Whats my next move? Ryanair

[anguspm]

Hi Guys n gals,

Looking for some help on this one:

Was due to travel Valladolid - STN this afternoon (FR3125) at 1700 with Ryanair. Upon arrival at the airport visibility was around 30m on the approach road due to fog. Arrived at 1505 and whilst checking in noticed all previous flights had been cancelled and the pax for the earlier FR outbound flight to Brussels were still in the airport. I asked the girl what the situation with my flight was and was told: "We´ll know at 1630 whether its cancelled or not, they´ll probably refund or move you tommorrows flight in that event".

At 1640 the terminal monitor flashed up cancelled, an announcment was made to this effect and everyone was directed to reclaim their baggage. After reclaiming my baggage I went to the Ryanair window where the gentleman said "we are only the handling agent, here´s a reclamation from" to which I asked "to speak to the airline representative to find out what my rights were". The gentleman then advised me that there is no Ryanair representative at Valladolid and that they are based in Dublin. "Could I have the tel number please?" I asked. "Sorry we dont have that, their address is on the form, you´ll have to contact them there". Trundling out with my bag I´ve now got home calmed down and tried to find a customer service number on the net to find out what is happening.

Well I haven´t found it yet!

What I have found out is that the flight from Valladolid according to the BAA page landed into STN this evening at 2208 (Sched 1810).

My questions are the following:

The visit to the UK was going to be Fri - Sun and the Sat flight (if thats what Ryanair will offer when I get hold of someone from them) won´t allow me to accomplish the purpose of my journey, will they refund the ticket cost?

How can an airline not be represented at an airport?

How can a handling agent not have a tel number for the airline they are working for?

Thanks in advance and sorry if its a little long winded!

[PAXboy]

tried to find a customer service number on the net...I think that you will find that is because they do not have a customer service number. You have to write (keeping records and sending things recorded delivery) and plan to have more patience than they have.
How can an airline not be represented at an airport?
They are - by the handling agent.
How can a handling agent not have a tel number for the airline they are working for?
Ahhh, I think you've got the hang of it now! :rolleyes:

[anguspm]

Thanks paxboy,

Guess it´ll be a nice letter in the post to them on Monday........

.... and much waiting with baited breath!

[Final 3 Greens]

Angus

As you no doubt paid by credit card, I would also contact the credit card company and put in a claim against Ryanair for not providing the servises.

They cannot ignore VISA or Mastercard, who will simply pull the money back if Ryanair do not co-operate with you.

[TotalBeginner]

Angus,

(according to FR) you are entitled to a full refund of any unused sectors in the reservation, provided you did not accept their offer of an alternative flight. Try calling RyanairDirect, their call centre, who should be able to queue your reservation to head office for a refund.

Only contact your credit card company if you definately don't want to use that card to book future FR flights. If Ryanair recieve a chargeback from your card issuer, they will register your cc as a "HOT CARD" in the reservation system so that it will automatically decline.

Before you tear me apart for neglecting to mention it, Yes Angus is legally entitled to more than just a refund, but that's another debate that's been done to death!

Hope this helps:ok:

[radeng]

A friend of mine said 'I'd rather walk than use Ryanair'.

it seems that they're fine when everything goes OK.

Me, I'll walk - or use what I call a 'real' airline.

[apaddyinuk]

A friend of mine said 'I'd rather walk than use Ryanair'.
it seems that they're fine when everything goes OK.
Me, I'll walk - or use what I call a 'real' airline.

HAHAHA...Me too....however, would a real airline fly to Valladolid??? :eek:

[Desert Diner]

Keep in mind you could try to get a refund on the travel portion of the ticket you purchased (not the taxes and airport fees).

Was in this situation about 3 years ago. Looked at all the hoops I had to jump through (MOL doesn't make it easy for his customers). All to try and get back the 30 or so euro ticket price but not the 150+ euro taxes/fees as well as the 5 euro CC billing fee for each ticket.

Not sure if the new passengers rights legislation has made it easier to get a refund from FR but in the old days it seemed like it would cost more than the actual refund.

Good luck

[Final 3 Greens]

Please explain why the taxes, charges and CC fees are not refundable when the flight was cancelled.

[tom de luxe]

Please explain why the taxes, charges and CC fees are not refundable when the flight was cancelled.
'cos MOL says so (never mind the self-imposed "charges" that are probably nothing but a stealth fare, e.g. the infamous "wheelchair levy"). Don't like it? Sue them (yeah right)...
...or don't book them in the first place :E There's still competition around, for now.

[Final 3 Greens]

Dear Tom

Ryanair's website says....

''If your flight is cancelled or before the date of travel, is rescheduled so as to depart more than three hours before or after the original departure time then you will be entitled to a travel credit or full refund of all monies paid if the alternative flight/s offered are not suitable to you and you do not travel.''

You might wish to reconsider your last post. Note ''full refund of ALL monies paid.''

I am no fan of FR and do not use them if there is another option available, but I have always found their T&Cs to be clear and unequivocal.

The FR bashing around here gets to be a bit much at times.

[Desert Diner]

All monies paid to them (e.g. the euro 1.99 or so). Taxes and fees are a different issue. This is from experience contemplating applying for a refund not just reading their T&C.

No MOL or FR bashing from my side. MOL is a master at twisting all angels to his/FR's advantage and not the passengers.

What other airline would tell you point blank when charging you for excess bagage: We charge low fares so we have to make up our money by charging you for excess bagage.

I have and probably will continue to use FR but saying them I'm also prepared to accept the consenquences in the off chance I get screwed over by them.

[tom de luxe]

You might wish to reconsider your last post. Note ''full refund of ALL monies paid.''
I am no fan of FR and do not use them if there is another option available, but I have always found their T&Cs to be clear and unequivocal.
My personal experience of this is that FR interpret that wording as meaning "all monies paid to us as 'Fare(s)', and nothing else". They won't budge on that, as after all, who's going to take them to court over a few GBP/EUR's?
So while the T&Cs may be unequivocal, in real life their interpretation is not as unequivocal as it may seem.

[PAXboy]

As I understand it, there is also a fee for processing the refund? This administrative fee was set at the same price as the cost of the taxes. I have just looked on FR's site for this and cannot find mention of it. However, that does not mean that it no longer exists - just that I have not found the right page in T+Cs!!

As always, my admiration to FR for a smark new business model. Having reduced the inclusive baggage allowance to 15Kg, I am waiting to see how long they wait before reducing that to 10Kg and then to 5. My guess would be, within ten years to achieve Zero inclusive Kg. Naturally he would like it to be today but the pax will need a little time to adjust. If this first reduction goes well then it might be only five years.

[tom de luxe]

As I understand it, there is also a fee for processing the refund? This administrative fee was set at the same price as the cost of the taxes. I have just looked on FR's site for this and cannot find mention of it. However, that does not mean that it no longer exists - just that I have not found the right page in T+Cs!!
Looks like they've been updated - the latest wording is
Ryanair does not provide compensation for flights which are delayed or cancelled for reasons beyond Ryanair's control. You may therefore wish to ensure that you have suitable private insurance cover in force to cover such eventualities. Your rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 are unaffected so in the case of denied boarding, flight cancellation or a delay in excess of two hours you will be provided with a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance in line with such Regulation.
Has that been added since they (and others - no FR basing here) lost in the ECJ?
:E :E :ok: :ok:

[Globaliser]

I'm no friend of FR, but the one and only time that I booked a ticket with them, the STN operation went t1ts-up that morning because of fog.

As I'd only booked a there-and-back to sample the full Ryanair experience for myself, and as the delay had stretched to the point where I'd have missed my return flight (operating on time) if I continued waiting for my delayed outbound flight, I phoned to try to cancel.

To their credit, the phone was answered after only about 10 minutes (compared to what looked like a 2-hour queue at the ticket desk at STN), and when my story had been verified, I was cheerfully offered a full refund of everything, including all taxes, which arrived in my bank account 3 days later. No admin fees or anything else.

This was a good couple of years ago, now, so unaffected by EU Regulation obligations. Apart from the next-to-nothing fare for this planned jaunt, it was the best thing about the FR experience.

The absolute best thing about the day, though, was the amount of "tax-free" shopping we hauled away from STN without actually having flown anywhere.