Well Known Flight Carrier Messing About for Refund Due to CV
Discussion
It's no longer about the value of the flight; it's the distinction impression I'm getting that the flight carrier is just messing passengers about rather than issue a refund.
I was due to fly to Poland early June. I booked via Opodo, paid Opodo and the whole thing was managed by Opodo. Covid 19 struck and the flight was eventually cancelled. Opodo were not very helpful in refunding the money and after a lot of hassling them for a refund, they referred me to Ryanair, the carrier.
They - Ryanair - eventually (three weeks or so later) confirmed that the flight was eligible for a refund. I then had to fill out a form and submit it online confirming the request. The response was an email confirming that a refund would be issued in 3-5 days. I sat back and thought nothing more of it. 10 days later, no refund. I engaged the chat-bot and eventually got through to a human. 'The refund team are still on furlough so there's nobody here to make the refund, and because it's finance, they cannot do this from home' said the person trying to help me. She also convinced me that there was no way I was getting my refund until - at the earliest - when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Since that conversation I have received two emails. One stating that I can 'move' my booking to another day or have the funds converted to a voucher of credit. I declined. However, when I clicked on the 'click here to continue with your refund' an error message kept pinging up. I left it and tried, tried again. I waited another few days and tried again, but still no success.
Today I have received a message to 'remind' me that I still haven't moved my flight or collected my voucher. When I go through the same rigmarole of declining; selecting the 'continue with refund request' and eventually 'chat with an agent' my attempts lead to one road: all the nopes.
Now I have received an email which states that my 'ticket' has reached the end of the period and has now been closed.
I was due to fly to Poland early June. I booked via Opodo, paid Opodo and the whole thing was managed by Opodo. Covid 19 struck and the flight was eventually cancelled. Opodo were not very helpful in refunding the money and after a lot of hassling them for a refund, they referred me to Ryanair, the carrier.
They - Ryanair - eventually (three weeks or so later) confirmed that the flight was eligible for a refund. I then had to fill out a form and submit it online confirming the request. The response was an email confirming that a refund would be issued in 3-5 days. I sat back and thought nothing more of it. 10 days later, no refund. I engaged the chat-bot and eventually got through to a human. 'The refund team are still on furlough so there's nobody here to make the refund, and because it's finance, they cannot do this from home' said the person trying to help me. She also convinced me that there was no way I was getting my refund until - at the earliest - when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Since that conversation I have received two emails. One stating that I can 'move' my booking to another day or have the funds converted to a voucher of credit. I declined. However, when I clicked on the 'click here to continue with your refund' an error message kept pinging up. I left it and tried, tried again. I waited another few days and tried again, but still no success.
Today I have received a message to 'remind' me that I still haven't moved my flight or collected my voucher. When I go through the same rigmarole of declining; selecting the 'continue with refund request' and eventually 'chat with an agent' my attempts lead to one road: all the nopes.
Now I have received an email which states that my 'ticket' has reached the end of the period and has now been closed.
Ryanair email said:
Dear Customer,
I refer to your recent correspondence.
Ryanair are currently working through the cash refund request for cancellations due to COVID and you will receive email confirmation once processed.
Your ticket is now closed, thank you for your patience and understanding at this time, if your query has not been resolved please click here to call or chat with us and we will handle your query as soon as we can.
Yours sincerely,
Ryanair Group Customer Care (Ryanair DAC, Lauda & Malta Air)
The flight (to attend a friend's daughter's wedding) was paid for with my debit card. Is there anyway I can charge it back? I'm so pissed off with this situation that just on principle I would even spend more money than the ticket value to instigate a legal claim. I refer to your recent correspondence.
Ryanair are currently working through the cash refund request for cancellations due to COVID and you will receive email confirmation once processed.
Your ticket is now closed, thank you for your patience and understanding at this time, if your query has not been resolved please click here to call or chat with us and we will handle your query as soon as we can.
Yours sincerely,
Ryanair Group Customer Care (Ryanair DAC, Lauda & Malta Air)
speedyguy said:
Unfortunately I'd always rather pay more or even not bother going if Ryanair is the only option 
Difficult place to get to at the times I wanted; Opodo were the only firm offering flights. They link to Ryanair. As much as I would never choose Ryanair, I thought it's a relatively short flight and a great time in Poland awaited. Henz said:
That reads to me like they are processing your refund and a subsequent ticket (related to your follow up query with the customer care department), which has somehow been linked to a separate offer for transfer or voucher, has been closed.
I really hope you're right. They've not been very good in dealing with this IMO. Why send an email confirming the refund to be made within 3-5 days and then say there's nobody there to do it!?
mikecassie said:
Reading threads like this just reminds me, once again, never to use Ryanair if I am paying.
OP I hope you get it all sorted soon.
Had no alternative. Needed to fly to and from Wrocław and on the dates entered, the most direct flight was with Ryanair via Opodo. Other flights either didn't exist or were with at least one stop and didn't make any sense whatsoever. OP I hope you get it all sorted soon.
When I confirmed the flight with Opodo, there was no indication that Ryanair would be the carrier and that if the flight was canceled, Opodo would wash their hands with the deal I had just entered with them, and refer me to a third party. It might have said something in the smallprint... if you can find it... and if you do, if you can understand it...
It became quite clear as soon as CV19 started to look like it was about to change the way of the world that it would also determine how well - or not - businesses and organisations would come out of the mix.
On the same subject, my accommodation was booked with Hampton by Hilton via Booking.com. Initially I felt some scripted/automated resistance from Booking.com. But the hotel went above and beyond to help me and duly refunded me without any hassle whatsoever (and embarrassing booking.com into submission). Whatever happens moving forward I will, without a second thought, book my accommodation with Hampton by Hilton when the wedding is back on, but I will not be booking via booking.com based on how they shrugged their shoulders when the brown stuff hit the oscillating fan. As for Opodo and Ryanair, I would rather go in a three-wheeled shopping trolley than pay them a penny of my hard earned.
On the same subject, my accommodation was booked with Hampton by Hilton via Booking.com. Initially I felt some scripted/automated resistance from Booking.com. But the hotel went above and beyond to help me and duly refunded me without any hassle whatsoever (and embarrassing booking.com into submission). Whatever happens moving forward I will, without a second thought, book my accommodation with Hampton by Hilton when the wedding is back on, but I will not be booking via booking.com based on how they shrugged their shoulders when the brown stuff hit the oscillating fan. As for Opodo and Ryanair, I would rather go in a three-wheeled shopping trolley than pay them a penny of my hard earned.
When I now go back to Ryanair's chatbot, it gives me a link. Click on the link and It's a gateway to login or register. I'd rather not. I've had an absolute gut-full with them, and it was Opodo who I booked with (I see that their fee is higher than what Ryanair got out of the transaction).
I'm ready to go MCOL. Would it be appropriate to aim this at Opodo given that it was them I paid?
I'm ready to go MCOL. Would it be appropriate to aim this at Opodo given that it was them I paid?
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