Ryanair flight cancellation

[SD.]

Hi, thought I'd pop into the SLF forum to ask if anyone had some advice if there's any chance of some compo from FR regarding a flight cancellation from Graz on Sunday afternoon (22nd July 07).

A few mates had been to Austria for a few days and as far as I know, at the last minute, with 100 to 150 pax ready to board at the gate. FR cancelled the flight. They claimed weather issues was the reason. I wasn't there, but I have asked my friends and they say the wind was calm and sky clear.

Cut a long story short, they then had to jump a taxi to Vienna (€250) and then each pay €450 to get back to London on Austrian. FR made no attempts to help any of the stranded pax and only offered a return flight home to London today (Wednesday).

Is it a case of bad luck or can any expenses be reclaimed?

Either way, I'll never fly for, or with Ryan air, EVER!!!!

[SXB]

SD
They should be able to claim a refund for the return journey but that's about it. Just bear in mind that when 'weather' cancels a flight it isn't necessarily the weather at the point of departure.

With reference to RYR you should be in no doubt that when these types of situations occur they will do nothing to help and anyone booking one of their flights should think about that. With RYR you get what you pay for and you don't pay a lot.

[PAXboy]

Travel Insurance, one that you purchased from a source other than the airline, that is.

[slim_slag]

Just checked my policy, and it doesn't appear that this would be covered. That surprised me, but then on further thought, it doesn't really after all.

All airlines are now pretty rubbish when it comes to looking after the punters when this sort of thing happens. Easyjet used to be the only one which had something in writing that they would put you up in the event of a delay outside their control, but just looked and that bit seems to be missing now.

Are these excuses checked by some independant body? I wouldn't trust any airline to tell the truth, and it doesn't matter how much the ticket cost.

[cjhants]

compo from FR
MOL will pee himself if he reads this.
have been in the same position with BA and VS (long haul obviously), and been looked after very well. good hotels, meal vouchers etc.
ryanair is a completely different animal. you pays your money... etc

[Beer_n_Tabs]

I think I am seeing this on a similar wave length as Slim

So an airline tells its pax their flight is canx due to wx, tech probs etc etc. Do the pax have anyway of veryfiying this, not necesarily at the time perhaps after the event?

Call me cynical (actually....don't coz it sounds silly calling me that) but I know airlines can be somewhat flexible with the truth at times.

I would be interested to know if it is possible to check.

Cheers

[SD.]

Thanks for the words of advice.


Regarding the Wx, I'd be very surprised if an airline cancelled a flight due to enroute weather. Squall line of CB, severe turb maybe......... it didn't stop their flight from VIE to London a couple of hours later. If indeed it was a Wx issue, then I smell some bull coming from Dublin.

I know MOL wouldn't give anyone the steam off of his pi$$, but I wondered if anyone else had been in a similar situation with them or any other loco.

I'll pass the messages on. Thanks

Edit: Regarding the line of "you pay for what you get". Ie, if you pay the square root of nothing, then expect zero service in return. I know for a fact my mates paid over £250 return for those flights.

[SXB]

I'd be very surprised if an airline cancelled a flight due to enroute weather

That's happened to me several times this year, I also had another flight where the aircraft turned round and went back to Zurich after an hour in flight. It does happen.

Also, I've had a lot of flights cancelled because of local weather and I feel it's fair to point out that while the airlines concerned have gone to great lengths to get me home (like booking passage on other airlines) they haven't been particularly forthcoming in providing hotel accomodation. I've never really pushed the point because, at the end of the day, it isn't coming out of my pocket, if the airline doesn't pay then it goes on the company plastic. Personally speaking I don't think the airlines should be responsible for weather problems, as long has it can be illustrated that weather is the problem.

As for your friends paying £250 for their flight, with RYR this doesn't get you any better service than those who've paid 99p. Anyone travelling with that airline knows what will happen if a problem occurs

[slim_slag]

Originally Posted by SD.

Regarding the line of "you pay for what you get". Ie, if you pay the square root of nothing, then expect zero service in return.....

But it's a nonsense argument usually offered up by people who never fly the airline so don't actually know what they are talking about.

Just booked return flights EMA-DUB for me and mrs in december. Total cost £1.44.

The service will be excellent ....... as far as airlines go.

[EastMids]

Had a similar situation a quite a while ago with a UK loWW cost airline, flying from Scotland to the Midlands - aircraft had arrived OK, but supposedly a weather cancellation of the return. A quick check on the net for the METARs and TAFs at both departure and destination airports revealed that the weather was way above minima... Following my further request for an explanation backed by these facts, the airline suddenly became somewhat more forthcoming in helping me get home!

A