Fuerty & Ryanair in the news

[Magoo]

Ryanair refused to refund ticket of passenger who passed away before her flight - because 'she died too soon'

Beryl Parsons, 78, died four months before holiday to the Canary Islands

Son Doug, from Norwich, Norfolk, asked Ryanair to refund her £230 flight

Airline rejected request saying he had breached their terms and conditions

Clause states bereavement must occur 'within 28 days of intended travel'

Ryanair backs down and apologises after being contacted by reporters

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2390202/Ryanair-refused-refund-ticket-passenger-died-died-soon.html

Edit by admin - Sorry Magoo - I thought it best to give a synopsis.

[denboy]

flown with ryanair a lot,and have defended them from unfair criticism.it,s impossible to defend their stance in this case.they need to review their position in cases like this.i am disgusted by it.

[Can the Man]

Very disappointed to hear this approach by RA 

My mother in law was due to travel out with my mother approx 5 years ago, but she died before we could travel, luckily enough I had taken out travel insurance and they refunded my mother in laws flight cost and my mothers because she was to have been my mother in laws travel companion.

I will never book flights without having travel insurance in place.

[niksternoo]

RA getting a lot of bad press lately...and then the programme tonight...dont think i will book with them for next years trip back to FUE, id rather pay a few quid extra than deal with sharks like that

[mickboy]

If you read their terms and conditions as well as FAQ's on their web page they do say they will refund if it is close family members bereavement.

I have spoken to their contact centre twice over past 24 hours and have to fax details to them today so will see what I get in return.

I haven't paid for the flights via mastercard yet so intend speaking to mastercard as well.

Only time will tell!!!

[zedzedeleven]

quote Mickboy <If you read their terms and conditions as well as FAQ's on their web page they do say they will refund if it is close family members bereavement.>
Well well well, I never knew that. Did you know that Fi ?

[fifi]

I knew that you could get reimbursed for a close relation ZedZed but I thought that it would be through their insurance company.

I dont think that there should have been a refund given in this case. Sorry but rules are rules. If it quotes 28 days for a refund on their website then they should have stuck with that. 

Ryanairs letter.

    "Unfortunately, we regret to advise you that in accordance with Ryanair's General Conditions of Carriage detailed below we cannot refund your booking confirmation RF1SGP – see below extract from our Conditions of Carriage:

    10.3 BEREAVEMENTS

    In the case of a bereavement of an immediate family member (spouse, civil partner, mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent or grandchild) within twenty eight days of intended travel we will, upon application made as soon as reasonably practicable but in any event by the proposed date of travel and accompanied by a copy of the applicable death certificate, make a refund in line with Article 10.2.

    Please again accept our sincere condolences.  (I dont see how they can be criticised for that)



The Daily mail article is tacky and to be honest I dont know how any grieving son would agree to an interview like that.  It looks like he was just trying to make  money out of his Mothers death for this  interview. Shame on him if that is the case. The picture of  him with his Mothers ashes I find particularly offensive. If he was my Son I would haunt him from the grave for doing that.    Unusual for me to have such a strong opinion but there you are.

Quoted from the article.......

He said: 'It was never really about the money. It was all about the principle.

'If they had not given me the money back, I would have booked my mother's ashes on to the flight on a seat that I had booked for her.

'She had a valid passport so I don't think there was any way they could have refused to take her ashes.

'I would also have put the ashes in the wheelchair that I had reserved for her at the airport, and I would have filmed everything and posted the video on YouTube. (How low can you get. Oh I could throttle him....its just so unbelievably devoid of any respect whatsoever).





....I am surprised that he didnt do it. No doubt there would have been many other offers from the gutter press for the story.






End of rant.

[Mr Boo Boo]

Watched the RA documentary last night and it was worrying re that RA planes fly with the very minimum of fuel on board...

[dagwood]

Speaking of respect for the dead, Some years ago Clients of mine were upset while making a claim after a family bereavement, when a letter sent by a large insurance company, whose head office was in the UK, began with the words Dear Deceased. I contacted the company on behalf of the family and apologies were immediately sent in a very well worded and sympathetic letter but again the letter started with the words Dear Deceased! 

[fifi]

 

[Champlain Girl]

Watched the RA documentary last night and it was worrying re that RA planes fly with the very minimum of fuel on board...

Yes it certainly was, putting everyone at risk, it is shameful!!

CG

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

They carry at least enough excess fuel for another 30 mins flying and it's not like they fly to the US of A.

[Magoo]

Ryanair refused to refund ticket of passenger who passed away before her flight - because 'she died too soon'


Edit by admin - Sorry Magoo - I thought it best to give a synopsis.

That OK, my idleness knows no bounds 

[beachlife]

Watched the RA documentary last night and it was worrying re that RA planes fly with the very minimum of fuel on board...

The minimum limit is set by the EU and pilots have to inform ATC that they are below the 30 minute fuel for flying if they breach it so ATC will instruct them to land before there position in any queue. There is amply fuel in the plane its just that procedures are kicking in as RA are flying close to the limit set by the authorities. As far as I see it there is no danger of planes falling out of the sky, if there was its easy for the authorities to upgrade the flight safety fuel margin to 45 minutes flight time over and above the flight fuel load for the route flown.

I wonder if the highly paid pilots are now working to rule as they want to have the same conditions of work as most of the other airlines, contracted hours and not zero hours. I quite understand the pilots wanting to change the conditions of working to suit them but also understand RA wanting to keep their costs down. To use the fuel safety margin as ammunition against RA is perhaps disingenuous. There is an excess of pilots in Europe and RA have used this to change the conditions and how pilots work compared to the National airlines who set their conditions for pilots when there weren`t enough pilots.

Lots of things wrong with RA (and other airlines) but I am flying to the rock with them in September and have no worries that this issue will affect safety of the plane. However if they would stop trying to sell me lottery tickets, stop blowing that bugle when they land early, zone children in a section of the plane together and have someone with an accent I can understand over the address system then I would be even happier

[dagwood]

Well some of you could travel by Train, but then again maybe not.

[isleswing]

But did the programme tell what margin all the other airlines work to? None of them pay to cart around more fuel than they need, surely?

[zedzedeleven]

I think there are regulations for the transporting of urns of ashes as well. I am almost certain that if the urn was in cabin luggage there would be a a query at the scanner.

[fifi]

On the programme they said that it was up to each individual Pilot to decide how much extra fuel to carry.

[fifi]

I think there are regulations for the transporting of urns of ashes as well. I am almost certain that if the urn was in cabin luggage there would be a a query at the scanner.

You need to follow the rules allright ZedZed.

Ryanairs regulations here. 8.9.2 The carriage of ashes is permitted as cabin baggage, and may be carried in addition to your single permitted piece of normal cabin baggage provided that a copy of the death certificate and the cremation certificate accompanies them. You must ensure that the ashes are securely packaged in a suitable container with a screw top lid and protected against breakage.

[woe10]

Talking about Cabin Baggage,  I had mine weighed at a Ryanair check-in last week and it was 1 kilo heavier than what I weighed it with my digital scales. Luckily it was still under 10 kilos. Other people who came through said the same thing. 1 kilo heavier than what they weighed it.

SCAM

[dagwood]

I never believe my digital scales when I stand on them either.

[dagwood]

Most of the complaints about car hire on this forum is about too much fuel in the tank when people have to pay for it. How CAN YOU WIN?

[fifi]

Expect more bad news stories on Sunday from the gutter press.

12 Aug 2013
RYANAIR CABIN CREW WANTED BY MAIL ON SUNDAY.



From: Amy Oliver <Amy.Oliver@mailonsunday.co.uk>
To: "ryanairdontcare@yahoo.co.uk" <ryanairdontcare@yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Monday, 12 August 2013, 15:22
Subject: Can you help with Mail On Sunday investigation?


Dear John,

I'm a feature writer at the Mail On Sunday and am looking to interview a disgruntled Ryanair steward or stewardess about their experience of working for the airline. I came across your brilliant blog and am getting in touch to see if you can help me. I understand your daughter was treated badly by Ryanair Perhaps there are other people you know who would talk?

It may be easier for us to have a quick chat on the phone. My number is 020 3615 1819 / 07742 462 707.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Many Thanks

Amy

[woe10]

It's not gutter press Fifi. It's informing people of what's going on with these rip-off companies. And rightly so.

[fifi]

I disagree when they are only looking for people who are disgruntled. What about looking for both sides of the story? There are happy employees also. Ryanair are not a rip off company. They have brought down the price of airfares for us all to enjoy.

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Woe, I can't understand why you're flying with RA when you obviously hate them so much..maybe they were cheaper than others?
I always use hand held scales when weighing cases as I can take them with me and use them for checking onthe return flight.They always say the same weight at home as at the RA check-in.
It simple really, either fly RA or don't, no one forces anyone to use them, and they save me a fortune every year 
I can go 4 hours without a meal, don't need priority boarding or reserved seating and am damn glad not to have some selfish person reclining their seat back into my paid for space. Love 'em 

[bedouin]

Talking about Cabin Baggage,  I had mine weighed at a Ryanair check-in last week and it was 1 kilo heavier than what I weighed it with my digital scales. Luckily it was still under 10 kilos. Other people who came through said the same thing. 1 kilo heavier than what they weighed it.

SCAM

Ryanair don't own the check-in facilities, they're owned by the airport, and the staff who check you in are usually subcontractors.  If you don't believe the scales, you should complain to the airport!

Incidentally, like Hev, my handheld digital luggage scale always agrees with the airport scales.

[isleswing]

A balanced story doesn't sell newspapers or TV programmes!!!!!

[fifi]

Exactly. That is why I call them the gutter press.

Out of curiosity I checked to see what Easyjet would be obliged to do in a similar case and it appears that a refund is entirely at their own discretion. They recommend that people take out insurance policies.

Copied from their website....

6.4 Exceptional Circumstances

We will consider at Our discretion issuing a credit, refund or will change Your reservation in Exceptional Circumstances, provided that the claim and a copy of any supporting documentation (e.g.: death certificate in the case of a bereavement) is submitted by post or via completing a web form online to the easyJet Customer Services Team.

All claims will be assessed entirely at Our discretion. Any credit issued will be to the value of the original fare paid per passenger per Flight and can be used within the following six month period against any future Flights with Us.

We strongly recommend that Passengers obtain adequate travel insurance to cover themselves for such circumstances (see Article 29 (Insurance)).


Ryanair were not obliged to refund at all in this case. Their refund was purely an act of goodwill.


Is Michael getting soft with age?  

[woe10]

Hev, it wasn't by choice to fly Ryanair. At the moment, with summer holidays, you get what you can.

Also, I complained a couple of years ago and asked to see the Calibration Certificate (required by law I believe). They said it was in the office, which meant going back through security etc ...  yeh OK, then you miss the flight. They have all angles covered.