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Ryanair locks out customers who have requested refunds
Ryanair has been criticized for its way of dealing with customers
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Ryanair has refused to check-in for further trips to some customers who have recovered money from the airline for canceled flights. The company is apparently moving in a legal gray area.
Some Ryanair customers have had a nasty surprise when they planned to travel with the airline. They found that the low-cost airline would not let them on board. The reason: the affected customers had previously recovered money from Ryanair for flights that they could not show up. The English portal “Money Saving Expert” reports on three such cases from the United Kingdom.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, passengers had waived flights with Ryanair that had already been booked – for example because the government had generally advised against travel at the time. Ryanair refused to reimburse the flight costs, relying on its terms and conditions. The customers then got the money back through their credit card company, writes “Money Saving Expert”. It was amounts between the equivalent of around 470 and 740 euros.
Ryanair: Customers should repay refunds
They were actually reimbursed for the costs – but apparently they had lost it with Ryanair. Because when the affected customers booked flights with the airline again, they were refused check-in, they reported to the portal. Flights were only possible under one condition: You should repay the refund.
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As far as the new flights are concerned, Ryanair offered to reimburse the flight costs already paid, the customers told “Money Saving Expert”. However, in at least one case, the traveler had already booked accommodation at the destination – and was left with these costs.
Ryanair excludes refunds in terms and conditions
Ryanair emphasized again that the terms and conditions do not include a refund for flights that have not been shown. The customer agrees to this when booking. In addition, a spokesman for the airline said that Ryanair reserves the right not to carry passengers if they have not paid for previous flights in full.
According to “Money Saving Expert”, legal experts locate Ryanair’s actions in a legal gray area. For example, other airlines would issue vouchers in similar cases. The UK competition authority last week closed an investigation against Ryanair into the denial of refunds for canceled flights. The legal situation in this area is not clear.
Sources: “Money Saving Expert” / “Guardian”