Joe Harker
A widow who tried to get her late husband's flight ticket refunded was dismayed after the airline told her he'd need to complain, despite her explaining that the man was dead.
Colin Shields, who became a tetraplegic following an accident 14 years earlier, booked flights to Venice for September to represent Scotland at a powerchair football match.
After Colin died from a brain bleed in April, his widow Yvonne sought a refund for the plane tickets he had booked for himself and two essential carers. Ryanair customer service refused to provide a refund.
Colin had spent £827 on the tickets for himself and his carers, but when Yvonne contacted customer service, they initially said they could only refund her £258 for her late husband's ticket, although she had not received that money.
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When she went back to Ryanair, she said they told her they couldn't discuss anything unless they could speak to the original booker, with the airline having to be reminded that the original booker was dead.
"Colin passed on April 12th and I contacted them in April. I filled out the form to get a refund for Colin and the carers. They authorised part of the refund but they didn't send it," Yvonne said.
"I sent the death certificate and proof I am the will executor. They said a refund would come in the next 24-48 hours. They said their policy is to refund only Colin's ticket, not the carers'. But I've not had it, there's nothing.
"I emailed them to say I haven't received the refund and it's been over 48 hours. They said that they have to speak with the booker.
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"My sister contacted them and said the booker is dead. It's so upsetting and trivial. I told them back in April that he passed so there should be no reason why they can't refund it."
She said she was told they couldn't 'disclose any information with someone not tied to the booking' and 'would need the passengers to contact us to process'.
Yvonne explained further that she can't get in contact with the carers who were going to travel with her husband as their 'contract had ended', but she pointed out that Colin was the one who paid for their tickets and that Ryanair 'ended the chat'.
The widow said the airline's 'lack of empathy' had led her to 'burst into tears' as it was a difficulty she had to deal with in the wake of her husband's death, describing her experience like 'bashing your head on a brick wall'.
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Ryanair have since apologised for everything Yvonne has been through and said that she had been 'regrettably incorrectly advised wrongly' by a customer service agent, and that she had been incorrectly told that the refund would go to her late husband's Ryanair wallet instead of the card Colin had used to buy the tickets.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: "Mr Shields was due to travel from Edinburgh to Venice on 16 September but passed away prior to this flight.
"Mrs Shields attempted to submit a refund request (26 April) and was advised to submit a death cert and proof of executorship.
"On 30 June, Mrs Shields was informed that a refund was issued and was regrettably incorrectly advised by a customer service agent who wrongly believed that the other two passengers on the booking were not entitled to a refund.
"Our Customer Service Department would be happy to further assist this passenger to correct this customer service agent's error and assist this passenger with their refund."