Passengers of FR271 sent a message to Michael O'Leary - CEO, Ryanair - Email Address that said:
In November I sent you a complaint - with the CAA and your CEO cc'd - to which I have had no response. I have now raised the complaint formally with the CAA and if you think I will let this go, you're very much mistaken - out of principle alone I will be persevering. I will be sending an email a week henceforth, and then daily after a month. I hope forthwith that you may be inclined to take your customers seriously. To quote an article from the FT, youre not being very adult about this Mr O'Leary: "We're probably moving on from being what I would call errant teenagers into being somewhat more adult in the way we both interact with our customers and communicate with the outside world."
Not getting much interaction.
On the 4th of December we were due to fly out to Dublin for a wedding on FR271 at 22.05 from Stansted Airport. This flight was delayed by >14 hours and then cancelled altogether. Whilst we do not blame you for the weather (how many times can you use that excuse in one short letter?) as it appears decent customer service is out with your control, let alone acts commonly attributed to a deity. We do however hold you responsible for the appalling treatment of the 200 or so stranded passengers. The following is an accurate description of events which will explain why you will refund us for the claim in the letter.
Having arrived at the airport early, we went for dinner. At exactly 40 minutes before the flight the monitors flashed up "boarding" at which point we were chased through the (building site) airport by the ground staff, claiming that it was the final call. When we arrived, flustered, at the gate, not only was the flight not boarding there wasn't a plane anywhere in sight - why the message was falsely communicated is completely unclear.
Eventually, having been given no information by the Ryanair representatives, news reached us (via the passengers) that the flight was delayed until midnight - the monitor was still claiming that the flight was boarding. Unwilling to sit at the gate - where there were only vending machines - the passengers decided to go back to the main concourse, at which point we discovered that the route had been blocked because the floor was getting re-tiled. There was no one around at all from the ground staff. It wasn't until we demanded for the building contractors to get a supervisor that we were grudgingly allowed back through to the central area without a word of apology.
Then came a long, tiresome wait for news. No information was shared by Ryanair, Servisair or airport staff and all of our updates were coming from Twitter. At the point when the monitors were still claiming we would be departing at the new time of midnight, we knew that the plane was still, in fact, at Dublin airport. There were disabled and elderly people, parents with small children and stressed looking individuals all desperate for news and none was being communicated.
Eventually, at around 2am, a Servisair representative - who looked like he spent more time on his hair then on getting properly trained up on how to provide an adequate customer service - accompanied by two policemen with GUNS, commanded for us all to form a queue (which extended right the way round the concourse). He then proceeded to whisper something about a 14 and a half hour delay which only the front few rows could hear. He then announced that there were only 75 hotel rooms for all of us - subtext being that the rest of us could like it or lump it. Some of the passengers tried to find Ryanair representatives but all we found was a 400-odd page stack of papers on "our rights" dumped on the service desk. Never have I seen such a disgusting show of utter indifference.
Priority for the hotel rooms was given to the elderly and the families (the first and only decent thing any of the staff did) and the rest of us were left stranded. The Servisair representative then stated - and I quote - "if anyone wants to get taxis back home and come back in the morning, you will be fully reimbursed by Ryanair." I wrote this down as he was saying it knowing full well that the reimbursement would not in fact be given.
We duly took a taxi from Stansted to Fulham, at a cost of £67.94. In total, the cancelled flight meant we were out of pocket by circa £500 if we include the return flight and the accommodation. Yes, you refunded the flight but I would jolly well say that you had no leg to stand on with that and I'm sure you tried to find any means by which you could get out of paying that money.
We frankly don't care who refunds us the £67.94 - Servisair, Ryanair and Stansted staff were all at fault for mis-information and, in the case of the Servisair Hair employee, downright lying. The incompetence displayed in the few hours was astounding and it is needless to say that we will not be flying with the airline again.
The refund for the taxi is due because you did not provide the accommodation that you are legally required to in the even of a delay of that length. Nor did you provide your passengers with any food and beverage vouchers in all that time. Make no mistake, we will pursue this claim with the Civil Aviation Authority should you not refund the amount above in minimal time.
To even have to argue about this is appalling - so far in the wrong were you, that I would have expected apology letters to be issued to all customers not to mention the expenses incurred to be reimbursed without so much as a quibble.
We expect a response forthwith.
Passengers of FR271
