Ryanair won't refund my replacement flight after they cancelled - do I have a case?

Ryanair cancelled. You needed to be in Faro for your sister's wedding. Ryanair offered a flight three days later, so you booked an EasyJet flight that got you there on time - £340. You sent Ryanair the receipt and got back: "We are not liable for third-party bookings." That's wrong, and the CAA agrees with you. Here's what UK261 actually requires.

What the law says

Under UK261 Article 8, when an airline cancels, you have three rights of choice:

• A full refund within 7 days
• Rerouting under "comparable transport conditions" at the earliest opportunity
• Rerouting at a later date of your choosing, subject to seat availability

The bit airlines hate: Article 8(1)(b) says the rerouting must be at the earliest opportunity. If Ryanair can't get you there for three days but another carrier can fly you that day, the CAA's published position is that Ryanair's obligation extends to rerouting on the alternative carrier - or reimbursing you for the equivalent flight you booked yourself.

The European Commission's Notice on the interpretation of UK261 (C/2016/3502) is explicit: where the operating carrier cannot reroute on its own services, it must reroute on another carrier's services or by other modes of transport. The Civil Aviation Authority confirms this in its guidance. Ryanair's "we don't pay for third-party flights" line is policy, not law.

You're also owed cash compensation under Article 7 - £220, £350, £260, or £520 depending on distance and arrival delay - and Article 9 right to care (meals, accommodation, phone calls) for any waiting time.

Step-by-step: how to claim reimbursement

1. Pull the paper trail together. Original Ryanair booking, the cancellation email, screenshots of Ryanair's rebooking offer (with the date stamp showing it was the next available Ryanair flight), the receipt for the alternative flight, and proof of payment.
2. Compare prices like-for-like. A non-refundable economy seat on a comparable carrier and route. Ryanair will challenge a business-class booking on a different airline.
3. Use our flight compensation calculator to confirm the Article 7 cash amount. Reimbursement is separate from compensation - claim both.
4. File via Ryanair's official complaints form (not customer service chat), referencing Article 8(1)(b) and the CAA's position on alternative-carrier rerouting.
5. If they refuse or stay silent for 28 days, escalate to AviationADR or the small claims court.

Letter snippet

Dear Ryanair,

>

On [DATE] you cancelled flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] from [DEPARTURE] to [ARRIVAL]. The earliest Ryanair rerouting offered was [REBOOKED DATE] - [X] days after my original travel date.

>

Under Article 8(1)(b) of UK Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Ryanair is required to reroute me at the earliest opportunity, which the CAA and the European Commission's interpretive notice (C/2016/3502) confirm extends to alternative carriers where the operating carrier cannot meet that obligation.

>

I booked the next available comparable flight with [ALTERNATIVE AIRLINE] on [DATE] at a cost of £[AMOUNT]. I claim:

>

1. Reimbursement of £[REPLACEMENT COST]

1. Article 7 compensation of £[220/350/520] per passenger
2. Article 9 expenses of £[FOOD/HOTEL] (receipts attached)

>

Please pay £[TOTAL] within 14 days to [BANK DETAILS]. If you do not, I will refer this to AviationADR and pursue the matter through Money Claim Online.

>

Yours faithfully,

[NAME] - Booking ref [REF]

If they say no

Ryanair will almost always reject the first claim. That's part of the process, not the end of it.

• AviationADR is the ADR scheme Ryanair uses (not CEDR). Free, binding on Ryanair if you accept the outcome, 12-month window from the airline's final response.
• Money Claim Online (MCOL) for the small claims track. Court fees from £35 for claims up to £300. Successful UK261 claims against Ryanair through MCOL are common.
• For more on escalation paths, see our ombudsman finder tool.

You can also read more about Ryanair-specific tactics on the Ryanair company page.

FAQs

What counts as "comparable" rerouting?

Same class of travel, similar route, similar timing. Economy on a low-cost carrier is comparable. Don't expect Ryanair to fund a flat-bed business-class seat.

Ryanair offered a refund. Doesn't that end it?

No. A refund is one of three Article 8 options - it's your choice. If you needed to travel, you chose rerouting, and you're entitled to the cost of that rerouting.

The replacement flight was more expensive. Will they only pay the difference?

The reimbursement is for the actual replacement cost, provided it's reasonable. Document why you chose what you chose. "Earliest available comparable flight" is the magic phrase.

Does this work if I drove or took the train instead?

Yes - Article 8 says "rerouting under comparable transport conditions" and the Commission's guidance accepts other modes of transport where flights aren't available.

Do I claim from Ryanair or my travel insurance?

Claim from Ryanair first. Most insurers will tell you the same - the airline is the primary liable party under UK261.

Ryanair's business model includes betting that you'll give up. Don't. The law is clear and the escalation path is free.