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Ryanair is refusing to refund customers who have booked flights to Cyprus, even though passengers from the UK are currently being denied entry into the country.
The Foreign Office advice reads: “You cannot enter Cyprus if you have been in the UK in the last 14 days. You can only enter Cyprus if you can show proof that you are a legal resident of Cyprus or a Cypriot ID holder and a negative PCR test result (taken in the previous 72 hours).”
But the airline has said that, since flights are still going ahead, passengers are not entitled to their money back.
Alternatively, passengers can rebook their flights for a later date. But while other carriers are waiving their normal fee for doing this, Ryanair is not.
Sarah Hutchinson, who had booked flights from Liverpool to Cyprus back in January departing this week, told Which?: “It took me five days to get through to Ryanair, then the woman just told me that they weren’t offering refunds because the flights were going, but how could I get on the flight when I wouldn’t have been allowed into Cyprus?”
Hutchinson had paid out more than £1,300 for the family’s flights.
Meanwhile, Nicola Loizidou, who had booked flights from Liverpool to Paphos departing 8 July, was told she would have to pay a “change fee” of £270 to rebook for May next year – despite the fact the new flights cost £75 less.
“Ryanair said it wasn’t their problem if I couldn’t get in to Cyprus, they were just a carrier flying me from A to B, and they refused a refund for the higher fare or any credit against the change fee,” she said.
Technically, Ryanair is right. Airlines aren’t obliged to refund passengers if Foreign Office advice or border restrictions stop them from travelling. As long as the carrier still provides the service, they can keep the money.
However, other airlines have been more generous when it comes to relaxing the regular T&Cs.
For example, easyJet said it’s letting passengers rebook for free until later in the summer, in addition to waiving any fare difference.
Created with Sketch.
Created with Sketch.
1/13 Ringwood, Hampshire
With flights grounded around the world due to the coronavirus outbreak, photographers have been able to capture stunning images of star trails - the streaks of light left by stars as the earth rotates - without the usual interruption caused by air traffic.
Nick Lucas/SWNS
2/13 Miserden, Gloucestershire
Using long exposure times, the shifting positions of the stars relative to Earth's rotation can be captured to create a striking orbital effect.
Brian Johns/SWNS
3/13 Highams Park, London
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I've travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Jawad Saleem/SWNS
4/13 Ramshaw Rocks, Staffordshire
Ben Lockett, a student from Staffordshire, also noted how the new social conditions assisted him greatly in capturing pictures during his daily exercise slot.
Ben Lockett/SWNS
5/13 Shropshire
“I usually end up spending a lot of time removing light trails caused by passing aircraft, but I only had one plane to remove from these images, instead of the usual 20-30!”
Andrew Fusek Peters/SWNS
6/13 Hampshire
Photographer Andrew Whyte described the process of getting his shots despite the restrictions to travel imposed by the government.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
7/13 Hampshire
“On Friday night I continued to observe the lockdown and didn’t even cross the threshold of my front door,” he said.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
8/13 Coaly Peak, Gloucestershire
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I've travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Brian Johns/SWNS
9/13 Shropshire
“At a time when there’d usually be a steady passage of friends and couples on their way home from the pub or taxis dropping off partygoers, I saw a single person out for a walk and no cars at all.
Nick Jackson/SWNS
10/13 Hampshire - Before lockdown
“Light trails through the sky from air traffic can cause a major visual distraction in star trail images. Removing these trails is a time-consuming task so it’s a real bonus to not have to do it.”
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
11/13 Leicestershire
Mark Humpage/SWNS
12/13 Shropshire
Nick Jackson/SWNS
13/13 Portishead, North Somerset
Jon Mills/SWNS
1/13 Ringwood, Hampshire
With flights grounded around the world due to the coronavirus outbreak, photographers have been able to capture stunning images of star trails - the streaks of light left by stars as the earth rotates - without the usual interruption caused by air traffic.
Nick Lucas/SWNS
2/13 Miserden, Gloucestershire
Using long exposure times, the shifting positions of the stars relative to Earth's rotation can be captured to create a striking orbital effect.
Brian Johns/SWNS
3/13 Highams Park, London
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I've travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Jawad Saleem/SWNS
4/13 Ramshaw Rocks, Staffordshire
Ben Lockett, a student from Staffordshire, also noted how the new social conditions assisted him greatly in capturing pictures during his daily exercise slot.
Ben Lockett/SWNS
5/13 Shropshire
“I usually end up spending a lot of time removing light trails caused by passing aircraft, but I only had one plane to remove from these images, instead of the usual 20-30!”
Andrew Fusek Peters/SWNS
6/13 Hampshire
Photographer Andrew Whyte described the process of getting his shots despite the restrictions to travel imposed by the government.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
7/13 Hampshire
“On Friday night I continued to observe the lockdown and didn’t even cross the threshold of my front door,” he said.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
8/13 Coaly Peak, Gloucestershire
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I've travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Brian Johns/SWNS
9/13 Shropshire
“At a time when there’d usually be a steady passage of friends and couples on their way home from the pub or taxis dropping off partygoers, I saw a single person out for a walk and no cars at all.
Nick Jackson/SWNS
10/13 Hampshire - Before lockdown
“Light trails through the sky from air traffic can cause a major visual distraction in star trail images. Removing these trails is a time-consuming task so it’s a real bonus to not have to do it.”
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
11/13 Leicestershire
Mark Humpage/SWNS
12/13 Shropshire
Nick Jackson/SWNS
13/13 Portishead, North Somerset
Jon Mills/SWNS
And British Airways passengers booked to fly to Cyprus before the end of August can cancel at any time up until the day of the flight, and receive a voucher for the same value.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “For non-cancelled flights, standard T&Cs apply. Travel restrictions update regularly, so Ryanair urges all passengers to check the latest travel updates on the Ryanair website and with the relevant authorities before they fly.”
The Independent has contacted Ryanair for further comment.