eurostar builder
25th Feb 2003, 07:57
Holiday plans of Buzz customers may be in jeopardy
Ryanair has cancelled all Buzz flights in April and is said to be ready to drop key holiday destinations from the summer timetable.
The holiday plans of more than 100,000 people have been thrown into disarray because Ryanair is tearing up the schedule of Buzz, the rival budget airline it took over last month.
The Times says people who bought cheap tickets in advance will now have to rebook more expensive ones or accept an alternative Ryanair flight to a different airport.
Thousands of families, who bought properties in remote parts of France served by the Stansted-based Buzz, such as Bergerac, Limoges, and Dijon, may find their airports deleted from Ryanair's schedule.
Several of Buzz's 21 routes, including Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, are likely to be dropped permanently.
The Air Transport Users Council said: "It's an appalling way to treat passengers but that's what we have come to expect from Ryanair, sadly."
A Buzz spokesman said passengers would receive a refund if their flight was cancelled but claims for compensation would be rejected.
KLM, Buzz's Dutch parent company which sold it for £15 million, advised passengers not to book Buzz flights beyond March until Ryanair had revealed which routes would survive. It described Ryanair's failure to inform passengers of its intentions as irresponsible.
Only 55,000 people who had booked with Buzz from Bournemouth have been told that their flights are definitely cancelled. A group of these passengers is planning legal action to recover losses on hotel and car hire bookings.Buzz refused to give any details of how many passengers had booked tickets for April, saying that Ryanair now controlled the release of all information.
A Ryanair spokesman said: "You will have to speak to Buzz. We will be announcing details of the reorganisation before the end of February."
Ryanair has cancelled all Buzz flights in April and is said to be ready to drop key holiday destinations from the summer timetable.
The holiday plans of more than 100,000 people have been thrown into disarray because Ryanair is tearing up the schedule of Buzz, the rival budget airline it took over last month.
The Times says people who bought cheap tickets in advance will now have to rebook more expensive ones or accept an alternative Ryanair flight to a different airport.
Thousands of families, who bought properties in remote parts of France served by the Stansted-based Buzz, such as Bergerac, Limoges, and Dijon, may find their airports deleted from Ryanair's schedule.
Several of Buzz's 21 routes, including Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, are likely to be dropped permanently.
The Air Transport Users Council said: "It's an appalling way to treat passengers but that's what we have come to expect from Ryanair, sadly."
A Buzz spokesman said passengers would receive a refund if their flight was cancelled but claims for compensation would be rejected.
KLM, Buzz's Dutch parent company which sold it for £15 million, advised passengers not to book Buzz flights beyond March until Ryanair had revealed which routes would survive. It described Ryanair's failure to inform passengers of its intentions as irresponsible.
Only 55,000 people who had booked with Buzz from Bournemouth have been told that their flights are definitely cancelled. A group of these passengers is planning legal action to recover losses on hotel and car hire bookings.Buzz refused to give any details of how many passengers had booked tickets for April, saying that Ryanair now controlled the release of all information.
A Ryanair spokesman said: "You will have to speak to Buzz. We will be announcing details of the reorganisation before the end of February."