Wednesday 25 May 2011

We’re hoping to fly back from Malta to Edinburgh with Ryanair tomorrow, 26 May 2011.  Our original return flight from our trip to Malta yesterday, Tuesday 24 May 2011, was cancelled, due to ash cloud over northern Britain.  I managed to get online early and re-book on the next available Edinburgh flight. We were able to pay to stay on for another two nights on half board at the Soreda Hotel. Fingers crossed we get home tomorrow and get a refund from Ryanair for our hotel and airport transfer.

No departure for us from Malta Airport on our original return flight

Update Friday 27 May 2011

We’re back home after a hitch free flight from Malta to Edinburgh yesterday (26 May). Now while it was hardly a disaster spending another two days in Malta, it wasn’t exactly relaxing. On Monday 23 May, we were dubious if our flight the next day would be operational. After rebooking for the next flight from Malta to Edinburgh on the 26 May, we still weren’t sure that we’d get home that day.

Now we have to reclaim the expenses incurred by our extra two day stay in Malta from Ryanair under the EC 261/2004 duty of care after flight cancellation regulation. Under that regulation we weren’t entitled to monetary compensation as the cancellation was due to extreme weather conditions but our reasonable hotel, meal and transfer costs should be reimbursed by Ryanair, once they receive our receipts by mail.

I’ll be using the draft letter at the bottom of this “Reclaim Volcanic Ash Delays Costs” on thisismoney.co.uk to reclaim our expenses from Ryanair.

Update Wednesday 1 June 2011

Demetrius has posted our compensation claim letter to Ryanair,  taking photocopies of our receipts before sending. It cost almost £6 for the recorded delivery from the UK to Ireland. However we didn’t think we could take the chance of Ryanair saying that they didn’t receive our letter.

Update Monday 20 June 2011

I received an email from Ryanair today saying they have authorised a cheque for settlement of our two day ash cloud delay expenses. Here is the pertinent paragraph from their correspondence:

“However we are in a position to reimburse reasonable receipted expenses you may have incurred during the delay.  On review of the receipts you have forwarded to us, we are pleased to inform you that a cheque has been authorised and will be forwarded to you in settlement of your claim.”

Update Tuesday 5 July 2011

I received a cheque from Ryanair this morning for £136.76, reimbursing us for two nights half board at the Soreda Hotel and a taxi transfer to the Malta Airport for our return flight.