of a pair of flight tickets which were apparently' non-refundable' when my Dad died unexpectedly.
I'm not sure they would do the same for anything trivial (bearing in mind we don't know why your friend can't travel..)

[grumpyscot]

Clivey said:

Morning all,

A colleague booked some flights with Ryanair over the Internet last night. This morning however, he received information that means he will not be able to travel. Ryanair's website states that bookings cannot be cancelled. Is it that straightforward or can he get a refund?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Edited by Clivey on Saturday 18th October 10:06

Oh - how funny! Ryanair - refund? Biggest laugh of the year!

You've got more chance of climbing to the top of Everest before the end of the weekend!

[Chuggy]

As a matter of interest, which airlines do any of you use which do give refunds ?

This year I have travelled on BA, Virgin, BMI, EasyJet, Aer Lingus, Thomas Cook and Ryan Air; shortly I'll be using Emirates. All of my tickets have been no change/no refund.

I do, however, have travel insurance.

[Pcot]

spikey78 said:

Ryan air do offer a spectacularly awful service generally, but in their defence they did refund me the cost of a pair of flight tickets which were apparently' non-refundable' when my Dad died unexpectedly.
I'm not sure they would do the same for anything trivial (bearing in mind we don't know why your friend can't travel..)

Im pleased to hear that.
You started by saying they offer a spectacularly awful service generally,
This, I don't agree with. It's the idiots who don't read the terms and conditions. Overweight or oversized baggage etc.....

I travel to Spain 3/4 times a year, and have done for years, and I'm more than happy with the service I receive from Ryanair.

They're damn cheap too.

[budfox]

Do Ryanair still charge £5 per person, per flight to pay by almost any type of card? Last time I looked at four of us flying somewhere they wanted £40 in card fees for one transaction.

They didn't get my money then and thy never will.

[Hugo a Gogo]

budfox said:

Do Ryanair still charge £5 per person, per flight to pay by almost any type of card? Last time I looked at four of us flying somewhere they wanted £40 in card fees for one transaction.

They didn't get my money then and thy never will.

no, and they are accepting paypal now, with no fees

[HD Adam]

Chuggy said:

As a matter of interest, which airlines do any of you use which do give refunds ?

This year I have travelled on BA, Virgin, BMI, EasyJet, Aer Lingus, Thomas Cook and Ryan Air; shortly I'll be using Emirates. All of my tickets have been no change/no refund.

I do, however, have travel insurance.

KLM.

There's 3 classes of economy ticket.

Cheapest is generally no change/refund, middle you can change at £100 and most expensive is refundable/changeable at no cost.

I just had KLM change my flight at 24 hours notice and they offered me either £200 cash or a £315 flight voucher for my trouble.

Seeing as they moved me to an earlier flight, result