My complaint:
I recently tried to book a flight on the Ryanair website, however it displayed an error and after at least 20 minutes of repeated efforts to no avail, I booked an alternative flight.
However, the original flight I selected has now appeared in my bookings and payment has been taken from my account. This is unacceptable.
In response to my first complaint (registered as 6194265) I was asked to contact customer services. They said I should have contacted them at the time of the issue (Sunday night – everyone was closed, I tried to use the chatbot, it was horrendous), and suggested I respond to the original email response.
This is impossible as it is a noreply email, so I made a new complaint. This was clearly not even read properly and I received a response telling me that it was not Ryanair’s policy to refund duplicate bookings.
So I made another complaint. To this I received a response saying I needed to contact customer service again so the issue can be resolved more efficiently.
When I called customer services they informed me I needed a screenshot, that they were unable to control claims and that I needed to reply to the email again.
So I made another complaint. Again I received a standard response saying it is not Ryanair’s policy to refund bookings!
I have also emailed Ryanair’s Head of Customer Services, but received no response.
The payment taken from my account without my permission was for €9.99, which is obviously a negligible amount for which I have no concern. My initial complaint was a grievance that the website told me I was unable to checkout my booking, yet a payment was taken from my card – which is theft.
My complaint now, however, is about a blatant policy that is clearly designed to prevent customers from speaking to employees who actually deal with complaints and claims directly, and that is designed to absolve two clearly distinct teams from taking any responsibility for resolving customer issues through a process of cross-referral.
I also have serious concerns about any CRM solution they may have in place if a new item with unique ID code is generated for every new communication.
The issue has also taken up an inordinate amount of my team during working hours – as a private consultant who charges by the hour this has clearly impacted my earnings.
Suggested solution:
I simply require acknowledgement that they made in error in taking my money, for it to be refunded, and a nominal payment of 40 euros made as a token of their understanding of the frustration this has caused and impact on my earnings.
