Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Ryanair
Reload this Page >

Ryanair cancellation costed me over £300. Can't I really get any compensation?

Ryanair cancellation costed me over £300. Can't I really get any compensation?

Old Aug 7, 2018, 7:22 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 40
Ryanair cancellation costed me over £300. Can't I really get any compensation?

Sorry in advance for the long post!

Flight: Stansted - Gdansk, Friday 27th July, 18:50

We arrived at the airport and the flight (originally scheduled for 18:50), was delayed to 19:15. When we arrived at the gate the aircraft was there, but Ryanair said there were "operational issues" so we had to wait until they got resolved. They asked us to sit and wait, which we did for hours. Finally we boarded around 22:00. At 22:19 (3h29min after the original scheduled time), the pilot told us the only available take-off slot they were given was 1:20 and were going to try to improve it. Some minutes later they said the flight had to be cancelled as they could not bring the slot forward, as the airport was busy due to the "weather" (I have a picture from the plane where you can see it wasn't even raining...).

I claimed EU261 compensation to Ryanair, and they rejected it saying it was due to "weather conditions" whilst the Ryanair staff at the airport made it very clear during over 3h that the delay was due to "operational reasons", and even their staff were encouraging us to apply for compensation when we boarded the aircraft late. The likely reason is that they did not get a slot because they airport was busy and they had delayed the flight by a few hours, and used an earlier drizzle that evening to blame the weather.

The earliest they could rebook us was Monday 30th to Warsaw (Gdansk was sold out), so this incurred in not only extra transport to come back to London, but cancellation costs to pre-booked transport and accommodation in Poland. I talked to my travel insurance company, and they said that, as Ryanair rerouted us (even if it was days later and to a different destination), it was considered a "delay" and they could not refund the cancellation costs. They said I should claim these to Ryanair.

With the EU261 rejection letter they offered to pay the expenses caused by the cancellation. I sent them a document with the extra expenses:
- The new train tickets to go back to London and to the airport on Monday.
- Cancellation cost of my hotel in Gdansk, taxi and train to Warsaw

However they replied and also refused to pay any expenses. Not even the non-prebooked ones, like the extra train tickets!

So the summary is:
- Due to their delay, Ryanair ended cancelling the flight, making us waste a day at the airport and also 3 days of holidays, as they could not rebook us.
- Ryanair blames the weather to avoid paying the 1000€ EU261 compensation (4 passengers x 250€).
- Both my travel insurance and Ryanair refuse to pay the extra £300 spent in new train tickets and cancellations.

Is there anything else I could do? I'm using FlightRight and AviationADR so they try to claim these from Ryanair, but after Ryanair’s attitude I doubt they get anything. Any other suggestions please?

From now on, I’m not flying Ryanair again!
slayers_88 is offline  
Old Aug 7, 2018, 7:59 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,409
Checking airhelp website for your flight says

Unfortunately, this flight is not eligible for compensation.

According to our flight data, one or more airports associated with your claim were affected by extraordinary events that impacted air traffic at the time of your flight disruption, such as runway closures or security threats. Airlines are not required to pay compensation for disruptions caused by circumstances such as these that are beyond their control.
If other agencies are happy to try and get the compensation for you, by all means it's worth a shot.

Irrespective of the reason for the delay, Ryanair still have duty of care, this should cover your r/t to London, presumably you went back home so no hotel/meals were involved?
Ryanair are not responsible for any cancellation fees you have incurred, this is entirely up to your travel insurance.
Ditto is offline  
Old Aug 7, 2018, 8:10 am
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 40
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately my travel insurance doesn't cover cancellation fees as they say the flight was "delayed" and not "cancelled"

Does anyone know any travel insurance that cover these? I might have to switch providers!
slayers_88 is offline  
Old Aug 7, 2018, 8:30 am
  #4  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
Your flight apparently never operated or you could have flown to your original destination later. Since they rebooked you to a different destination that wasn't where you wanted to go, this is a cancellation and not a delay. Maybe someone saw that the flight was originally just delayed and stopped reading.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Aug 7, 2018, 8:37 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,409
Originally Posted by slayers_88
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately my travel insurance doesn't cover cancellation fees as they say the flight was "delayed" and not "cancelled"
I would appeal on that, as it makes no sense whatsoever (though I suppose the policy will say it is), then again once you deduct the train tickets it might not be worth wasting too much time on it.
Ditto is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2018, 12:37 am
  #6  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 16,966
Originally Posted by slayers_88
Both my travel insurance and Ryanair refuse to pay the extra £300 spent in new train tickets and cancellations.
This is the territory of your travel insurance. If you've exhausted "informal" attempts to make the insurer see sense, put your case to the Financial Ombudsman service. https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.u...urance-company

Originally Posted by slayers_88
Is there anything else I could do? I'm using FlightRight and AviationADR so they try to claim these from Ryanair, but after Ryanair’s attitude I doubt they get anything. Any other suggestions please?
Not sure how you are using two claim companies, or why you would need to. Either of them is competent to deal with the airline, and neither would take you on unless they saw signifcant potential for success

Originally Posted by slayers_88
From now on, I’m not flying Ryanair again!
If you refuse to fly on carriers who try to wriggle out of EC261 responsibilities, you'll have to resign yourself to surface transport
IAN-UK is offline  
Old Aug 15, 2018, 9:17 am
  #7  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,705
Originally Posted by slayers_88
the pilot told us the only available take-off slot they were given was 1:20 and were going to try to improve it. Some minutes later they said the flight had to be cancelled as they could not bring the slot forward, as the airport was busy due to the "weather" (I have a picture from the plane where you can see it wasn't even raining...).
There were very significant storms right across the south east of the UK that afternoon and evening which led to very significant reductions in ATC capacity that evening. Pretty much every airport in the south of the UK had significant delays throughout that evening. I suffered a two hour delay out of LHR, and a friend of mine was trying to fly from STN that evening too and suffered a 3 hr delay.

Whilst FR is not always a great airline, on this occasion the weather and ATC delays are not made up.
KARFA is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.