Ryanair wrangle cost me £622

G.C. writes: I was tasked with organising my friend’s stag do in Krakow. I booked flights with Ryanair, but when I attempted to check in online, I could not find the bookings. I rang Ryanair and was told there were no bookings for either of us. The outward flight was full so I had to book that leg with easyJet for £622 and the return leg with Ryanair. Just before we flew, I received an email from Ryanair saying I should check in urgently for the outward flight. It turned out we had been booked all along. RYANAIR refunded you for the duplicated booking on the return flight, but refused to cover the cost of what turned out to be your unnecessary booking with easyJet for the outward leg. This leaves you £622 out of pocket, even though you feel Ryanair has accepted it was at fault by giving back the cost of the return flights.

Ryanair even apologised, assuring you that ‘your comments have been sent to our call centre manager so this kind of situation will not be repeated’. But crushingly, it added that ‘we regret we are not liable for any other airline expense incurred’.

I asked Ryanair to look in to this, but the airline told me it has no record of the call in which you say you were informed there were no bookings. It asked for the name of the customer service person who told you this – though how many call centre staff give their full name and who would ever keep a record of it? In short, this is stalemate, though I think if I book with Ryanair myself, I’ll tape any calls I have to make.