This is sure to be controversial.
Ryanair has said it will not allow a number of passengers who received chargeback refunds for flights impacted by Covid-19 to travel with the airline unless they return the money, according to a new report.
As part of an investigation, MoneySavingExpert (MSE) spoke to three customers affected, who all had initial flights booked for the summer of 2020.
While the flights went ahead, the passengers did not travel, citing government advice regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, and sought refunds from Ryanair.
When the airline would not offer refunds because the flights carried on as planned, the customers asked their card firms – all of which were American Express – for a refund which they were awarded.
The sum of money refunded ranged from €470 to nearly €750.
However, after the three booked separate flights for 2021, they discovered that the airline would not allow the passengers to take them unless they returned the chargeback refunds.
MSE reported the three were allowed to book this year’s flights without issue but discovered the airline’s demands upon trying to check-in or make a change to their booking.
According to the report, the airline offered to return the money for the 2021 flights if the passengers did not want to repay the chargeback.
In a statement to JOE, a Ryanair spokesperson said: “The many millions of Ryanair customers whose flights were cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic and who applied directly to Ryanair for refunds, which they received directly from Ryanair, will be completely unaffected by these measures.
“There is a tiny minority of passengers (less than 1,000) who purchased non-refundable tickets on Ryanair flights which operated as scheduled during Covid-19 but who chose not to travel and then unlawfully processed chargebacks via their credit card company.
“These few passengers will be required to settle their outstanding debt before they will be allowed to fly with Ryanair again.”
MSE’s campaigns team has since reported the three cases to the Civil Aviation Authority, the aviation regulator.
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