A Parteen woman due to be married in Malaga next June, and who had booked with Ryanair for herself, her fiancé and her nine guests, was grounded after she read in the Limerick Post that the airline had pulled the plug on all but one flight per week on the route.
She made the booking for five consecutive days in Marbella, from June 15, for the biggest day of her life, at a cost of almost €1,000.
Having read the Post, her fiancé went online to see if the Shannon to Malaga flights were still available to book for these dates, and the couple began to panic when they saw that the service had terminated.
“We contacted Ryanair and were told that the flights may still be available, but that no more seats could be booked”, the bride-to-be, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Post.
“We were told that we wouldn’t know for definite whether the flight would be going out or if we would be getting a refund until the day before departure.
“This is of no use to me as I have to go on Tuesday, June 15, and will need to make alternative arrangements if the flight is not going.
“We have all our accommodation booked and I encouraged our guests to book early so as to get the best deal. I thought the earlier threat of flight withdrawals was just scaremongering, but I never thought even Ryanair would stoop so it”.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Ryanair spokesperson, Stephen McNamara, confirmed that the flights were most definitely not going out and that all routes which cannot be booked online are now cancelled.
“Customers can expect to hear from us in the next few weeks in relation to refunds. In this case, this lady can write or fax our refund centre, details of which are available on our website, and explain her situation to speed up the process”.
The customer in question was relieved to have a definitive answer on whether the flights would be valid, and is now booking the Cork to Malaga route with Aer Lingus for herself and her guests.
