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Refund/voucher for not-yet-cancelled flight (Ryanair nonsense)

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  • 25-07-2020 8:47pm
    #1
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks, sorry if there's a thread covering this already, had a quick search there but couldn't find any real clarity so here goes..

    We've had a holiday to Tenerife booked since February, due to fly Aug 18th-Sept 1st

    I'd been hoping against hope that we'd somehow have come through the madness by now and Spain would make the green list (or even the canaries might somehow be separated from the mainland given there minimal R rates) but it seems that's a pipe dream at this stage.

    My family's health is not something I'm willing to risk and quarantining for 2 wks on return isn't an option with work and school commitments so I'd ideally like a refund (or even a voucher) for the flights we've paid for.

    Dickin' about on the Ryanair site (as thousands have been all Summer, undoubtedly), I can't seem to find an option to cancel or request a refund for a flight that hasn't been cancelled, so am I right in thinking this isn't an option and I'm left with a choice between taking the holiday, paying extra for a flight change later in the year or losing all my money?

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who's asked this (or thinks it's nuts), so please point me in the right direction if there's a thread with similar folks facing this 'travel or nothing' conundrum!

    Thanks in advance!


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    #2
    IrishHomer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,936 ✭✭✭IrishHomer


    luketitz wrote: »
    Hi folks, sorry if there's a thread covering this already, had a quick search there but couldn't find any real clarity so here goes..

    We've had a holiday to Tenerife booked since February, due to fly Aug 18th-Sept 1st

    I'd been hoping against hope that we'd somehow have come through the madness by now and Spain would make the green list (or even the canaries might somehow be separated from the mainland given there minimal R rates) but it seems that's a pipe dream at this stage.

    My family's health is not something I'm willing to risk and quarantining for 2 wks on return isn't an option with work and school commitments so I'd ideally like a refund (or even a voucher) for the flights we've paid for.

    Dickin' about on the Ryanair site (as thousands have been all Summer, undoubtedly), I can't seem to find an option to cancel or request a refund for a flight that hasn't been cancelled, so am I right in thinking this isn't an option and I'm left with a choice between taking the holiday, paying extra for a flight change later in the year or losing all my money?

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who's asked this (or thinks it's nuts), so please point me in the right direction if there's a thread with similar folks facing this 'travel or nothing' conundrum!

    Thanks in advance!

    I'm in the same situation as you.

    Looks like we have no rights because the government are suiting the airlines rather than the consumer.

    If we were greedy dumbasses and booked recently after the Covid we can change flights for free etc.

    But we apparently have no rights or comeback because the flights are going ahead regardless.

    If you opt to defer and change the flights Ryanair will screw you and I for more money and even if you do that the later flights may be unworkable too.

    No option but to just cut our losses

    Other option is pray for the Spanish Covid situation to worsen and force Ryanair into cancelling flights then we would be entitled to refunds or free flight changes.


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    #3
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 81,180 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Is there a chance your travel insurance will cover it?


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    #4
    IrishHomer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,936 ✭✭✭IrishHomer


    Atlantic Dawn wrote: »
    Is there a chance your travel insurance will cover it?

    As long as the flight is leaving Ireland I'm pretty sure the insurance won't cover it.

    I'm with Cornmarket I'll chance it but I'm sure it's a waste of time


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    #5
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    As long as the flight is leaving Ireland I'm pretty sure the insurance won't cover it.

    I'm with Cornmarket I'll chance it but I'm sure it's a waste of time

    Very strange situation and your take is spot on, it's mad that we've less rights than someone who's booked more recently.

    I didn't opt for the (nominal) expense of travel insurance, first holiday we could afford in a couple of years which is why I've been so reluctant to let it go up in smoke!


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    #6
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    I just rang them and after holding for 70 mins, was told by a poor CS agent reading the website Q+As from a script in Bangalore that there's no known reason why someone with an older booking (ours was actually made last December, not Feb as stated in my OP) is being treated differently in relation to change fees than those with more recent bookings over the summer months.

    I'm the fool for expecting some sort of human interaction or empathy on the call versus their cold, hard webforms: should've saved that hour for something more productive I guess!


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    #7
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,315 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    ...
    Other option is pray for the Spanish Covid situation to worsen and force Ryanair into cancelling flights then we would be entitled to refunds or free flight changes.


    WTF?
    Are you really that greedy?


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    #8
    IrishHomer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,936 ✭✭✭IrishHomer


    luketitz wrote: »
    Very strange situation and your take is spot on, it's mad that we've less rights than someone who's booked more recently.

    I didn't opt for the (nominal) expense of travel insurance, first holiday we could afford in a couple of years which is why I've been so reluctant to let it go up in smoke!

    I'm feeling very aggrieved today.

    Tomorrow I will contact my travel insurance, consumer affairs, politicians, Ryanair and I won't take this lying down.

    Ryanair already still owe me for Easter flights waiting since April still nothing back for that.


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    #9
    limabromac
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭limabromac


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    I'm feeling very aggrieved today.

    Tomorrow I will contact my travel insurance, consumer affairs, politicians, Ryanair and I won't take this lying down.

    Ryanair already still owe me for Easter flights waiting since April still nothing back for that.


    Unfortunately the only way to receive a refund is for Ryanair to cancel the flight...you could cancel the flight as receive the govt tax back but that is a miniscule amount...travel insurance may cover you If you have travel disruption as a paid added extra to your policy as this covers for exceptional circum but most insurances closed that clause as t the start of COVID-19 in Ireland in Feb...
    This would have covered any non essential govt announcements should you not have wanted to travel...it's all over the place now because of the green list...
    It is shocking that a person that booked a flight in Dec for travel in August wouldn't be refunded and for the govt not to assist in anyway...
    flightrights.ie is the place to lodge your complain... Ryanair don't care alas they have your money and the flight is going with or with you... They may however move your flight time and if they do and it's over two hours of a difference you will be entitled to a refund, according to their rules...

    Hope this helps

    Lots of info on the refund thread if you want to take a look...


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    #10
    limabromac
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭limabromac


    luketitz wrote: »
    Hi folks, sorry if there's a thread covering this already, had a quick search there but couldn't find any real clarity so here goes..

    We've had a holiday to Tenerife booked since February, due to fly Aug 18th-Sept 1st

    I'd been hoping against hope that we'd somehow have come through the madness by now and Spain would make the green list (or even the canaries might somehow be separated from the mainland given there minimal R rates) but it seems that's a pipe dream at this stage.

    My family's health is not something I'm willing to risk and quarantining for 2 wks on return isn't an option with work and school commitments so I'd ideally like a refund (or even a voucher) for the flights we've paid for.

    Dickin' about on the Ryanair site (as thousands have been all Summer, undoubtedly), I can't seem to find an option to cancel or request a refund for a flight that hasn't been cancelled, so am I right in thinking this isn't an option and I'm left with a choice between taking the holiday, paying extra for a flight change later in the year or losing all my money?

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who's asked this (or thinks it's nuts), so please point me in the right direction if there's a thread with similar folks facing this 'travel or nothing' conundrum!

    Thanks in advance!

    Unfortunately the only way to receive a refund is for Ryanair to cancel the flight...you could cancel the flight as receive the govt tax back but that is a miniscule amount...travel insurance may cover you If you have travel disruption as a paid added extra to your policy as this covers for exceptional circum but most insurances closed that clause as t the start of COVID-19 in Ireland in Feb...
    This would have covered any non essential govt announcements should you not have wanted to travel...it's all over the place now because of the green list...
    It is shocking that a person that booked a flight in Dec for travel in August wouldn't be refunded and for the govt not to assist in anyway...
    flightrights.ie is the place to lodge your complain... Ryanair don't care alas they have your money and the flight is going with or with you... They may however move your flight time and if they do and it's over two hours of a difference you will be entitled to a refund, according to their rules...

    Hope this helps

    Lots of info on the refund thread if you want to take a look...


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    #11
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,697 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    IrishHomer wrote: »

    Tomorrow I will contact my travel insurance, consumer affairs, politicians, Ryanair and I won't take this lying down.

    Absolutely none of which, except a tiny chance of the insurer, will work and you'll just get yourself angrier and angrier over it.


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    #12
    Jax4
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Jax4


    We are in a similar situation. Due to fly to Alicante this Friday, and not going to go. Tried to change flight dates to next year, and are being charged €320 in admin fee for changing. We booked in January, it seems that only recently made bookings have the change fee waived.

    Irish Homer have you had any luck with this? I'm surprised more people aren't talking about. Maybe it will be now that the UK will have the same situation.

    We have travel insurance, bought before Covid, and it includes the Travel Disruption; has anyone got a refund based on having travel disruption? Cant speak to anyone in AA, all automated info.

    Thanks.


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    #13
    skywalker_208
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭skywalker_208


    Jax4 wrote: »
    I'm surprised more people aren't talking about. .

    I have been following this situation for some time now as I am in similar situation - booked last year as always and now stuck in limbo - surely there are 1000s of others in same situation?

    I have to say I am very surprised more people are not talking about it either. Nothing in the media etc.

    I am also surprised by the attitude of most people that are talking about it and not directly affected - which is even evident by the tone of some of the answers in this thread.

    It seems the general consensus is the Airlines cant be allowed to fail or lose money so if you have booked its your tough luck. You cannot travel -
    (ok you can but you are strongly advised against it, stigma attached to foreign travel, have to self isolate for 14 days etc etc). So basically its not in your interest to go.

    And before someone points out again its not a legal requirement to self isolate etc etc - nobody cares. Its expected and therefore any self respecting citizen will do it. Employers expect it. Schools are supposed to be opening in a few weeks and kids wont be allowed back there without it. So saying you dont have to self isolate is irrelevant.

    At an absolute minimum I would expect to be allowed to rebook flights for next year at no additional cost. This seems only right when you cant avail of the service you have paid for.


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    #14
    Acosta
    Registered Users Posts: 2,260 ✭✭✭Acosta


    IrishHomer wrote: »

    Other option is pray for the Spanish Covid situation to worsen and force Ryanair into cancelling flights then we would be entitled to refunds or free flight changes.

    They continued to fly into Bergamo when it was the worst hit spot in Europe.


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    #15
    limabromac
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭limabromac


    skywalker_208 wrote: »
    I have been following this situation for some time now as I am in similar situation - booked last year as always and now stuck in limbo - surely there are 1000s of others in same situation?

    I have to say I am very surprised more people are not talking about it either. Nothing in the media etc.

    I am also surprised by the attitude of most people that are talking about it and not directly affected - which is even evident by the tone of some of the answers in this thread.

    It seems the general consensus is the Airlines cant be allowed to fail or lose money so if you have booked its your tough luck. You cannot travel -
    (ok you can but you are strongly advised against it, stigma attached to foreign travel, have to self isolate for 14 days etc etc). So basically its not in your interest to go.

    And before someone points out again its not a legal requirement to self isolate etc etc - nobody cares. Its expected and therefore any self respecting citizen will do it. Employers expect it. Schools are supposed to be opening in a few weeks and kids wont be allowed back there without it. So saying you dont have to self isolate is irrelevant.

    At an absolute minimum I would expect to be allowed to rebook flights for next year at no additional cost. This seems only right when you cant avail of the service you have paid for.


    The only situation that could be plausible is the "non essential travel " govt warning that was put on the countries and this could fall into the disrupted travel clause under travel insurance which a consumer added as an extra before corona virus was an issue( pre Feb 2020)
    A person needed to have added this to their travel insurance package pre (7-10 days) the non essential travel warning to avail of a refund......

    Refunds are also issued if the flight time has been moved two hours or more...

    Someone in govt should be highlighting/lobbying this but their only interest is keeping travel moving and so they fall on the airlines side rather than the consumers....


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    #16
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    limabromac wrote: »
    The only situation that could be plausible is the "non essential travel " govt warning that was put on the countries and this could fall into the disrupted travel clause under travel insurance which a consumer added as an extra before corona virus was an issue( pre Feb 2020)
    A person needed to have added this to their travel insurance package pre (7-10 days) the non essential travel warning to avail of a refund......

    Refunds are also issued if the flight time has been moved two hours or more...

    Someone in govt should be highlighting/lobbying this but their only interest is keeping travel moving and so they fall on the airlines side rather than the consumers....

    Yep, agreed. The only chance we have of anyone in govt giving enough of a toss about this amidst all the other pickles on their plates at present is if they happen to be directly affected, I reckon.

    I'm sure there's enough of us genuinely aggrieved 'limbo passengers' to lobby our TDs with some sort of template but they're banking on our lethargic, meek acceptance of just writing off a few grand we forked out last year.


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    #17
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    I'm feeling very aggrieved today.

    Tomorrow I will contact my travel insurance, consumer affairs, politicians, Ryanair and I won't take this lying down.

    Ryanair already still owe me for Easter flights waiting since April still nothing back for that.

    Any unlikely fruits from your heroics at all mate?!


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    #18
    skywalker_208
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭skywalker_208


    luketitz wrote: »
    Any unlikely fruits from your heroics at all mate?!

    I have been on to Ryanair - they dont care and want to charge a fortune to change dates. Was on to credit card company - nothing they can do as service is available to me.
    Was on to all of my elected TDs - no response for FF or FG. SF responded advising it is unacceptable the consumer is left in this position and they will continue to raise it with Gov.

    I also logged a complaint with Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on ccpc.ie.

    I am frustrated and exhausted with the whole situation to be honest.


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    #19
    Jax4
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Jax4


    The hours you have to put in to get somewhere with this is crazy.
    Travel insurance advised to get a no show form from Ryanair, and any evidence of them saying they will not refund, but trying to get any written docs from Ryanair is seeming impossible. Bank advising the same. Will just have to wait it out, and hopefully one of them will pay out. 🀞


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    #20
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    Fair play to ya, I admire your energy and determination in doing all that.. I'm up the walls with work and family so haven't had an opportunity to do all that but I fear I'd face similar frustration if I did, have kinda just resigned myself to losing a couple of grand (exactly as they've conspired)


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    #21
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    Clock's tickin' here, gonna try and cancel my hotel tomorrow and have kissed the Ryanair money goodbye :/


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    #22
    IrishHomer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,936 ✭✭✭IrishHomer


    Three empty seats paid for by myself Ryanair to Alicante this evening at 630pm.

    So sad I can't go and harder to swallow listening to the evening news yesterday a health expert stated foreign travel has no impact on Covid. FFS


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    #23
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,315 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    Three empty seats paid for by myself Ryanair to Alicante this evening at 630pm.

    So sad I can't go and harder to swallow listening to the evening news yesterday a health expert stated foreign travel has no impact on Covid. FFS

    You can claim back any tax and fuel surcharge fees associated with the flights.


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    #24
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,315 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    Pkiernan wrote: »
    You can claim back any tax and fuel surcharge fees associated with the flights.

    But you need to cancel the flight yourself first.


    https://www.aviationreg.ie/other-complaints/refunds-of-taxes-and-charges.227.html


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    #25
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    Pkiernan wrote: »
    But you need to cancel the flight yourself first.


    https://www.aviationreg.ie/other-complaints/refunds-of-taxes-and-charges.227.html

    And isn't there an admin fee applied, making any potential refund amount negligible (to the extent it's rarely even worth the hassle applying for, by design)


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    #26
    luketitz
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭luketitz


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    Three empty seats paid for by myself Ryanair to Alicante this evening at 630pm.

    So sad I can't go and harder to swallow listening to the evening news yesterday a health expert stated foreign travel has no impact on Covid. FFS

    So sorry to hear that, commiserations.. that'll be us (x5) in a couple of weeks time no doubt


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    #27
    skywalker_208
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭skywalker_208


    IrishHomer wrote: »
    Three empty seats paid for by myself Ryanair to Alicante this evening at 630pm.

    So sad I can't go and harder to swallow listening to the evening news yesterday a health expert stated foreign travel has no impact on Covid. FFS

    Same here unfortunately in couple of weeks time. I wont be booking anything in advance in a hurry again I can safely say!

    And yes I have heard there is an admin fee they apply if you try to claim tax back on the flight and fuel which basically cancels out any rebate.


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    #28
    Eoinbmw
    Registered Users Posts: 1,562 ✭✭✭Eoinbmw


    Lost 1400 euro on 4 seats last wendsday ourselves!


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    #29
    Eoinbmw
    Registered Users Posts: 1,562 ✭✭✭Eoinbmw


    Pkiernan wrote: »
    You can claim back any tax and fuel surcharge fees associated with the flights.
    How do you find out how much they are?


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    #30
    Denisoftus
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭Denisoftus


    My flight is in two days with Ryan air, inbound flight cancelled, no way to fly to take one-way return Ryanair flight, but even if it were, I would not fly due to restrictions. I understand flight is still going to happen so Ryanair WILL NOT refund. Now our insurance company required a written / email confirmation that we did not fly, or cancel, I'm on 4th hour of Ryanair chat waiting, requesting refund - no answer.

    What are my options, if I can't get in touch with Ryanair to cancel the flight (no refund) how can I proof to my insurance company I didn't (wouldn't) fly? Its a dead end.

    I understand the difficult situation Ryanair and others are now in, and I understand lack of refunds but ****, can't they just give me bloody letter of cancellation and cancel the flight - its so annoying.


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    #31
    un5byh7sqpd2x0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,862 ✭✭✭un5byh7sqpd2x0


    Travel Insurance will (probably) cover any flights booked prior to COVID-19 to a destination not currently Green Listed, presuming you had insurance at the time of booking or shortly thereafter. At least mine will.


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