Ryanair fights to shut complaint websites

[BEagle]

An interesting synopsis in today's Sunday Times:

Ryanair fights to shut complaint websites Mark Paul

RYANAIR is preparing a legal battle to shut down websites set up by disgruntled customers who are frustrated that they cannot make complaints online or over the telephone.
The company, which this week published its monthly customer service statistics, is furious that one of the sites — www.Ryanair.org.uk — published the e-mail addresses of senior executives."

Ryanair customers who want to make an official complaint can only do so by either writing to its corporate head office at Dublin airport, or by fax. Unlike other low-cost airlines such as easyJet or Aer Lingus, Ryanair, whose own website address is Ryanair.com, has no online complaints form or customer service e-mail address. It also has no customer service telephone number other than its reservation hotline, which doesn’t deal with post-flight queries.

In a strongly worded letter to the website’s founder — the second it has sent — Ryanair’s legal team accused the site of breaching data protection legislation, saying that the e-mail addresses, which included that of its head of customer service, are not meant for the public.

“The legal action against Ryanair.org.uk will go ahead,” said Peter Sherrard, Ryanair’s head of communications. “We have to do this to protect our business.”

Ryanair.org.uk was temporarily shut down when Ryanair’s solicitors wrote to its UK internet service provider (ISP) to complain. The site reappeared shortly afterwards using what is believed to be a Canadian ISP, and has received more than 22,000 hits since January 20. It contains stories posted by anonymous site visitors detailing complaints against the airline. Ryanair says the postings are unfounded and defamatory.

“Everything we do is designed to keep our costs, and our prices, down,” said Sherrard. “We are not interested in setting up a telephone service because it would increase costs.” However, Sherrard said the airline may look at providing an online complaints form.

www.Ryanair.org.uk contains a link to a second unofficial website called www.Ryanaircomplaints.oneuk.com, which promises to fax in complaints for customers who fill out an online form. According to this site’s founder, the “hit counter” that records the origin and location of visitors has identified two visits from Ryanair’s own computer system.

The site’s founder went on to say that the site will continue “with the aim of pressuring Ryanair into setting up an online complaint mechanism”.

Paul Walsh, a Dublin-born businessman now based in Sweden, said he used Ryanaircomplaints.oneuk.com to file a complaint after his flight from Gothenburg to Stansted was delayed, and his connecting flight from Stansted to Dublin was diverted to Shannon.

“I think it is their policy to send you in circles. If you were to lose your baggage, you can ring the airport and ServisAir, but not Ryanair,” said Walsh. “I would at least like to see a way of complaining online.”


(Edited from the original to add links)

[jettesen]

Now please don't think that I am a fan of FR, but this guy seems to have a few screws loose. FR don't do connecting flights, and he should have booked his STN-DUB sector at least 90 mins after his sweedish sector, and how is it FR's fault for diverting to shannon? FR, bad and all as they are, would not have left those pax stranded there, a coach would most probably have been laid on for them. Every airline suffers delays, just like the trains so why complain.

However, I do agree about not aving a contact number or form for complaints. This is bad customer service, I think FR are beginning to realise that they are not so good at customer service now, and are running scared.

[sky9]

If Ryanair would stop and think why people think it is necessary to set up a complaints website they might be half way to sorting out the problem.

[ivor tug]

Anyone know the legal position regarding luggage? Do they have a duty of care other than to get you to your destination.

[skydriller]

Good luck to the guy I say.....

Unlike most people who recieve bad service and just go away mumbling, this guy had the balls to create a website and publicise it for the world to see.

It seems Ryanair dont like this - surprise, surprise - but then that was probably his one reason for doing the site.

Wish I had the time and skill to do what he has....but then I do have PPRuNe to whinge to!:ok:

Regards, SD..

[the grim repa]

jettesen,ryanair also doesn't do freedom of speech,human rights and rights of association.this ryanair.org is a symptom of the general disease that exists within ryanair under it's current leadership.
ryanair is also fighting to close its' pilots association website.

[bealine]

If Ryanair do succeed in filing a lawsuit against this guy, I think all of us ppruners in the "normal" aviation world should make a small donation towards this little fella's legal costs.

Ryanair may have brought air travel within reach of the poor people, but it made the big airlines give cr4p customer service for a while too!

Incidentally, before MOL and Stelios, our BA reservations staff used to be allowed a little bit of discretion and, if there was a deserving case, such as a passenger pitching up at the wrong airport or getting stuck on the railway, many's the time a rebooking was made at no extra charge to help out a customer in need. (Indeed, we even used to give a voucher for the coach transfer sometimes!) The p155 poor tactics of Ryanair and EasyJet put paid to that and our res staff must now abide by the fare rules!

So, O'Leary and Ioannios screwed up aviation for the "normal" customer and Ryanair deserves to be given a damned good drubbing through the courts!

(PS Any solicitors out there? As the law of "tort" is peculiarly British, and Ryanair is an Irish company with Irish registered flying machines, can British Law be used against the webmaster?)

[Bealzebub]

(PS Any solicitors out there? As the law of "tort" is peculiarly British, and Ryanair is an Irish company with Irish registered flying machines, can British Law be used against the webmaster?)

Well not a solicitor, but "tort" is not peculiarly British. Just ask an American ! Basically the law of torts means that when somebody is in the wrong and injures you or damages your property, that person must pay for the damages done. However for a tort to have been committed the person who has injured you or damaged your property must be at fault. That of course, is not always the case.

[Ms. Turret (Ozi)]

There seems no limit to the pleasure derived by pimply youths with time on their hands in bitching when things don't go their way.
I was cold, wet, filthy and desperate, entirely due to Ryanair,
Nope, it sounds to me that cold, wet, filthy and desperate is a condition you'll experience regularly as you navigate yourself through the nastiness of a beastly life. Travelling with no means of support identifies the author of this website as an imbecile. Extraordinary, isn't it, that Ryanair's cheap fares anyone to fly, even those clearly accustomed to secure accommodation.:rolleyes:

[Monty77]

Well, you certainly can't bitch directly to Ryanair, can you, Ms Tourette? Mainly because they don't give a monkey's where you end up and won't listen anyway.. Nastiness and beastly are both words I would associate with the Ryanair experience having tried it just the once. Be sure to pack the plastic is what you appear to infer, and if you don't like it, you are either a pimply spoilt youth, or out of secure accommodation. Nice customer relations.

For my money, pay the extra 20 quid and at least end up somewhere near the headlined destination.

[manintheback]

Well Ms Turret

Having out of curiosity gone to the website, I cant help but notice that you appear to have completely redrafted aforesaid complaint to suit your own 'agenda'.

Try a little harder next time

[Sunfish]

What a nasty little airline Ryanair turns out to be. I like the idea of having their phone line charged at a premium rate!

[Tom the Tenor]

My wife and I have travelled with Ryanair about 50 times in last 3 years. All flights ran smoothly apart from two hot and high approaches for straight ins to runway 35 at Cork. Airbrakes out for so long - hardly comfortable?

Nice new aeroplanes. Cabin crew fine and indeed friendly if you make the effort to be kind - the gesture is normally returned.

My only gripe is down the years Ryanair have had such little interest in Cork Aiport prefering to have affairs with SNN. And to think Mr Cawley is, like me, a Chriost Ri ol' boy!

[Tjosan]

You're complaining about Ryan-Air, try to e-mail Lufthansa for a complaint. There's no way of doing that either.

[Arkroyal]

jetteson:FR, bad and all as they are, would not have left those pax stranded there, a coach would most probably have been laid on for them. But did they? Most probably the pax were told 'Well yer inthe right country, now pi55 off'

[Avman]

Whilst on the one hand I can sympathise with RYR that many of the complaints aimed at them are invalid, they should also not be so complacent as to believe that there's no room for improvement. There should be a method of contacting them with complaints and they should take note and respond to valid and constructive criticism.

Personally, because of bad press, and MOL's own (sometimes insulting) attitude toward his customers, I don't use this carrier. This ensures that I won't be subjected to any frustrating experiences with them. Fortunately for them I am a minority, otherwise they'd be out of business!

[allanmack]

32 return flights on FR - 2 delays due fog at STN. Customer service both on board and off has been as good as when I flew regularly with BMI and BA. OK, don't get allocated seating and meals/drinks but with no fares over £90 return (PIK - TRP) and the cheapest being £12.99 (PIK - DUB) FR will remain a favourite of mine.

Methinks this is a case of the minority shouting the loudest.

[ManAtTheBack]

I too will not fly with Ryanair, due to the company's, and SOME of the staff's attitude towards customers.