A family in mourning criticized Ryanair for its insensitive response following the death of their mother. The family found the airline’s automated message, accompanied by a fee, particularly offensive.
Sophie Taylor, residing in Chudleigh, Devon, had purchased two tickets from Ryanair last October for her mother Sharon Watkin’s 60th birthday celebration in Lanzarote. Unfortunately, Sharon passed away in August, two months before the scheduled holiday.
To Sophie’s surprise, Ryanair insisted that she pay €115 (£100) to change her mother’s ticket to her father’s name. Despite Sophie’s efforts to explain the situation and provide a death certificate, the airline maintained that the fee was necessary for the name change. Sophie expressed her dismay, stating that receiving a request for more money in a generic message added to her already overwhelming grief.
While Love Holidays and Jet2holidays, through whom Sophie initially booked the trip, were understanding and waived the name change fees, Ryanair stood firm on their policy. Love Holidays mentioned that in cases of medical emergencies or bereavement, they typically waive amendment fees. Jet2Holidays has yet to comment on the situation.
Peter Watkins, Sophie’s father, shared that the holiday to Lanzarote held special memories for their family, making it a bittersweet experience following his wife’s passing from neuroendocrine cancer after a long battle.
Despite the emotional strain, Peter decided to accompany Sophie on the trip and retain his wife’s seat to prevent it from being resold. Ryanair clarified its terms, stating that the fare was non-refundable and recommended purchasing travel insurance for such circumstances. The airline also noted that a full refund could be requested since the original passenger had passed away.
Ryanair explained that the promotional fare was sold through Love Holidays and was non-refundable. The airline suggested that customers consider travel insurance to cover unforeseen events. Although the name change option was available to Sophie upon payment of a fee, she opted to purchase a cheaper one-way ticket instead. Ryanair advised that Sophie could seek a refund for her mother’s fare.
For further comments on the matter, the Mirror has reached out to Ryanair.