Which? slams Ryanair and BA over poor refund policy
Consumer group Which? has slammed Ryanair and British Airways (BA) over their refund policies, lambasting their inadequate approach to customer service.
The carriers finished at the bottom of Which’s annual survey after 1,100 passengers expressed their discontent and awarded Ryanair a customer score of 55 per cent, while BA managed to grab a 63 per cent.
Ryanair’s perceived lack of transparency and low-cost policies have for the longest time antagonised travellers, as 74 per cent of respondents said they would never flight with the Dublin-based airline.
“Ryanair is the most awkward airline to deal with that I have ever come across. It seems to be proud of being difficult,” one customer explained.
As for BA, most respondents lamented hour-long queues with customer service and poor food and drinks, prompting one customer to call BA “a budget style airline at premium prices.”
According to Rory Boland, Which? Travel’s editor, customers have a long memory and don’t easily forget how they are treated, especially during the pandemic.
“Ryanair’s consistently terrible customer service has made it a fixture among the worst performers in our surveys for many years – but the airline plumbed new depths with its handling of Covid refunds,” he said. “BA’s reputation also deservedly took a battering when it took a hard line on refunds for passengers who could not travel because they followed government health guidance.
Commenting on the results, BA highlighted its role as the first UK airline to offer flexibility during the pandemic.
“If we cancel a flight we always contact customers to offer a range of options including a full refund. We’ve issued more than 4.2 million refunds and have dealt with more than 3.3 million voucher requests to date,” a company spokesperson said.
“However, we know we can do better and we’re working hard behind the scenes, upgrading our phone systems and recruiting more people to deliver a better and faster customer experience that we know our customers deserve.”