An unexpected experience of missing the Ryanair flight
Jan 10, 2018 | 9:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 4
An unexpected experience of missing the Ryanair flight
Hello everyone,
I'd like your advice on disputing with Ryanair about the ridiculous experience. Many thanks in advance!
I missed my Ryanair flight and what I have gone through is stated as below.
I arrived at Stansted Airport at about 4.45 am and my flight will depart at 6.50 am. I printed my boarding pass and weighted my luggage at the desk. Since the luggage was a little bit overweight I decided to rearrange it and I took some time to finish that. After I went back to the desk at Zone E I got the stickers for the suitcases and was asked to move them to Zone F because all the desks of Zone E were about to close. After I moved them to Zone F, I put my suitcase on the belt and asked a member of staff to help me move the belt to drop my bag.
However, the gentlemen scanned my boarding pass and told me, "It's too early to drop your bag." I told him it's about one hour to departure so it couldn't be too early and I've checked at Zone E but he kept telling me "Listen to me, it says too early. (Quote exactly from him)" He scanned it again and showed me the result on the screen which did say something like it's too early to drop. So I believed him and asked, will it be about half an hour before the departure that I can drop my bag and he said YES. Then I asked him can I wait inside the zone until I can drop my bag and he asked me to stay at the edge of the zone not to block other passengers.
The thing is, I used Ryanair for several times but only for short trips so I have never used checked luggage service. At that moment I was wondering maybe it's Ryanair's temporary rule or some newly adjusted policy so that I couldn't drop my luggage and I DO BELIEVE that member of staff so I chose to wait. Just imagine, a statement which was printed in advance VS an order which was given on spot right now, I definitely chose to believe the latter one!
I wait there for about 20-25 minutes and finally I went to ask another member of staff stating the situation. She scanned my boarding pass again and it still said "too early to drop". After I explained she said maybe because I've already got my stickers the system couldn't recognize the barcode on my boarding pass. She said that's fine and move the belt so I finally dropped my bags at around 6.15 am. Unfortunately, that was peak time and the security check took quite a long time and when I finished the security check, the gate has already closed.
What made me upset was, the gentlemen not only gave me the WRONG information (bag dropping half an hour before departure) but he also wouldn't listen to my explanation. I'm not sure if there is some problem with the system since it did say "too early to drop" but anyway he should have checked my flight time and considered other possible reasons but what he did was simply telling me "LISTEN TO ME" impatiently and rudely.
I've talked to the manager or the person in charge from Swissport and also a lady from Ryanair custom service. Both of them told me they would report this to their boss or someone else but so far I haven't received any follow-up feedback. I made a complaint online and it was refused with the reason "Please note that all our customers are advised to be at the boarding gate at least 30 minutes before the flight as the gate closes 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. This requirement is stated on customers boarding passes and travel itinerary as well as in our Terms and Conditions, agreed to at the time of purchase."
But the problem is, I was REFUSED by a member of Ryanair staff to drop my luggage. So I made a complaint again but received a reply that "our position as set out in the letter remains unaltered" and they cannot be of further assistance with regards to this matter.
It cost me a lot not only for transferring a new ticket but also an extra night in a hotel and I really upset with their feedback. Really need your advice... Thank you all so much for spending time reading this!
I'd like your advice on disputing with Ryanair about the ridiculous experience. Many thanks in advance!
I missed my Ryanair flight and what I have gone through is stated as below.
I arrived at Stansted Airport at about 4.45 am and my flight will depart at 6.50 am. I printed my boarding pass and weighted my luggage at the desk. Since the luggage was a little bit overweight I decided to rearrange it and I took some time to finish that. After I went back to the desk at Zone E I got the stickers for the suitcases and was asked to move them to Zone F because all the desks of Zone E were about to close. After I moved them to Zone F, I put my suitcase on the belt and asked a member of staff to help me move the belt to drop my bag.
However, the gentlemen scanned my boarding pass and told me, "It's too early to drop your bag." I told him it's about one hour to departure so it couldn't be too early and I've checked at Zone E but he kept telling me "Listen to me, it says too early. (Quote exactly from him)" He scanned it again and showed me the result on the screen which did say something like it's too early to drop. So I believed him and asked, will it be about half an hour before the departure that I can drop my bag and he said YES. Then I asked him can I wait inside the zone until I can drop my bag and he asked me to stay at the edge of the zone not to block other passengers.
The thing is, I used Ryanair for several times but only for short trips so I have never used checked luggage service. At that moment I was wondering maybe it's Ryanair's temporary rule or some newly adjusted policy so that I couldn't drop my luggage and I DO BELIEVE that member of staff so I chose to wait. Just imagine, a statement which was printed in advance VS an order which was given on spot right now, I definitely chose to believe the latter one!
I wait there for about 20-25 minutes and finally I went to ask another member of staff stating the situation. She scanned my boarding pass again and it still said "too early to drop". After I explained she said maybe because I've already got my stickers the system couldn't recognize the barcode on my boarding pass. She said that's fine and move the belt so I finally dropped my bags at around 6.15 am. Unfortunately, that was peak time and the security check took quite a long time and when I finished the security check, the gate has already closed.
What made me upset was, the gentlemen not only gave me the WRONG information (bag dropping half an hour before departure) but he also wouldn't listen to my explanation. I'm not sure if there is some problem with the system since it did say "too early to drop" but anyway he should have checked my flight time and considered other possible reasons but what he did was simply telling me "LISTEN TO ME" impatiently and rudely.
I've talked to the manager or the person in charge from Swissport and also a lady from Ryanair custom service. Both of them told me they would report this to their boss or someone else but so far I haven't received any follow-up feedback. I made a complaint online and it was refused with the reason "Please note that all our customers are advised to be at the boarding gate at least 30 minutes before the flight as the gate closes 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. This requirement is stated on customers boarding passes and travel itinerary as well as in our Terms and Conditions, agreed to at the time of purchase."
But the problem is, I was REFUSED by a member of Ryanair staff to drop my luggage. So I made a complaint again but received a reply that "our position as set out in the letter remains unaltered" and they cannot be of further assistance with regards to this matter.
It cost me a lot not only for transferring a new ticket but also an extra night in a hotel and I really upset with their feedback. Really need your advice... Thank you all so much for spending time reading this!
Last edited by circumstances; Jan 10, 2018 at 9:34 am
Jan 10, 2018 | 1:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 9,971
Very bizarre set of circumstances. Hardly makes sense, not least because Ryanair bag drop *closes* 40 minutes before departure. So you shouldn't have been able to check the bag at 06.15 at all. And of course you *should* have been able to check it at any time between your arrival and 06.10.
The tricky part here is your having to repackage the luggage muddies the waters a bit, just because it implies the issues you encountered were partly of your own making, even if they weren't.
If you're sure that this was nothing to do with your timing, and all to do with Ryanair's systems bizarrely saying you were too early - which clearly you weren't - then you may want to file a court claim. Some evidence/notes of what time you were there would certainly help.
For future reference, always be aware of the bag drop *close* time. Knowing that, you would have been in a good position to insist that the information you were being given could not possibly be right and sought a supervisor to override whatever the error was.
The tricky part here is your having to repackage the luggage muddies the waters a bit, just because it implies the issues you encountered were partly of your own making, even if they weren't.
If you're sure that this was nothing to do with your timing, and all to do with Ryanair's systems bizarrely saying you were too early - which clearly you weren't - then you may want to file a court claim. Some evidence/notes of what time you were there would certainly help.
For future reference, always be aware of the bag drop *close* time. Knowing that, you would have been in a good position to insist that the information you were being given could not possibly be right and sought a supervisor to override whatever the error was.
Jan 10, 2018 | 2:03 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold; LH Senator
Posts: 30,598
It's not clear why the "Zone E" desks would be closing at 6am (or whatever time it was), which would be peak departures time and when you would instead expect extra desks to be opening; it's also very surprising that they would give you the luggage labels there (if that's what you mean by "stickers for the suitcase") but NOT accept the luggage. Are you sure you weren't sent to Zone F to sort out some issue such as paying an overweight fee, drop off of oversize luggage, or something else?
When you met the unhelpful staff member at Zone F (where, again, it's not clear why you would have to ask for help to ""move the belt" to drop your bag - why didn't you go to a manned drop-off desk??) you should have been in possession of a boarding pass showing a timeline for your flight, containing a "Bag Drop" time and an "Arrive at gate" time. Regardless of what this unhelpful staff member told you, you clearly were confused by his conflicting, unexpected, and crazy instructions. Why didn't you find another staff member? The time to act was then; you should have known that you were rapidly running out of time. I know of no airport anywhere that only accepts luggage starting from 30 minutes before. Why didn't you seek a second opinion?
As you have travelled with Ryanair before, you should presumably have known you should be at the gate area, i.e. airside and past security, at 30 minutes before departure, rather than remaining landside waiting to check your bag. Are you sure that there was not some miscommunication where the phrase "too early" and "too late" became mixed up? Alarm bells should have been ringing for you when you see that you are getting so close to your departure time - written in black and white on the boarding pass in your hand - and the person you talk to says "too early". (Just to make sure - did you turn up on the wrong date?)
When you met the unhelpful staff member at Zone F (where, again, it's not clear why you would have to ask for help to ""move the belt" to drop your bag - why didn't you go to a manned drop-off desk??) you should have been in possession of a boarding pass showing a timeline for your flight, containing a "Bag Drop" time and an "Arrive at gate" time. Regardless of what this unhelpful staff member told you, you clearly were confused by his conflicting, unexpected, and crazy instructions. Why didn't you find another staff member? The time to act was then; you should have known that you were rapidly running out of time. I know of no airport anywhere that only accepts luggage starting from 30 minutes before. Why didn't you seek a second opinion?
As you have travelled with Ryanair before, you should presumably have known you should be at the gate area, i.e. airside and past security, at 30 minutes before departure, rather than remaining landside waiting to check your bag. Are you sure that there was not some miscommunication where the phrase "too early" and "too late" became mixed up? Alarm bells should have been ringing for you when you see that you are getting so close to your departure time - written in black and white on the boarding pass in your hand - and the person you talk to says "too early". (Just to make sure - did you turn up on the wrong date?)
Last edited by irishguy28; Jan 10, 2018 at 2:11 pm
Jan 11, 2018 | 9:49 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 4
Hi Ldnn1, thank you for your reply!
The thing is, I didn't check the exact time when I finally dropped my bag but I did spend some time to repackage my stuff and that's the start of so much drama...
A court claim is almost impossible since I don't have any solid evidence...
Anyway, thanks again!!
The thing is, I didn't check the exact time when I finally dropped my bag but I did spend some time to repackage my stuff and that's the start of so much drama...
A court claim is almost impossible since I don't have any solid evidence...
Anyway, thanks again!!
Jan 11, 2018 | 10:24 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 4
Hi irishguy28,
Thank you so much for your reply and for the Zone E, I don't know why they closed it but it seems that they just used Zone F instead. I was given the luggage label because I checked in and weighted my suitcases at Zone E so the lady printed my boarding pass and everything, but both suitcases were overweight a little bit so she agreed I can repackage them and then come back. After I went back, I just found Zone E was closed and they told me to drop my bags at Zone F.
It's been quite a long time and I couldn't remember clearly why I didn't use a manned desk... I'm pretty sure he told me it's too early and he showed me the screen it said something similar. And what's more, he let me wait somewhere nearby until the time I "could" drop the bags so there was no miscommunication of "too early" or "too late". And I'm 100% sure I didn't turn up on the wrong date. But you are right I should seek help from someone else and always be aware of the closing time... Lesson learned this time...
Thank you again!
Thank you so much for your reply and for the Zone E, I don't know why they closed it but it seems that they just used Zone F instead. I was given the luggage label because I checked in and weighted my suitcases at Zone E so the lady printed my boarding pass and everything, but both suitcases were overweight a little bit so she agreed I can repackage them and then come back. After I went back, I just found Zone E was closed and they told me to drop my bags at Zone F.
It's been quite a long time and I couldn't remember clearly why I didn't use a manned desk... I'm pretty sure he told me it's too early and he showed me the screen it said something similar. And what's more, he let me wait somewhere nearby until the time I "could" drop the bags so there was no miscommunication of "too early" or "too late". And I'm 100% sure I didn't turn up on the wrong date. But you are right I should seek help from someone else and always be aware of the closing time... Lesson learned this time...
Thank you again!
Jan 15, 2018 | 9:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,775
Sounds like the first agent had actually done everything and the second agent shouldn't have been scanning at all - just sending the bag down to the aircraft. The incorrect error message confused them I guess - but not sure why they didn't read the very clear timeline on the boarding pass and investigate further! Especially since judging from my occasional experience in a Ryanair check in queue this shuffling is done by at least half the people checking in.... normally they keep the boarding pass until you return to that same person for them to check your weight/payment is now OK
You could potentially try and pursue EU compensation from a denied boarding angle - could be tricky to prove it
Out of interest did you retain the original bag tags/labels? This would help in their investigation I suspect if they ever bother to do one
You could potentially try and pursue EU compensation from a denied boarding angle - could be tricky to prove it
Out of interest did you retain the original bag tags/labels? This would help in their investigation I suspect if they ever bother to do one