# Ryanair Gift Voucher - will they extend expiry



## Futurelookin (9 Apr 2020)

I got a voucher for €150 for my birthday last June with a 1 year expiry. I could book a flight for later in the year (for when?). Without knowing when normal service will resume have Ryanair extended the term of validity of their vouchers or should I book before June and just reschedule if air travel is not back to normal by the time I'm due to travel?


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## tallpaul (9 Apr 2020)

Interesting question. As the voucher was purchased before the change in the law, I'm not sure if the new five-year expiry rule applies. Perhaps existing vouchers were grandfathered in? 

If I were devious (!), I might perhaps book a flight for €150 to somewhere for late April/early May and then wait for the inevitable cancellation and full refund...


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## Futurelookin (9 Apr 2020)

tallpaul said:


> Interesting question. As the voucher was purchased before the change in the law, I'm not sure if the new five-year expiry rule applies. Perhaps existing vouchers were grandfathered in?
> 
> If I were devious (!), I might perhaps book a flight for €150 to somewhere for late April/early May and then wait for the inevitable cancellation and full refund...


They might refund the purchaser and not me


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## Micky43 (17 Oct 2020)

Futurelookin said:


> I got a voucher for €150 for my birthday last June with a 1 year expiry. I could book a flight for later in the year (for when?). Without knowing when normal service will resume have Ryanair extended the term of validity of their vouchers or should I book before June and just reschedule if air travel is not back to normal by the time I'm due to travel?


I have vouchers that run out in December 2020. What  happened with your vouchers?


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## almostthere (17 Oct 2020)

I used my gift vouchers that were purchased in summer 2019 before Christmas. Flights then cancelled last Spring. I asked for cash back. They refused. Would only issue* new* gift vouchers in their place. The new vouchers issued to me, September 2020, only had a 4 month, use by date.  I have contacted Ryanair about this and they have ignored my correspondence.

Referred to CCPC who are having a look at it.






						Consumer Rights & Personal Finance - CCPC
					

The CCPC has information and useful tools on consumer rights and personal finance. Check out our latest news and get practical independent information.




					www.ccpc.ie


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## WizardDr (17 Oct 2020)

If I was to give you a tip about Ryanair it would think of what you think is fair and then you will get the opposite.


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## Pinoy adventure (17 Oct 2020)

I'm sure over the next 6 months there will be many people who's vouchers will be expiring and with the current situation I don't think many will be flying it them


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## almostthere (18 Oct 2020)

Futurelookin said:


> I got a voucher for €150 for my birthday last June with a 1 year expiry.


If they were purchased June 2020 then they should have an expiry date of 5 years. New rules came in last December.






						Gift vouchers - CCPC
					

Your rights when using and buying gift vouchers




					www.ccpc.ie


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## joer (18 Oct 2020)

I accepted a voucher in June 2020 and the expiry date is May 21. So not bad really and it suits me.


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## almostthere (18 Oct 2020)

joer said:


> I accepted a voucher in June 2020 and the expiry date is May 21. So not bad really and it suits me.


There is a difference between an airline voucher and a gift voucher.


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## joer (18 Oct 2020)

Not sure , it was an Airline voucher that I received .


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## almostthere (23 Oct 2020)

joer said:


> I accepted a voucher in June 2020 and the expiry date is May 21. So not bad really and it suits me.


I would be interested to know when your flights were due to take place in 2020. 

 Was the airline voucher given with a one year expiry date from the date you purchased the flight tickets or from the date you were due to fly or from the date that they dealt with your claim?

Maybe the expiry date of May 21 is just a date picked at random?


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## joer (23 Oct 2020)

My flight was for lat  June  2020 . I rang just at the beginning of June and got the voucher which expires in May 21.


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## almostthere (23 Oct 2020)

Micky43 said:


> I have vouchers that run out in December 2020. What happened with your vouchers?


If they were purchased on or after 2nd December 2019 they must have a 5 year expiry date.  Before December 2019 they will probably expire after one year. Depends on the company.


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## Leo (23 Oct 2020)

almostthere said:


> If they were purchased on or after 2nd December 2019 they must have a 5 year expiry date.



These vouchers are effectively credit notes, so the 5 year rule for gift vouchers won't apply. You link above covers this:


> Credit noteIf you return an item to a store and receive a voucher or credit note, it is not considered a gift voucher under the legislation.Excluded


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## almostthere (23 Oct 2020)

Leo said:


> These vouchers are effectively credit notes, so the 5 year rule for gift vouchers won't apply. You link above covers this:


I assumed Mickey43 was referring to a gift voucher and not an airline voucher as he was replying to this comment "I got a voucher for €150 for my birthday last June with a 1 year expiry".


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## Leo (27 Oct 2020)

almostthere said:


> I assumed Mickey43 was referring to a gift voucher and not an airline voucher as he was replying to this comment "I got a voucher for €150 for my birthday last June with a 1 year expiry".



Actually yeah, not clear which type he was referring to, thread was started with gift vouchers, then not sure with Mickey43 and definitely credit note variety with joer.


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## almostthere (28 Oct 2020)

Leo said:


> Actually yeah, not clear which type he was referring to, thread was started with gift vouchers, then not sure with Mickey43 and definitely credit note variety with joer.


Just an update. The CCPC, after a bit of persuasion have agreed to investigate the way Ryanair are dealing with Gift Vouchers that were used to purchase flights, that were subsequently cancelled by Ryanair.  Ryanair, in my case, only put a use by date of 4 months on new replacement gift vouchers. They appear to be putting one year on their Airline Vouchers (credit notes).
My point is  that they should be issued with a 5 year expiry date on them.


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## joer (28 Oct 2020)

I hope that a one year expiry date will be enough to get us back flying again but if it is not they will have to extend it again . So I do not see a problem really.


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## Leo (29 Oct 2020)

almostthere said:


> Just an update. The CCPC, after a bit of persuasion have agreed to investigate the way Ryanair are dealing with Gift Vouchers that were used to purchase flights, that were subsequently cancelled by Ryanair. Ryanair, in my case, only put a use by date of 4 months on new replacement gift vouchers. They appear to be putting one year on their Airline Vouchers (credit notes).
> My point is that they should be issued with a 5 year expiry date on them.



Good to know, anyone who purchased a flight that was later cancelled with a gift voucher purchased as such since December 2019 should be refunded with a voucher of the same expiry as the gift card used to purchase them or later.


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## Battou (23 Feb 2021)

almostthere said:


> Just an update. The CCPC, after a bit of persuasion have agreed to investigate the way Ryanair are dealing with Gift Vouchers that were used to purchase flights, that were subsequently cancelled by Ryanair.  Ryanair, in my case, only put a use by date of 4 months on new replacement gift vouchers. They appear to be putting one year on their Airline Vouchers (credit notes).
> My point is  that they should be issued with a 5 year expiry date on them.



Hi there, did you hear anything from CCPC as I do have the exact same case you had. I was offered a gift voucher of 150£ back in September 2019, I used it to buy a flight for March 2020 which was eventually cancelled but they never gave me back the voucher until end July 2020 and expected me to use it withon the 5 months in the middle of a pandemic. Now they say that my voucher is no longer valid. Absolutely disgraceful and unprofessional. Your help would be very much appreciated! Thank you very much


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## EasilyAmused (4 Mar 2021)

RyanAir CEO on radio this morning. He was asked this question via text. 
Said to follow the link on the latest email, follow instructions, and you’ll be refunded within seven days.


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## Laramie (4 Mar 2021)

I purchased a flight using a Gift Card from Ryanair.  Flight was cancelled and I was refunded with another Gift Card but with an expiry date of a few months.  I sent several messages to Ryanair and they eventually extended the expiry date of the Gift Card to be used by September 2021.

This is a Gift Card, purchased from Ryanair, as distinct from an Airline Voucher for a cancelled flight.

I would suggest that Battou contacts CCPC himself. I did. They said they would look in to it but never got back to me.

When contacting CCPC, be very specific. Specify that this is a Gift Card and not an airline voucher for a cancelled flight, otherwise they will fob you off to the Regulator for Aviation. Gift Cards should have a 5 year expiry date. Ryanair seem to be picking any old expiry date. The fact that they refunded you with a Gift Card and only 5 months to use it during a pandemic is disgraceful and should not be allowed.


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## Laramie (4 Mar 2021)

EasilyAmused said:


> RyanAir CEO on radio this morning. He was asked this question via text.
> Said to follow the link on the latest email, follow instructions, and you’ll be refunded within seven days.


No. That is for Airline Vouchers for cancelled flights. Not Gift Vouchers. They will not refund cash in respect of unused or unusable Gift Vouchers.


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