Ryanair charge couple 'extortionate' check-in fine after app 'kept crashing'
A couple were charged £110 extra by Ryanair after they claim their app crashed.
Laura Barker was on her way to London Luton Airport with her partner to jet out to Naples for a friend's wedding when she encountered a problem. She says the budget airline's mobile app wasn't working, meaning she was unable to check-in.
Being aware of the airline's reputation for charging tardy customers extra, Laura attempted to contact the helpline but was unable to get through to a human. After queueing for 45 minutes at the airport and showing an employee screenshots of the frozen app, the duo were told they'd have to pay £110 for failing to check-in on time.
Laura claims the worker said the money would be refunded at a later date, but several months on the cash is nowhere to be seen and Ryanair has said there's no way they'll get a refund. Their run-in with the aviation company comes in the same month that a pair of British pensioners were stung for accidentally printing out the wrong boarding pass.
Laura says she was charged the late check-in fee at the airport (AFP via Getty Images)"The reason I failed to check in was because the app wasn't loading properly. The pages failed to load - unfortunately at the time, I was panicking slightly and didn't think of using a browser instead," Laura told the Mirror.
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"I'd attempted check in 20 mins prior to the cut-off time, because the pages took so long to load, I hadn't managed to complete the check in process, and it kicked me out, exactly two hours before the planned departure time. I'd clearly attempted check in, as I think the snacks add on page was quite a few screens into the check in process. We'd attempted check in prior to the two hour deadline but the app kept crashing and wouldn't load. I tried calling multiple numbers for Ryanair but couldn't get through to a human who could help."
Laura explained how she showed an employee at the airport the screenshots of the app not working on her phone and was given reassurances. "She said she needed to take payment to be able to check us in, but as we'd clearly attempted check in, and it was an issue with the app, we'd be refunded if we contacted Ryanair with the screenshots," she continued.
"We tried for months and months to get the refund we'd been promised. I have the screenshots as proof we'd attempted check in prior to the two hours before the flight but Ryanair wouldn't return our £110. The check-in fees are extortionate but I'd understand slightly if it were our fault, but we'd tried to check in, tried to call them, but their app failed. It's very upsetting to read that this situation is happening to others too."
When the Mirror contacted Ryanair on Laura's behalf a spokesperson for the budget airline refused to refund the customer and said that she was at fault.
“In accordance with Ryanair’s T&C’s, which this passenger agreed to at the time of booking, this passenger failed to check-in online before arriving at Luton airport (7 May 2022). Therefore, this passenger was correctly charged the airport check-in fee (£55 per passenger)," they said.
"All passengers travelling with Ryanair agree to check-in online before arriving at their departure airport and all passengers are sent an email/SMS reminding them to do so 24 hours before departure.”
The spokesperson said that the Ryanair app did not crash on May 7 when Laura was travelling before again noting that the late check-in fee is non-refundable.
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