# Ryanair changes flight times by 5 hours but no notification sent.



## IsleOfMan (18 Dec 2015)

I booked return flights to Nice for next April. I received my email confirmation and all was O.K.
I was just browsing the flights today only to find that Ryanair have changed the flight times from leaving Dublin at 12.45 p.m. to after 7 p.m.  The return flights have also been changed accordingly.
These times really don't suit me as I have organised transfers onward. The problem is, that I have booked a hotel and paid upfront. This money is not refundable.
Ryanair haven't even sent me an email to tell me that my flight times have been changed. I only came upon this by accident. Should they have done this?
I know that there is compensation for flight delays but is there compensation for flight time schedule changes?


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## Bronte (18 Dec 2015)

They should have notified you and I'm surprised they didn't.  Why did you pay the hotel up front.  First thing to do is check the hotels cancellation policy, which ideally you ought to have done when pre paying at the very minimum.  Most hotels have a 24 hours cancellation policy.

Ryanair will probably change your flights to a better time if you like, just contact them.  Other than that they should refund you as far as I know because the time difference is so long.

Check your spam/junk email for the ryanair notification.

Also double check there isn't another flight on the same day that you missed.


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## Grizzly (18 Dec 2015)

There wouldn't be much point in changing the flight times if there is no other flight available on the day, why did Ryanair change them in the first place? To say that Ryanair will change them to a better time makes no sense. The OP had already chosen the better times when making the initial booking.
Oftentimes people book and pay for hotels upfront in order to receive a discount on the price. There were great deals on hotels recently with all sorts of incentives being offered. Upgrades/free breakfasts/ stay 3 nights get 4th free kind of thing. A refund is not much use from Ryanair when you are committed to your hotel booking.
On the email thing. A few months back I got no reminder from Ryanair about flights that I had booked. Something that I always got in the past. Maybe they have changed this policy?


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## Leo (18 Dec 2015)

They may not notify everyone every time it changes, but likely will closer to the departure dates. These schedule changes happen often enough across all airlines.

There is no compensation available for schedule changes. That's also the risk you take with confirmed hotel bookings that are non-refundable. j


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## Bronte (18 Dec 2015)

Grizzly said:


> There were great deals on hotels recently with all sorts of incentives being offered. Upgrades/free breakfasts/ stay 3 nights get 4th free kind of thing. A refund is not much use from Ryanair when you are committed to your hotel booking.


That's a crazy thing to do with any airline.  The most important thing to do is to find out the cancellation policy before booking because as sure as night follows day a time will come when the flight doesn't go or somebody gets sick or an accident happens.  It's also why there is a product called travel insurance.


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## Laramie (18 Dec 2015)

Bronte said:


> That's a crazy thing to do with any airline.  The most important thing to do is to find out the cancellation policy before booking because as sure as night follows day a time will come when the flight doesn't go or somebody gets sick or an accident happens.  It's also why there is a product called travel insurance.



Not at all. I am registered as a reward member with several hotel chains. If you book direct with these hotels and not through the Hotel booking sites such as Booking.com, Expedia, AlphaRooms, HotelClub, Hotels.com and similar you can get get a guaranteed lower price. They also offer private sales to their registered members with various incentives to book early etc. When you book direct with the hotel website and not through an agent you can collect points to use against future bookings, free nights and so on.

I had 2 nights of a 4 night stay in Madrid paid for in October using accumulated points.

In order to avail of a large discounted price you have to pay upfront for your hotel stay. The hotel makes it quite clear that there is no refund if the booking is cancelled. It is not hidden in any small print. If a person is not happy with these T & C's they have the choice of paying a higher price.

To suggest that people are somehow stupid/crazy for making hotel bookings this way is nonsense. Millions of people do this and are very much aware exactly what they are doing.

I think that if an airline changes it's flight times they should notify all customers immediately as some may wish to make alternative arrangements.


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## so-crates (18 Dec 2015)

IsleofMan, you say you have booked transfers and a hotel, I am assuming you mean you've booked a hotel somewhere within a drive from the airport and that you will now be arriving late (after midnight perhaps?) 

Can the timing of the transfers be changed? Have you contacted the hotel to find out if there is a possibility of allowing you an extension on check in? They may not have a full desk at 1am but if they know in advance that you are going to be arriving late they may be able to put arrangements in place to facilitate you. I'd definitely give the reason why being a huge and unexpected change of flight arrival time.


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## Kimmagegirl (19 Dec 2015)

I fly this route on a regular basis. Both Ryanair and Aer Lingus operate this route. Flight schedules are similar.  I was tracking the prices for the New Year and I noticed that for my dates, Aer Lingus was approximately €110 more expensive than Ryanair for effectively the same flight times.  I purposely chose not to book early because I have been messed around on this route before by Ryanair.
Now it seems, what I expected has come to pass. Ryanir's prices were €110 cheaper than Aer Lingus. They grab all the business from Aer Lingus then Ryanair goes and changes the flight times.
What is most annoying is that they don't send out an immediate email to notify customers of this change in flight times. They wait until the last possible moment when it is often too late to do something about it.
If an airline changes the flight times then there should be some rule that compels them to notify customers immediately. If not then there should be some sanction.
The lesson I have learned with Ryanair is not to book to far in advance. Wait until about 6 to 8 weeks before flying.


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## SlugBreath (20 Dec 2015)

If you are landing at Nice airport there are different ways to transfer onwards. Local bus, Express bus, Taxi and Train, Rent a car. Depending on the distance to travel this can be expensive, awkward etc.
Ryanair changing the schedule by 5 hours can certainly throw a spanner in the works for most people. When you choose a daytime flight that arrives in the daytime you don't have to deal with making your way to the hotel in the dark. Bus and train schedules might not operate late in to the evening. The St.Augustin train station close to Nice airport is an unmanned station and is a bit scary to walk to in the dark.
Ryanair should send out an email to people about schedule changes. It has happened to me. If you try and contact Ryanair you have to pay a premium rate phone call to speak with a customer service agent. Why should you have to pay them money to tell you that, yes, we have messed up your flight plans. They should be the ones coming to you with an apology and a choice of options that are available to you.
I travel regularly with Ryanair. I don't for a moment believe in the new cuddly image of Michael O'Leary. This was just a marketing ploy. They are still the same Ryanair. They just allow you to take on an extra mini bag that they should have been doing all along.


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## Leper (21 Dec 2015)

Most of us who book flights regularly do so months early to avail of what we think are the cheapest prices.  It is not like Ryanair grabs the market and then changes the playing field.  There are many reasons why flight times change and I reckon none of them is due to a marketing ploy. Aer Lingus changes its times too.

The flight in question is due to go in April 2016.  It is likely that the flight time will be changed again.  Receiving several emails advising of one time change and then another gets more confusing.  While I much prefer Aer Lingus over Ryanair (despite their newer customer service) in the travel industry you usually get what you pay for.

Ask yourself the question:- Which is worse (a) Flight Time Change or (b) Cancellation of Flight.  I'd take the Flight Time Change anytime here.


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## Bronte (21 Dec 2015)

Kimmagegirl said:


> Now it seems, what I expected has come to pass. Ryanir's prices were €110 cheaper than Aer Lingus. They grab all the business from Aer Lingus then Ryanair goes and changes the flight times.
> What is most annoying is that they don't send out an immediate email to notify customers of this change in flight times. They wait until the last possible moment when it is often too late to do something about it.
> .



That's very very interesting Kimmagegirl.  I don't trust Ryanair so we try always to book with Aer Lingus as I know they will always be very customer friendly, as it happens we have an upcoming flight with AL and they changed the times and it didn't suit us so once I got the notification I just rang them up to change the days and it was absolutely no problem at all.  And it's not the first time I did it when flights were changed.


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## Bronte (21 Dec 2015)

Leper said:


> The flight in question is due to go in April 2016.  It is likely that the flight time will be changed again.  Receiving several emails advising of one time change and then another gets more confusing.



Speaking of April, most flight changes I've noticed are based on the Summer verus Winter schedules.  Generally November and Easter.  I'd prefer to get emails immediately so one can make alternative arrangements, we pick flights based on times as we are in general not willing to arrive late at night and having to drive in the dark etc.


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## Tintagel (21 Dec 2015)

Bronte said:


> I don't trust Ryanair so we try always to book with Aer Lingus as I know they will always be very customer friendly, as it happens we have an upcoming flight with AL and they changed the times and it didn't suit us so once I got the notification I just rang them up to change the days and it was absolutely no problem at all. And it's not the first time I did it when flights were changed.



I understand that you own a property abroad. If my assumption is correct then changing your flight plans to a different day could be accommodated. However if I am committed to an apartment rental or if I have booked a hotel where the booking cannot be changed then changing my flight to a different day is not on.

I totally agree with other people who have stated that they often book hotel rooms where the reservation cannot be changed in return for a discount on the price. This seemed alien to you. Many hotels have now introduced their own rewards systems rather than pay a commission to the website bucket shops. I often get emails offering me all kinds of deals and rewards direct from the larger hotel chains. To suggest that the OP didn't read the cancellation policy when making one of these bookings is to suggest that he was stupid. Many hotels have a 24 hour cancellation policy. Some hotels will only allow you cancel up to the week before. Some charge a one night's stay and in lots of cases in return for a discount of the price you cannot cancel at all without losing your payment.

We all travel differently and with full knowledge at what we are doing. You get your confirmation letter from the hotel. You get your confirmation of flights from the airline. If the airline changes their contract with you then you should be told immediately.


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## Odea (22 Dec 2015)

This is what Ryanair says on their website about schedule changes. They don't say how soon they will contact you after a schedule change. It would appear that the OP will be entitled to a complete refund. They also say that they will try to book you on an alternative flight.....does this include an Aer Lingus flight?

*9.1 SCHEDULES*
9.1.1 The flight timings shown on your Confirmation/Itinerary or elsewhere may change between the date of reservation and the date of travel.

9.1.2 When we accept your booking, we will notify you of the scheduled flight timings in effect as of that time, and it will be shown on your Confirmation/Itinerary. It is possible we may need to change the scheduled flight timings after you have booked your flight. If you provide us with your e-mail address and an away contact number, we will endeavour to notify you of any changes by such means. In the situations not covered by Article 9.2 below, if, after you make your reservation, but before the date of travel, we change the scheduled departure time by more than three hours and this is unacceptable to you and we are unable to book you on an alternative flight which is acceptable to you, you will be entitled to a refund for all monies paid in respect of the time changed flight.


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## Bronte (22 Dec 2015)

Tintagal I was referring to holiday bookings.  I have two currently, one a short trip this xmas and the accommodation is booked with 24 hours cancellation policy.  Ditto our Easter holiday.  One of the flights is AL and the Easter one is Ryanair.  I choose AL for xmas due to knowing that it's a difficult time of year for airlines due to the holiday period but also due to the weather being a factor.  It's absolute madness to book non refundable accommodation when one is relying on an airline.  The only way it is not madness is if one has travel insurance that would cover for it.  The absolute most important thing I look for in accommodation before booking is the cancellation policy.  Not only do I take a screen shot, because sometimes it's not on the booking confirmation, I also ask for an email confirmation from hotels if it's not on the webpage.

I also book direct with hotels, or via their website after first confirming I cannot get a better deal that way.  I never use booking.com etc.


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## Odea (22 Dec 2015)

Bronte said:


> It's absolute madness to book non refundable accommodation when one is relying on an airline. The only way it is not madness is if one has travel insurance that would cover for it. The absolute most important thing I look for in accommodation before booking is the cancellation policy.



You just don't seem to accept that people book non refundable accommodation and are perfectly happy to do so?  When I do it, I don't consider myself mad. I have made great savings and I have never had a problem.
The OP has not had his flight cancelled only delayed. So he can still avail of his low cost accommodation even though his travel arrangements have been disrupted.


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## Bronte (22 Dec 2015)

There is no point getting a cheap 100 Euro flight and losing two weeks accommodation costing hundreds. Ryanair and other airlines can and do change destinations.  Especially on new routes that may not work out.  There are also cases of Michael getting into battles with airports and taxes and workers rights and pulling routes.


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## BOXtheFOX (22 Dec 2015)

Bronte said:


> There is no point getting a cheap 100 Euro flight and losing two weeks accommodation costing hundreds. Ryanair and other airlines can and do change destinations. Especially on new routes that may not work out. There are also cases of Michael getting into battles with airports and taxes and workers rights and pulling routes.



I really think that you need to give people the benefit of having some intelligence. That they are intelligent enough to know what they are doing and make intelligent decisions based on the information that they have to hand. Not everyone lives like Henny Penny.

The chains. Melia, Mercure, Ibis, Best Western, Radisson, Accor, Marriott, Hilton etc all have the "no refund" offers. They are very popular and enjoyed by thousands of people.


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## IsleOfMan (28 Dec 2015)

Update. Thanks for all the responses. I never got any email from Ryanair confirming that my flights had been rescheduled by 5 hours. I found this out by pure chance.
The change of 5 hours would have meant that I would be arriving at my destination after midnight and even then, unless I got an expensive taxi there was some doubt about bus schedules etc. I didn't want to take the risk. I was also losing effectively a half day in the area where I was staying.

As others have said I am a rewards customer with the Accor chain of hotels. For booking early I got a 40% discount off the normal nightly price with a free breakfast included. It was a very good offer because I had been looking at the same hotel before the offer and was considering paying the higher price. I was well aware of the cancellation policy before making my booking.
Rather than pay to phone Ryanair to tell me that they had indeed rescheduled my flights I decided to use the live Chat option. I was waiting about 10 minutes before talking to a customer service rep.
I spoke to a most helpful person who unfortunately used the "server error" excuse as to why I received no email of the rescheduled flights. He immediately sent me the new flight times by email. He offered me a full refund there and then. I delayed making my decision.

After looking at all the options I decided that I would need to cancel my Ryanair flights and switch over to Aer Lingus. These flights would cost me an extra €100 but I felt I had to pay this in order to arrive at the time I wanted.
I got back on to the Ryanair Chat service. Well, talk about different standards from customer service staff. This second person I was dealing with just wanted to fob me off back on the the Ryanair website. Didn't want to know. Wouldn't answer a direct question. Dreadful service altogether.
In the end I forced the issue and asked for a refund. I was told that this would take 7 to 10 days. It remains to be seen though if this actually happens.

In the meantime I have booked alternative flights with Aer Lingus.

I am not happy with Ryanair. My wife reminded me that there were two different flights at different times heading to our destination when we originally booked. We chose the earlier more expensive flights. We could have purchased the later flights cheaper but chose not to. In the end we got bumped on to these anyhow but at the higher price.

The excuse of "server error" is not good enough. It reminds me of the "fog" excuse that they used to use back in the day.


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