FOCUS: Mr. Brady, to end want Ryanair have 90 percent of refunds for cancelled flights that were booked directly with Ryanair, to the customers transferred. Why does it take so long?
Dara Brady: We are simply the number of overrun. Initially, there were hundreds of thousands, then millions of such claims. No one was able to keep the infrastructure ready, we have not seen it before. And then also limitations with the spacing rules were added from March and April, at places of work, our Team for the processing of these requests was much smaller and only in the new spaces in full force was able to work and also has been expanded.
25 million passengers wait on your money
FOCUS: What is the scope of this provision have claims?
Brady: , We are talking about 25 million affected passengers and 750 million euros of repayments in the case of Ryanair. And the Numbers may grow in the next few weeks.
FOCUS: The Problem has built up over weeks. It is the impression that Ryanair and other Airlines did not want to back the money of your customers is. Why couldn’t Ryanair to develop a fast, automated process to do this on the Web?
Brady: Because it is very complicated processes. Viewed from the outside, a refund sounds quite easy and simple, but you need to identify the recipient and his account exactly once. So far, no computer system, you still need staff, each individual case checks.
FOCUS: Singapore Airlines and others to develop, but is already a System for fast, automated return processing…
Brady: …it is still in development, so we have to wait and see. How complicated can it be, shows the case of Qatar Airways, who have just transferred a customer in error of almost 30 million dollars back and the money jump in.
“We don’t do this with bad intent”
FOCUS: you have recently very quickly a new, automated application for the unique passenger identification on your Website implemented, why it should not work just with refunds as well?
Brady: don’t Believe us, we are doing this with evil intent, but because it is much more complicated. But we have already learned a lot.
FOCUS: consumer organisations accuse you to pay back more slowly than other Airlines, the money. Is there something to it?
Brady: This is unfair and is based on non-representative complaints, which are collected there. Over 90 percent of the case that were booked with us directly, we will have until the end of July and a refund processed, so almost all of them. In the case of a small residual that will last until the beginning of August. The bigger Problem bookings made without our consent via online platforms such as lastminute.com or kiwi.com but.
FOCUS: Why are these Postings so problematic?
Brady: Because we receive from the booking portals for the refund, and often incorrect account numbers or mail addresses. In the best case, the money ends up in the accounts of these platforms, and not the customers who complain but then again with us or to go Public and blame us, we would not have to pay. This is not true and the customer would have to contact the platforms.
What is the role of booking platforms play?
FOCUS: Even if Ryanair don’t want to like it, should these platforms, however, according to EU law, bookings for their customers on Ryanair’s Website. This brings them additional revenue. So, what’s so bad about that?
Brady: We are an Airline for Direct bookers. We do not want any relations to any third-party to pitch our prices are full fees and then any responsibility to point. And if these providers do not specify the correct name and account numbers for refunds, then something goes massively wrong in the System. We can’t accept.
FOCUS: About how many such cases are we talking about?
Brady: There are hundreds of thousands. And therefore, we also request that the Supervisory authorities to intervene here, and those practices with Fake information of booking platforms ban. The entire travel industry harm. I think in the EU you will hear us better now. The chief of kiwi.com provides its customers with all Seriousness now, a so-called “Express refunds” for a Problem that he himself has produced, and takes once more fees for the customer – it is madness!
FOCUS: Support customers who intend to proceed against booking platforms?
Brady: Yes, we will support you with our Expertise in the event of lawsuits or court procedures and Material supply.
FOCUS: Some consumer organizations fear that by the Covid-19, the prices for airline tickets in the fall and Winter will be more expensive. What do you expect?
Brady: I’m sure the ticket prices will remain low. The demand is not yet stable, even if we see a clear upward trend. In the spring we will remain approximately at the current price Level with many Offers. Only every 5000 to 7000 years: comet “Neowise” to see to see in the night sky PCP Only every 5000 to 7000 years: comet “Neowise” now in the night sky
