We Got Our RyanAir Check-In Refund!
Sunday, 2 November 2008 -- 11:05 amEDIT: RyanAir has changed their policy since this was written and now allows passengers with all passports to check in online. However, if you hold a non-European passport, make sure you take your printed boarding pass to the check-in counter at the airport for the mandatory passport check, or you may be denied boarding.
The following scenario took place in autumn 2008:
Back before our trip to Scotland, I wrote a post about RyanAir forcing us to pay to check in for our flight at the airport, since we have non-European passports. And how I found in the fine print that we were elligible for a refund of those fees but (of course) no information on how to do that!
Well, when we got to the airport at Torp, I went to the RyanAir service desk to ask about this. They gave me a paper with some fax numbers and told me to contact them after our trip. When I got back to Oslo, I wrote up the basic information and stuffed it through the fax machine. The fax number they gave me at the airport was 00 35 31 81 21 230, but when I tried to send the information, there was no answer. Next I tried a fax number from the RyanAir website: +353 1 5081702, which was also unreachable. Finally, I gave up and decided to just try mailing them and hope for a response.
So I wrote them a brief letter with an explanation of why we were elligible for the refund and how I had tried unsuccessfully to contact them already. Along with the flight information, refund amount, and bank card information, I included a printout of our receipt from booking the flights and copies of our non-Europe passports.
Off it went in early October, stamped and dropped in the post box, and last week I received an email that they had processed my request. This weekend, we checked our bank account online, and sure enough our 160 NOK had come back to us (although we did have to pay for the stamp to Ireland).
Next time we fly RyanAir, you can be sure I’ll be repeating this process!
And if you ever end up in the same situation, I’m including a copy of the letter I sent…
(Obviously it may need to be adjusted slightly to fit your situation.)
Your Name
Your Address
City, Country, Post Code
Date
Ryanair Refunds Dept
PO Box 11451
Swords
Co Dublin
Ireland
Fax: +353 1 8121230
I am writing to apply for a refund of the check-in fees paid by my husband and me for a recent roundtrip journey from Origin Airport to Destination Airport. According to the Ryanair Terms & Conditions, we are both eligible for a refund of the 4 Airport Check in fees (2 people x 2 flights), because neither of us holds a passport or national identity card from an EU/EEA country.
I was advised by the Ryanair customer service desk at the airport to send this request to fax number 00 35 31 81 21 230. However, this number provided no fax response. I also attempted to send this information to fax number listed on ryanair.com (+353 1 5081702), which was also unreachable. Thus, I’m sending this request to the address on ryanair.com
Total Refund Due: 160 NOK
Confirmation Number: Confirmation #
Passenger Names:
Passenger Name 1
Passenger Name 2
Flights:
7803 TRF – PIK Sat 13 Sep 2008
7802 PIK – TRF Sat 20 Sep 2008
Bank Card used for Booking:
Visa #### #### #### ####
exp MM/YY
Enclosed, please find a copy of our original receipt from booking the flights as well as photocopies of the identifying pages of our non-European passports. Please contact me by telephone (Phone + Country Code) or email (email address) if there is any additional documentation you require.
Regards,
Your Name
November 11th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Dear Meg
I want to do the same too (ie. asking for refund) but they gave me this slightly different address instead:
Ryanair Refunds Dep
Head Office
Dublin Airport
Co Dublin
Which address do you think I should use, mine or yours?
Thanks
November 11th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I would imagine that you could use either address. I used the one above, because it was the one for all the other refund information on the RyanAir website:
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=cnt&quest=custserv
Since they have the same address for flight cancellation refunds and luggage claims, I just assumed they have one refunds department and don’t bother mentioning this kind of refund on the website, hoping that people will just give up!
I think the paper they gave me at the airport had the same one you liste, but I didn’t feel as secure sending international mail addressed only to the Dublin Airport. Somehow the PO Box made me feel more certain that it would actually reach the refund department. Especially after both fax numbers failed! And apparently they did get it, so it seems to have worked!
December 29th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Meg,
Did Ryanair credit your bank card back for this amount? Guess so, as I do not see anything mentioned about providing bank account details in your post.
Can you please confirm?
Thanks & Regards,
Vel.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Yes, RyanAir just credited the refund directly to our bank card. After receiving the email, I did check the bank statement online, and the account was credited correctly.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Dear Meg
I finally got my ryanair refund credited to my credit card. Thanks so much for your help.
Mackenzie
March 6th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Meg, I’ve got an entire post outlining this exact procedure:
Warning: RyanAir Online Check-In
I’m glad to hear you got your money back!
March 18th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Meg-
You are a Superstar and my personal hero for succesfully receiving your refund! After trying several times unsuccessfully I have simply vowed never to fly Ryan Air again- I will however try one more time to get my refund using a modified copy of your letter.
Thank you so much!
Jennifer
April 27th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
RyanAir now allows online checking for all countries.
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:45 am
Not only do they now allow it, they require it! If you don’t check-in online and bring your printed boarding pass to the airport, you have to pay a fee of 40 EUR/GBP!
May 30th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I have been trying to get RyanAir to refund my airport check-in fee for OVER A YEAR and they won’t do it. I’ve sent letters very similar to the one posted on your blog and all accompanying information by both fax and registered mail and all I ever get back is an email from them saying they need a copy of the picture page of my passport, which I have already sent to them along with the other documentation.
I have contacted the UK trading standards agency and they say that my only recourse at this point is to sue RyanAir, but I don’t know that I want to spend still more money to get back this lousy fee.
I will NEVER fly with RyanAir again.
February 16th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Ah! I’m so glad this was poste| There is a mass of different
information out there, this dispells, puts to rest
some of what I’ve seen.
May 12th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
I flew to Dublin Ireland May 13th we got cought up with the volcanic ash i was flying from London. could’nt fly back had to pay to take a fairy back . My son is stationed at lakenheath A.F.B. He had to drive 6 hours to pick me up. i was told there would be a refund. I went on line gave all my info have not heard anything.I have poeple in London trying to help also ,still nothing.