Ryanair !!!

[Sidewaze Samm]

Just got an email from Ryanair. We were meant to be flying to Madrid on 22 March, which obviously got cancelled. Ryanair quickly said they would be refunding. But now, two emails later, it's a case of them being short-staffed and refunding "vulnerable" customers first. Well as far as flight refunds go, what's being vulnerable got to do with it? What do they mean by vulnerable and how do they know neither my wife nor I fall into that category? As far as I'm concerned it's just an excuse to hold on to my money for longer - but nothing surprises me about the way that despicable company operates. Think I'll just go to my credit card and ask for it back.
Mini rant over. Anyone in the same boat?

 

[mr wilks]

They've been around long enough now so anyone booking Ryanair should be well braced for getting mugged off at every turn I used them a few times about 10yrs ago when I had no alternative but would never recommend them or use them again.
Bandits

 

[Bombardino]

If it's a despicable company why did you book with them????

 

[ben g]

Just call the credit card company up and you'll get your refund no problem.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

If it's a despicable company why did you book with them????

because on many routes there is no alternative - unless you want to spend a lot of time and extra money travelling to another UK airport - daft when the airport is ten minutes from my house. Sadly they effectively have a monopoly on some European routes, so despicable or not there isn't much choice.

 

[Attilio]

I am in the same boat: hardly ever fly Ryanair but this my wife wanted to go on holiday on a certain date and Ryanair was the only option...

In fairness, I have friends who are experiencing similar problems with different airlines and travel agents too are not getting their money back despite having to refund the holidaymakers

 

[buzyg]

Simple solution for the future. Never book with Ryan Air again. Lousy cheap company. I certainly will never willingly fly with again. :thumbsdown:

 

[Vonlipvig]

My wife had a flight booked with Aurigny to go back home which was cancelled. They tried really hard to say they could only give a voucher, which is bollocks, but eventually agreed to a refund, but it would take around 6 months! It seems all airlines are using this tactic to keep funds

 

[enuff_zed]

My wife had a flight booked with Aurigny to go back home which was cancelled. They tried really hard to say they could only give a voucher, which is bollocks, but eventually agreed to a refund, but it would take around 6 months! It seems all airlines are using this tactic to keep funds

That's interesting. My wife is in exactly the same position. Was due to fly to Guernsey for a swimming competition. Aurigny gave her a choice of voucher or refund. She wanted a refund and they still sent a voucher! Unfortunately for them they are dealing with a Scottish Purchasing Manager. They will lose, but I hope it doesn't take 6 months!

 

[obewan]

There was an article on TV yesterday that stated that the airlines were looking to offer credit notes rather than cash refunds
The reasoning being that in these unprecedented times the sheer volume of cash refunds could bankrupt them
I assume this is also the reason for the potential 6 month delay being quoted

 

[Vonlipvig]

That's interesting. My wife is in exactly the same position. Was due to fly to Guernsey for a swimming competition. Aurigny gave her a choice of voucher or refund. She wanted a refund and they still sent a voucher! Unfortunately for them they are dealing with a Scottish Purchasing Manager. They will lose, but I hope it doesn't take 6 months!

That's exactly how it went with my wife. She emailed them again and that was when she was properly offered the refund. Sounds like your wife will be getting it sorted though

 

[Vonlipvig]

There was an article on TV yesterday that stated that the airlines were looking to offer credit notes rather than cash refunds
The reasoning being that in these unprecedented times the sheer volume of cash refunds could bankrupt them
I assume this is also the reason for the potential 6 month delay being quoted

I get that they will be in a fair bit of trouble if they all had to give cash refunds. The issue we have in our situation is that Aurigny said if the flight she books with the voucher is less than the voucher, which is looking like the case, she loses that money. If they offered to repay the difference if that occurs, then it would be alright as she has to fly with them and will definitely be going back over.

For other people just booking a holiday and picked the airline from one of many as it fitted their dates, those people won't be able to use that voucher for a different airline if the original one no longer suits their needs. That I think it's where there will be a real problem, one that a few of our friends are in. Most travel insurance doesn't cover pandemic, I know mine doesn't and it covers almost everything else, so people will have to go the credit card route if they booked it that way for just flights. That's why we use credit card for everything, plus get avios (air miles) for it

 

[Chippie]

My wife and I were due to go to Crete in June with TUI and I was due to pay the £4700 balance, phoned TUI and they offered to move the holiday to the same date in 2021 with no amendment fees and it worked out about £150 less, I had only paid £400 deposit but would have rather lost that than paid the balance and risk loosing the lot, I would definitely recommend TUI

 

[brillomaster]

currently waiting on a refund for a trip to austria we had booked in for april... would be good to get the £240 back for the flights, but equally, i dont want ryanair to go bust, since we probably use them at least twice a year for long weekend breaks. Sure a lot of people moan about them, but cant really argue with flights to Malaga in January for £30 return... or the year before that, flights to Perpignan for £19 return.

 

[ihadablackdog]

There is a government database which lists vulnerable people, as you have to register.

This is sent to supermarkets so they know who should get priority delivery slots.

I know this cos it’s what’s happened with my wife.

I don’t know who else gets this data, or if an airline would have access.

With remote working being so feasible nowadays I would expect them to be able to have staff processing normal tasks from home, ie vpn to their work network and carry on as normal.

However, they might have lots of staff off sick, or self isolating, or furloughed, so genuinely have less staff to process things.

However, it might also just be delaying tactics to hold onto the dosh as long as possible.

 

[Tinker15]

Under normal conditions I use Ryanair to Fly to Limoges about 4 times a year. If you live in the north there is little choice. We’ve been doing this for the last 12 years or so and I have to say we have had no problems with them at all. They are cheap, the fleet is new and you know what to expect.

In the year to March 2019 they flew 139 million passengers and made £880 million profit. Not bad for a rubbish airline!

 

[enuff_zed]

Under normal conditions I use Ryanair to Fly to Limoges about 4 times a year. If you live in the north there is little choice. We’ve been doing this for the last 12 years or so and I have to say we have had no problems with them at all. They are cheap, the fleet is new and you know what to expect.

In the year to March 2019 they flew 139 million passengers and made £880 million profit. Not bad for a rubbish airline!

When I did my Lead Auditor training in the RAF, Quality was defined as 'fitness for purpose at minimum cost.'
By that definition Ryanair are a quality company.

Any sensible businessman would currently be trying to hang on to as much money for as long as they can.
If they give it all back they will be stuffed.

That doesn't help an individual who is in need of their money back, but I think it is understandable in the current situation.

 

[Argyll Andy]

There is a government database which lists vulnerable people, as you have to register.

This is sent to supermarkets so they know who should get priority delivery slots.

I know this cos it’s what’s happened with my wife.

I don’t know who else gets this data, or if an airline would have access.

With remote working being so feasible nowadays I would expect them to be able to have staff processing normal tasks from home, ie vpn to their work network and carry on as normal.

However, they might have lots of staff off sick, or self isolating, or furloughed, so genuinely have less staff to process things.

However, it might also just be delaying tactics to hold onto the dosh as long as possible.

As already discussed I’m on the same list.

I work for a Local Authority and I was speaking to a colleague in another part of the Council. She’s an HR Manager but was telling me she’s been redeployed to Area Hub Coordinator for the vulnerable (or something like that) for the duration of the lockdown.

It’s her that’s dealing with the registrations etc and ensuring the service is provided. My understanding is for getting priority shopping slots/deliveries etc you go through them and they have priority slots with the Supermarkets etc and arrange everything for you. It’s all to do with GDPR afaik. I never investigated it because we don’t really have a shopping delivery service in my specific area but have plenty within the Authority.

Based on that I think it’s unlikely the Airlines would have access to this information.

 

[Obs-Com]

Under normal conditions I use Ryanair to Fly to Limoges about 4 times a year. If you live in the north there is little choice. We’ve been doing this for the last 12 years or so and I have to say we have had no problems with them at all. They are cheap, the fleet is new and you know what to expect.

In the year to March 2019 they flew 139 million passengers and made £880 million profit. Not bad for a rubbish airline!

Have to agree. Use them pretty regularly for flights to and from different parts of Europe and they usually deliver well, as long as you follow the instructions carefully! For what you pay and what you get its amazing VFM. The current situation is extreme and unprecedented and a delay in refunds is a minor issue compared to what many people are going through right now.

Have a flight booked for my wife in late May from Bergamo to Manchester. I was planning on driving home alone over a few days after our holiday to Lake Garda. Obviously this is not going to be happening now so no doubt I’ll have some issues to resolve myself .

 

[Tinker15]

Under normal conditions I use Ryanair to Fly to Limoges about 4 times a year. If you live in the north there is little choice. We’ve been doing this for the last 12 years or so and I have to say we have had no problems with them at all. They are cheap, the fleet is new and you know what to expect.

In the year to March 2019 they flew 139 million passengers and made £880 million profit. Not bad for a rubbish airline!

When I did my Lead Auditor training in the RAF, Quality was defined as 'fitness for purpose at minimum cost.'
By that definition Ryanair are a quality company.

Any sensible businessman would currently be trying to hang on to as much money for as long as they can.
If they give it all back they will be stuffed.

That doesn't help an individual who is in need of their money back, but I think it is understandable in the current situation.

I would think any airline making a profit must be doing something right. By comparison at the end of February we flew with Qatar to Bali via Doha the flights and service were excellent but during the same financial period Qatar Airways lost $639 million. As it's owned by their government i doubt it will go bust but it proves how difficult it is for airlines.