A family in mourning criticized Ryanair’s response to their mother’s death, particularly taking issue with the airline’s impersonal communication. Sophie Taylor, a resident of Chudleigh, Devon, had purchased two tickets from Ryanair last October for a holiday in Lanzarote to celebrate her mother Sharon Watkin’s upcoming 60th birthday. Tragically, Sharon passed away in August, two months before the planned trip.
Upon contacting Ryanair to change the name on her mother’s ticket to her father’s, Sophie was surprised to learn that she would be required to pay a fee of €115 (£100). Despite submitting an online complaint to Ryanair along with the death certificate, the airline simply reiterated the need for payment to proceed with the name change. Sophie expressed her dismay, stating that receiving such a request for additional funds in a generic message was distressing on top of the loss of her mother.
In contrast to Ryanair’s stance, Love Holidays and Jet2holidays, through whom Sophie had initially booked the holiday, were understanding and waived the administrative fees for the name change. Love Holidays clarified that in cases of medical emergencies or bereavement, they typically forgo their usual amendment charges. Jet2Holidays has been contacted for further comment.
Peter Watkins, Sophie’s father, shared that his wife had battled neuroendocrine cancer for approximately 12 years before passing away. He recounted the emotional significance of Lanzarote Puerto Del Carmen for their family, a place they had visited numerous times. Peter opted not to cancel his wife’s return seat on the holiday flight, choosing instead to book a separate seat to prevent the resale of her ticket, even though it meant enduring additional emotional strain.
Ryanair defended its position, stating that the promotional fare sold by Love Holidays was non-refundable and recommended customers to secure travel insurance for such circumstances. However, they acknowledged that in the event of the original passenger’s death, the family could request a full refund. The Mirror has reached out to Ryanair for a response.
In a statement, Ryanair highlighted that the promotional fare was non-refundable and reiterated the offer for a name change upon payment of the fee. Despite this, Sophie decided to purchase a cheaper one-way ticket instead. As the original passenger had passed away, Ryanair confirmed that Sophie could seek a full refund for her mother’s fare.
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