Your rights if a Ryanair flight is cancelled

Thousands of travellers have been left without flights after Ryanair cancelled routes between London and Scotland over the winter.

Passengers are facing severe travel disruption after Ryanair has announced it will be cancelling 40-50 flights every day over the coming six weeks. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The Irish carrier said it will fly 25 fewer aircraft between November and March as part of efforts to end a wave of cancellations that has already seen 2,000 flights grounded, after the firm miscalculated pilot leave.

As a result, 34 routes are suspended from November to March 2018, affecting 400,000 customers.

If you’re one of the many affected, here’s what you need to know.

Know your rights

Those who booked their travel via RyanAir must be notified of the changes by the airline directly.

If your flights are part of a package deal then the tour operator will be responsible for issuing a refund or finding an alternative. Make sure you contact them as soon as possible to find out their plans.

If you have received no notifications about cancellations but are flying in the next few weeks, keep up to date on the Ryanair website.

Ryanair’s marketing director, Kenny Jacobs, said: “Flights are operating as scheduled unless an email confirming a cancellation has been received. We advise customers to check the email address used to make their booking.

“We apologise to all affected customers for these cancellations. We have messed up in the planning of pilot holidays and we’re working hard to fix that.”

Hannah Maundrell, at Money.co.uk said: “It’s so disappointing for Ryanair passengers whose flights have been cancelled, even with more notice this time it’s still seriously frustrating. Ryanair are still in a mess here, but you shouldn’t be left out of pocket.

“If your flight has been cancelled, ask for a refund. You should get your money back within 7 days or given an alternative flight. This should also apply to connecting flights you miss as a result, as long as they were booked together.

“Aside from this, generally if your flight is delayed by over 3 hours you can claim compensation for the inconvenience. Cancellation amounts vary from 250 euros to 600 euros depending on your flight.

“If your other travel plans are impacted, look to your travel insurance for cover. This is when having a decent policy can really come in handy.”