Ryanair Schedule Change...

[FVmouse]

Here’s a new one from O’Leary’s team. Would be interested to hear of anything similar happening to others.....

Got a flight booked UK to FV on 8 Jul, returning 26 Jul. The return leg departure time has just been moved back 10 minutes from 19.35 to 19.45 and a first notification email sent to me (had this before, they normally send three notifications over time). The email asks me to click a link to accept the change. Everything else on the booking stays the same.

Now call me an old cynic but such a 10 minute move doesn’t seem to be of the highest priority right now as the slots at FUE can’t all be full (what with a global plague an all) so I’m wondering if there’s some small print somewhere whereby accepting such a trivial change disadvantages the passenger in some way should a refund eventually prove necessary.....Hard to imagine O’Leary would think this way but who knows....

Paranoid me. Just a bit .... Won’t be accepting the change, not that it matters as there’s exactly zero chance these flights will happen.

Please post if something similar happens to you. Just wondering if a pattern might emerge.

Thanks.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I've had similar in the past with EJ, had to accept the 10 mins change before I could check in online, but as no problems flying then I don't know if there would have been any consequences.

[Jason W]

Had this many times too with Ryanair, comes to something though when no one trusts the CEO, yet we all fly with them.

[Johnrgby]

Had this many times too with Ryanair, comes to something though when no one trusts the CEO, yet we all fly with them.

AHH, Jason, not all of us, if they were the only airline available I would never fly again.

[Spitfire58]

Had this many times too with Ryanair, comes to something though when no one trusts the CEO, yet we all fly with them.

AHH, Jason, not all of us, if they were the only airline available I would never fly again.

Same here. We've decided not to fly with Ryanair many years ago, no regrets.

That depends on how many other options one has. Limited from Scotland ☹️☹️

[Ducks]

I'm very grateful to have Ryanair as an option. In times of crisis they are absolutely hopeless, but their mere existence forces other operators to lower prices and offer more options, and when things go right with them, they're as good or better than any other airline. 

If they go toes-up in the wake of the Coronavirus, my options for getting to and from the island in the future will be both more limited and more costly. Anything that gives me more flexibility and more cash in my wallet at the end of the day is a plus for me. 

That said, it's possible FVmouse is correct here. Accepting that change may constitute a new contract, but I've looked over the EU261 regulations, and I can't find anything that would come into play here. Compensation depends on the time of cancellation relative to the flight date, not the contract date. However, I did find this one article that gives me some concern:

If you are not happy with the changes to the schedule, most airlines will offer you the opportunity to rebook, but be warned, as normal re-booking costs may apply

...So... If you don't accept the change, normal re-booking applies? Meaning not accepting the change is giving up your claim to your seat, so they would not have to pay you compensation for missing it? I'm not sure.

I would suggest contacting some kind of citizens advice or ombudsman for advice on proceeding here to make sure you're not caught out.

[Can the Man]

I use RA considerably in fact they are my preference over AL flying anywhere from Ireland. In the past I have had these 10 minute flight time changes and I always accept them, they make no odds to me. 
I understand RA is offering vouchers for flight cancellation again very acceptable to me for my situation.

I think a lot of these 10 minute changes are automatically issued when over all flights are been rescheduled and it could be this is what is happening in this case.

I think a lot of you are very unfair to RA, how many remember what happened when he stopped flying to the island years ago. I lost 1.5 days of my holiday at the time on each trip and necessitated an overnight in Madrid either coming or going. The Island virtually became a ghost town, there were little or no tourists other than the AI’s. 
I will agree some of RA policies and actions are not to everybody’s choice or acceptance but with RA you get what you pay for and you know what to expect. If you don’t like it fly with the others, EJ, BA AL .....

Rant over

[Archer]

Sure, the 10mins or so changes are automated system generated emails. Been going on for years. Nothing sinister and nothing to do with COVID, I believe.

EJ have just changed their website to give more guidance. COVID hub: Says they are cancelling on a rolling 7 day basis, and suggest you book another flight, anytime up to March 21 w/o fees. And change as many times as you wish.

[FVmouse]

Just catching up here. 

I’m not naive enough to believe this is routine. Of course in normal times this stuff happens pretty often and ordinarily I click to accept without thinking. Not this time.

Unfairly giving Ryanair a hard time !? LOL, kidding right ....

According to their online chat people refunds are now taking 28 working days from date of application !! Some total BS reason as usual. 

Never again. 

Reading other threads on this site I sense a bit more realism is starting to set in....

[windermeregolfer]

Have to say that like C T Man we have no issue with Ryan Air, we use them as a commute service, like a bus or train, to get us to and from Fuerteventura for the most economical price.  The one issue we have had was of our own making for not using a VPN when making a booking.

In the past we have been happy to use and with Easy Jet but the service from the north of England to Fuerteventura is very limited and only from Liverpool.

Living in Cumbria we already have to commute 65 miles or one and half to two hours by road to get to an airport and as two of the three airports we could use do not have train links, as we don't like to leave the car at the airport for more than 10 days, we are limited to Manchester Airport so it is RA, Jet2 or TUI and most certainly we would not want to take 2 flights to get to Fuerteventura.

With regards to the 10 minute flight time change on our return flight to Manchester in July my take on this is that as the outboard flight arrives at the original scheduled time it is the turn round that is taking longer which may be due to Fuerteventura airport being busier.