Martin Lewis calls on Ryanair boss to refund passengers hit by name-change penalty

Martin Lewis, founder of the UK’s biggest consumer website MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE), has presented the Chief Executives of Ryanair and its regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, with a dossier of over 160(1) Ryanair passengers hit by a name-change ‘glitch’ it has so far flatly denied, costing many customers £115 each to fix.

MSE first reported the issue in December and has since been inundated with complaints from furious customers travelling with partners or friends with different surnames, who say they have been penalised after their companions’ surnames were automatically changed even though the correct details were entered at the time of booking. If they didn’t spot the error within Ryanair’s 24-hour grace period, they have been slapped with a £115 charge to change it in order to travel.

MSE has tried to engage with Ryanair on this issue, but so far it has insisted that there isn’t a problem despite compelling evidence, and has said it won’t refund customers for what appears to be its own mistake. 

Martin: 'We hope you'll ensure no-one is out of pocket'

Martin has written to both Ryanair and the CAA asking for action to be taken. You can read his full letter to Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary below (and read his letter to the CAA here):

Dear Mr O'Leary,

I am writing to alert you personally about what seems to be an important and serious consumer rights abuse by your airline. I know you have over the last few years stated you want to make Ryanair "a nicer airline". I hope you are able to deliver on that promise in this case.

Sadly my personal letter to you is our last resort. We have been raising this issue with your press team since December. Yet the engagement and response we've had has been flaccid. There is a seemingly blasé attitude to customers who feel hard done by. Therefore we have also today submitted a dossier of compelling evidence of over 160 complaints to the Civil Aviation Authority.

These customers tell us they have been penalised for incorrect surnames on their bookings, despite them having correctly entered these details at the time of booking. This error repeatedly seems to not be the fault of the customer, yet Ryanair has been charging those affected £115 to rectify what seems to be its own mistake.

The behaviour of your firm, in refusing to refund customers who have been affected or saying they can't travel, does not seem to be the behaviour of a "nice airline". I am sure you will be shocked to hear this has happened – and will want to rectify it – rather than waiting for regulatory engagement.

From the evidence MSE has collected, a clear pattern has emerged, likely indicating a systemic error:

• Passengers were booking flights for a second person (or more) with different surnames, for example their partner, or for a group of friends.
  
  

• These customers consistently claim Ryanair's booking system automatically changed their companions' surnames to be the same as the lead passenger's or account holder's surname.
  
  

• Those who didn't spot the error within Ryanair's 24-hour grace period for free name changes have been left facing a £115 charge to change it to the correct name – many have already paid it.
  
  

• Some customers have had to rebook their flights entirely as this was cheaper than paying the charge.

We hope you will find out what led to the problem, prevent it reoccurring, and ensure those impacted are not left out of pocket. If you feel our evidence is wrong, and there is no technical problem, then we would welcome a detailed explanation of why this has happened on such a huge scale.

I look forward to your response.

Kind regards,

Martin Lewis
Founder & Chair, MoneySavingExpert.com

-ends-

Notes to editors

(1)    162 people have given their permission to include their complaints in the dossier but in total, 268 complaints have been received by MoneySavingExpert.com.