A family in mourning criticized Ryanair for its insensitivity following the death of their mother. The family was particularly offended by the airline’s request for a fee along with a “generic message.”
Sophie Taylor, a resident of Chudleigh, Devon, had purchased two tickets from Ryanair last October for a holiday in Lanzarote to celebrate her mother Sharon Watkin’s 60th birthday. Tragically, Sharon passed away in August, two months before the scheduled trip.
To Sophie’s surprise, Ryanair informed her that she would need to pay €115 (£100) to change her mother’s ticket to her father’s name. Despite submitting a complaint to Ryanair, accompanied by the death certificate, Sophie received a response insisting on the payment for the name change. She expressed her dismay at being asked for more money during such a difficult time.
While Love Holidays and Jet2holidays, through whom Sophie had booked the holiday, were understanding and waived the administrative fees for changing the ticket name, Ryanair maintained its position on the fee. Love Holidays stated that in cases of medical issues or bereavement, they typically waive such fees. Jet2holidays has yet to comment on the matter.
Sophie’s father, Peter Watkins, shared that his wife had battled neuroendocrine cancer for about 12 years before her passing. He and Sophie went on the holiday together, with Peter opting not to cancel his wife’s return seat out of sentimentality. Instead, he purchased a separate seat for himself on the same flight.
Ryanair clarified that the package was a non-refundable promotional fare sold by Love Holidays and advised customers to consider travel insurance for such circumstances. The airline also mentioned that in the event of the original passenger’s death, the family could request a full refund. The Mirror reached out to Ryanair for their response to the situation.
In a statement, Ryanair reiterated the non-refundable nature of the fare and recommended travel insurance. They explained that Sophie had the option to change the name by paying a fee but chose to purchase a cheaper one-way fare instead. Given the circumstances, Ryanair stated that Sophie could apply for a full refund of her mother’s fare.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by families dealing with bereavement and the varying responses from different travel companies in such delicate situations.
