r/Ryanair • u/zulublue- • 5d ago
Flight cancelled: booking through alternative airlines
My flight to Brussels CRL in January was just cancelled. The ONLY other flight to CRL by Ryanair on the same day arrives 9 hours later - costing us a full day of our holiday and other events that we have already bought tickets for and would miss.
As far as I’m legally aware, I’m entitled to be rerouted to arrive at a similar time as my original flight (“at the earliest opportunity”). There are other flights through Brussels Airlines to Brussels BRU that would get me to the destination at a similar time to my original flight.
I want to refund my cancelled flight ticket, book a new ticket through Brussels Airlines to Brussels BRU, then claim the costs of that ticket from Ryanair through EU261 expenses. Does this sound reasonable?
I have been talking to customer service all day and they’re telling me it is a risk and my expense claim can’t be guaranteed because they have alternative flights, but I think I’m being completely reasonable in my accommodation requests.
Will Ryanair try to reject my expenses claim on the grounds that it is a different airline / different airport? Will the fact that they have flights within 48 hours of the original booking (that I have deemed unsuitable) have any impact on my claim?
All help is appreciated, thanks
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5d ago edited 5d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Brilliant, so I definitely shouldn’t do any refunding of my original flight.
And the rerouting to my final destination at the earliest opportunity, does that include other airports in the same cities? And other airlines to take me to them? The legislation I’ve read says yes but I have a feeling that Ryanair will use the fact that my new ticket is BRU instead of CRL and Brussels Airlines instead of Ryanair to reject my claim
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u/ashscot50 5d ago edited 5d ago
No, it doesn't sound reasonable at all.
Essentially, you're asking for a free flight. That isn't going to happen.
Compensation for cancellations only applies if the flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice.
In the event of cancellation under EC 261, the airline must provide an alternative travel solution to reach your final destination on another flight or a ticket refund but not both. There is no fixed deadline for providing alternative flights, but the airline must offer you a re-routing or a refund as soon as possible after a cancellation.
Any consequential losses such as tickets for attractions are a matter for your travel insurance.
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Yeah I see that now in the refund part. I won’t ask for the refund, but I do want them to pay for my rerouted ticket through Brussels Airlines. I was misunderstood in the process because a Ryanair customer service rep told me to refund my ticket and then buy a new one - went right over my head tbh
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u/ashscot50 5d ago
I think you have a case for them to book you on Brussels Airlines if that's the next available routing to your destination, but you may have to escalate the case.
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Sounds good - thanks. The only outstanding confusion I think I have is the fact that Ryanair are operating a flight, but because it’s 9 hours later than my original flight it really isn’t suitable for my planned holiday.
The next available routing would be Brussels Airlines, departing 2 hours after my original flight. This is the one that arrives at BRU instead of CRL, though. Would I be okay booking this one?
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u/ashscot50 5d ago
No, because that's not your original destination.
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Article 8.3 says “when, in the case that a city is served by several airports, an operating air carrier offers a passenger a flight to an airport alternative to that for which the booking was made, the operating air carrier shall bear the cost of transferring the passenger from that alternative airport either to that for which the booking was made, or to another close-by destination agreed with the passenger”.
This is the confusing part for me. I read this as “Ryanair will fly me to Amsterdam (for example) and then pay for me to get a train to Brussels”.
But would they simply refuse to pay for the ticket to BRU just because it isn’t CRL? The idea of “re-routing to the final destination at the earliest opportunity” means to the CITY instead of the airport, in my opinion. What do you think?
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u/ashscot50 5d ago
I disagree. They are not obliged to transport you to an alternative airport, but if they do, then they have to pay for the transfer to your original destination.
So they are obliged to get you to CRL as soon as possible, not any other airport or city or same city.
There may be precedent in terms of "destination" city rather than airport, but I doubt Ryanair will agree. It's certainly worth talking to them about that aspect. But ultimately, "destination" means destination airport, not city, in my opinion.
My understanding is that under EU261, the "destination" is your original, intended final destination as specified on your ticket, not just the city.
If your argument fails, I would take the refund, try to change your attraction tickets, rebook yourself, and claim any consequential losses on your travel insurance.
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Hm interesting. So considering that they’re obliged to get to me to CRL at a time that is reasonably similar to my original time, but there aren’t any Ryanair flights that can achieve that (reasonably; without any changes or 10+ hour journeys involved), what options do they have?
Will my only remaining option be to do as you said and refund the Ryanair ticket, rebook myself and leave it at that? I haven’t yet looked into whether there is a price difference but I’m sure there will be haha
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u/ashscot50 5d ago
I've tried to help you as best I can, but I don't work for Ryanair. You'll need to debate this with them.
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u/b0rmusic 5d ago
Correct if I'm wrong, but compensation under EU261 only applies if your flight is in less than 14 days.
I think you can only ask for the refund of the original flight.
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u/_romsini_ 5d ago
They're not looking for compensation, but re-routing.
"If your flight is cancelled you have the right to choose between reimbursement, re-routing or return. You are also entitled to assistance at the airport.
The airline must offer you, on a one off basis, a choice between:
•the reimbursement of your ticket and, if you have a connecting flight, a return flight to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity
•re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or,
•re-routing at a later date at your convenience under comparable transport conditions, subject to the availability of seats."
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Apologies I should’ve been clearer. I’m not asking for compensation - Ryanair have two separate sections for EU261 expenses and EU261 compensation.
I’m asking them to pay for the ticket (through expenses - I’ll pay for the ticket then reclaim it) that would get me into to Brussels at the earliest opportunity
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u/b0rmusic 5d ago
In that case, I think 9 hours could be considered not reasonable and you might ask to cover the expenses of the other flight ticket
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u/TopAngle7630 5d ago
Do they have alternatives from Liverpool or Leeds/Bradford? You are entitled to rerouting under 'comparable conditions', which could be argued to mean a budget airline as opposed to a full service airline.
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
I haven’t checked LBA or Liverpool yet, but I will do - thanks.
Out of interest, if they can reimburse a ticket from one of those, does that mean they can reimburse a ticket to BRU instead of CRL?
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u/Fraussie16 5d ago
Maybe I’m too soft, but it seems perfectly reasonable to me that Ryanair is only offering a refund or another flight with them, as they are giving you 4 months notice. It sucks because you will have to choose between losing a day or paying more for a flight with someone else, but that’s not Ryanair’s problem. In my mind they should offer to refund the return ticket too if you feel the trip is not viable anymore. But I wouldn’t expect them to book me on another airline when I have 4 months to sort something out. Happened to me with a flight with Easyjet last year, except they cancelled the route altogether (I was only flying one way). I just booked a more expensive flight with Volotea. Didn’t even occur to me to demand EasyJet pay the difference, but maybe I’m an idiot…
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u/zulublue- 5d ago
Yeah I do see where you’re coming from to be fair, it’s just really frustrating that I’ll most likely have to shell out even more money because of their actions. It’s probably even more frustrating for me because I know what Ryanair are like as a company and I know they act the way they do because their customers are easily taken advantage of. I really don’t want that to happen to me lol
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u/OxfordBlue2 5d ago edited 5d ago
Your understanding is correct. However, DO NOT take a refund from Ryanair. This ends their obligation to you.
Instead:
SCREENSHOT EVERYTHING
Book the alternative flight.
File a claim with Ryanair
They will refuse, take it to AviationADR
Wait several months
Get your money