AS Ryanair don’t refund expats for flights on Spain’s Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca complaints flood in and accuse the low cost cost airline of ‘Day light robbery’

Complaints from expats living in Spain are pouring in by the minute as they can’t obtain refunds for cancelled flights.

Customers are absolutely furious as they don’t want credit notes and want their hard earned money back as the airline couldn’t provide the service they purchased.

Yesterday we reported how a few expats were struggling to obtain cash refunds from the airline and the current procedures that have been put in place if you don’t wish a credit note which will be valid for 12 months, leaving customers being told to join the back of the queue and will be settled only when the current Coronavirus crisis is over.

This sparked an avalanche of complaints and comments from expats in Spain who also find themselves in the same position or worse.

“Ryanair is the worst airline, I have been told not to call back for refund until all this is over they have my money and now i am suffering so much, they don’t even answer the phones any more, it’s our money and they need to give it back. This is day light robbery,” said furious Mahammed riaz Hussain who told of his sufferance right now.

Peter Lloyd from Alicante seemed to agree totally “This is a con, seven weeks I’ve gone without work, my bank balance now sits on €10 euros, whilst €368 sits in Ryanair’s account and they don’t want to give it back, they just want to offer me a worthless credit note that I don’t want, they couldn’t provide the service so I want my money back now! I paid by debit card, I’ve called the bank but they say they can’t make a charge back as it was debit card not credit card, those bandits at Ryanair have me over the barrel and they know it, when you ring, if you get through they just fob you off with a well presented sales pitch, it’s the same lines every time.”

Emma Caruso is far from pleased as she told of her situation and how her promised seven- day refund never arrived after losing her job:

“Ref. the Ryanair refunds ’scandal,’ I myself have suffered too with regard to their shortcomings. I am British but live in Spain. I was working in Belgium and I came back to Spain for a holiday on March 19, but my return flight was cancelled on March 21. As a result I lost my job. I applied for a cash refund which was promised within seven working days. After a month of excuses and complaints on my part, yesterday they sent me a voucher! What use is a voucher if I have nowhere to go and more to the point, now I have no income! I need that money NOW for food! Ryanair are a disgrace! They fob you off with excuses and illegally withhold your money that you are entitled to. Yet no one is holding them accountable. The British government should enforce the law and make them pay up. I do not wish to fly with Ryanair ever again!

Emma Caruso even though being first offered a cash refund in seven days which never showed up, was automatically sent a credit note she didn’t even request and had been refuted, causing Paul Gregory a financial expert from Torreblanca to explode:

“What a disgrace, an absolute disgrace, I tell you what people should be doing in these instances to get their money back, get online and go to the small claims, it will cost you around £80 but you can fire in a County Court Summons for your claim that has to be responded to in 14 days in most cases or the airline risk getting County Court Judgements against their business operation, you will WIN as there is NO case to answer and you will get your money back quicker than waiting for the airline to pay you back as they wish, you will get your 80 quid back as well, people shouldn’t put up with the waffle, get online, get on the small claims and file a claim, here’s the link if anybody wants it https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money customers need to fight back to get their money back and this is the way to do it, they have no case to answer, no judge can overrule this, the simple facts are they didn’t provide the service, they cancelled what you purchased, they owe you the money!”

“That’s my advice – take Ryanair to court.” “I am and my friends are, we are filing today.”

Whilst Paul offered his advice the complaints continued:

“Hi i was meant to fly to Dublin on April 15 with Ryanair who took my fare from my bank on Feb 18. I’ve not heard a thing from them regarding my refund so Ryanair is earning interest on all our money while not paying refunds, will they pay interest on our refunds if we ever get them? Doubt it,” said Timothy Barr.

A reader wrote in called Mark who pointed out his woes, although in his case he had decided to cancel a cruise wisely most would say, but expressed how promises were not being made by other companies.

“It’s not just Ryanair … I had a cruise booked with TUI for June which I decided to cancel four weeks ago (and lose my deposit). TUI confirmed refund of the balance would be made but four weeks on nothing!” said Mark.

Meanwhile reader Andy wrote in with a three-word personal opinion “Dirty thieving scumbags” he called them.

Expat Tim Stone himself shared his view doubting refunds won’t be seen “Sorry but if you buy anything from dodgy backstreet dealers like Tryonair and Cattlejet, just do not expect to see your money again!

The issue of cash refunds not being given is set to continue to rumble on that’s for sure as airlines hold customers’ cash as they fight to survive in business.