How to handle possible cancellation of my Ryanair flight?
I'm planning to go for a trip with friends to Budapest from Italy for the new year.
Basically we found some Ryanair flights but we are worried that our flight will be cancelled at the last minute like some other Ryanair flights on previous times...
The problem is that we also want to book a flat (8 guys) with Airbnb and the possibility to get our money back (as said before, a very big amount of money, between 2-3k €) is available only if we cancel 1 week before check-in.
Does Ryanair offer compensation if the flight is cancelled at the last minute? Does it provide a different way to get to the destination? Does Ryanair has to offer compensation for additional costs (like airbnb)?
Best Answer
Uh, this is exactly the sort of thing travel insurance is sold for - you have an uncertainty that you want covered, and you don't want to be massively out of pocket if that uncertainty becomes reality.
Go and talk to an insurance broker and have them advise you (on what policy to buy) in writing - that way, you should be covered for both the Ryanair uncertainty and any mis-selling of insurance should the insurance company refuse to pay out.
Pictures about "How to handle possible cancellation of my Ryanair flight?"
Will Ryanair refund me if my flight is Cancelled?
If your flight is cancelled there are two options available to you to choose from. You can either apply for a refund or change your cancelled flight for free.Can Ryanair cancel my flight?
Can I cancel my Ryanair flight? Once a Ryanair flight is operational, and does not have a delay exceeding 5 hours, then it is not possible to get a refund. All Ryanair flights are changeable but they cannot be cancelled.What do you do in case of Cancelled flight?
If you have a flight cancelled over two weeks before the departure date and the reason of the cancellation happens to be in the airline's control (no natural disaster, weather disruption), the airline needs to contact you and re-book on an alternate flight. You can also ask for your money back.How do I get a refund from Ryanair?
If you have booked via an online travel agency and are unable to contact them, you will need to apply for a refund directly on the Ryanair website. Ryanair have introduced a new policy for customers who are seeking a refund, but have not booked with Ryanair.com or via the Ryanair app.Ryanair Refund Policy | How To Get Full Refund From Ryanair Cancellation
More answers regarding how to handle possible cancellation of my Ryanair flight?
Answer 2
If you are worried about a cancellation, the answer is simple: Don't book with Ryanair.
You may be entitled to compensation https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/30/ryanair-cancellation-flights-refund-rebook-airline but it's complicated and likely to interfere with or even ruin your trip. Compensation policy can also change quickly if things get worse for Ryanair
Travel insurance may help, but you need to read the fine print carefully. Insurance only kicks in after all other compensations avenues have been exhausted (which you often have to prove yourself) and even then coverage is often limited to expense paid and that won't get you a new flight.
If you want to be sure you can make the trip as planned, book a reputable carrier.
Cautionary tale: Monarch Airlines just went bankrupt leaving 100,000 passengers stranded abroad http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/01/news/monarch-airlines-administration/index.html
Answer 3
From my experience, RyanAir will not provide any compensation beyond rebooking the flight or a refund. Good luck in getting any service from RyanAir beyond that.
Airlines are supposed to provide some basic compensation for delays over x hours in Europe, but that is fairly limited and not covering the total cost of your airbnb.
We got stuck in Greece last year when the air traffic controllers were threatening to strike. A lot of flights got cancelled and all passengers were scrambling for hotels.
I was traveling with KLM to Amsterdam and my girlfriend was traveling with RyanAir to Dublin. KLM was very helpful and provided a flight with other airlines without any problems. My girlfriend was fully dependent on the flights from RyanAir and she needed to basically keep checking the website.
My travel insurance took care of some additional costs (up to a certain limit per day), but was not fully covering everything because I had a fairly basic plan.
My girlfriend's travel insurance still needs to pay her claim (after a year!). So check the small print of your travel insurance as well.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Marc Linder, Ono Kosuki, Markus Winkler, Nikol Kawulska