Ryanair's Web site has been hit by a second system glitch since the airline launched a new bookings system in February, causing difficulty to customers attempting to buy tickets.
It is taking customers up to a minute to switch pages on the site owing to the problems, Ryanair said, and a number of them are not receiving flight confirmations because payment authorization is being delayed.
Some customers are also unable to check in online, leading Ryanair to waive its usual airport check-in fees while the problems are occurring.
The news follows problems experienced in February after Ryanair moved from the Open Skies booking system to New Skies, both widely used industry systems from supplier Navitaire. At the time it took down its bookings Web site for two days as it switched on the new system, and upon launch the Web site functioned slowly making some bookings difficult.
Ryanair did not disclose the exact technical issues in the current case. But on its Web site, it said: "Due to system problems, access to our flight booking system is currently slow.
"Please note that it may take up to 30-60 seconds to move from page to page during the flight booking process. Although the booking process is slower than normal, bookings can be completed, but the delivery of the confirmation travel itinerary may be delayed."
It advised customers to write down their confirmation numbers from the Web site, rather than waiting for an email.
The airline is understood to take up to 98 percent of its bookings online, and is reliant on the system to process bookings efficiently, analysts have noted. One industry analyst said: "This problem has the potential to cost millions of pounds worth of bookings if customers go elsewhere."
Robin Goad, analyst at competitive intelligence Web site Hitwise UK, said that while it could be a costly error, many of Ryanair's routes were not covered by other airlines, meaning that customers "may wait and try again". He added: "Ryanair has a strong brand and this could help. But people have a short attention span."
Alex Bainbridge, managing director at travel e-commerce consultancy Travel UCD, said: "At this time of year, it can be a challenge for airlines because the systems need maintaining but staff are going on holiday."
"You might think the systems will stay up and running, but they are major bits of software that rely on people to keep them working, and it's normal to experience some issues that need experts to solve."
One analyst questioned the Ryanair's decision to launch a discount ticket promotion as soon as the new system went live in February. Shortly after launch, the booking system hit glitches and began to run slowly.
"That was a self inflicted injury," the analyst said. "You have to be more patient and do load testing first."
The interruption of sales can have a strong effect on seat pricing systems of airlines, Bainbridge said. The systems use algorithms to automatically set seat prices with pricing monitored by sales managers.
"Airlines estimate how many seats they will have sold, and set price 'buckets' for groups of seats. But when they are not taking bookings as expected, this can mean their assumptions were incorrect."
Airlines much smaller than Ryanair sometimes even routinely take Web sites offline for a few hours each night to process the information, he said.
Ryanair and Navitaire have not commented on the system issues.
Reprinted with permission from Computerworld UK. Story copyright 2008 Computerworld UK Inc. All rights reserved.
Comments
As a potential customer i am absolutely appalled, frustrated and out of pocket having wasted nearly 3 hours of my life on the evening of Thursday 19th June 2008 trying to book 2 tickets from Stanstead to Glasgow Prestwick. Having finally gone through all the pages and given my debit card details i was simply waiting for confirmation of authorisation of the payment. 10 minutes later i got a message on screen from their web site advising me they were unable to process the payment and try again!!! I tried again the next day but they were obviously still having the same problems so i gave up and booked through easy jet with no problems.
To my horror today i received an e mail from Ryanair confirming my flight details and on cheking my bank account they have debitted the money!
Customer services (in name only) couldn't care less and were positively rude seemingly incredulous that i dare give up on them and book through another company " well you've book with someone else now, what do you expect me to do!!!"
Any advice, e mail addresses ways of getting my money back gratefully received!
I have tried unsuccessfuly to book flights with Ryan Air from Liverpool to Malaga. I fill in all the details carefully, ticking the box for accepting their terms but then after doing the next page I find that my tick has been errased and I am back to starting all over again. I tried several times between 20th and 23rd June. I have now booked with easyjet instead. No problem at all completeing the forms on their web site
I have payed 2 times the same flight girona-porto, i have problems in 21th june. They call me now to say that i have a new confirmation and the first flight will be refund. I have no understant if i will receive the totaly of the payement... my english...and he speek like...zzzzz
It is fun and easy way to book aflight throught the mail as we are the customers it make us free and we feel pleasuse and rest when we are booking the flight in side our sleeping rooms ,
so i am saying good congrtuiation to all people.
booked flights on 17th july have not had any confirmation have tried and tried to ring customer services but some one at the other end keeps putting the phone down with out even speaking has anyone any advice pleasessssssssssssss
why is it that ryanair offer free booking to electron and not a norm debit card. l.pool-madrid x 2 +o/a £39.98 + £16 booking fee ? !
I dont think so mr o'leary..
I've had a real problem with Ryanair over the past two days - i got the same message as a customer above - i was told by the system that the money wasn't debited and to try again - but being over-cautious i checked my emial - and there i found a confirmation that the flight had been booked nad paid for - if i had followed the screen i would have paid twice and ryanair would have my money - god knows what i would have had to do to get it back
i fly with them for low fares - but the recent trip from prague to dublin - had really unpleasant service - nothing in particular wrong - just sneering staff - when asked how come cappucino didn't look like the advertised i was told - how could i expect them to do it on the plane - and anyway no one else complained - just rotten service - and now with all the hidden extras - aer lingus is cheaper -
Ryanair - i say too much hassel - and looks like Michael O'Leary agrees - he now has only 5% of ryanair and 29% of Aer Lingus
- there was always going to be a spill-over point when lousy service just didn't make up for great prices - i get the principle - i have to fly a lot this month - i will choose aer lingus every time if there is a nearby choice in price
i booked flights with ryanair and needed to change the dates. this proved more costly than booking new flights so i booked new flights intending to keep the old ones too, just in case. i double checked the payment deals before i proceeded with the payment, it said £55.96 (inc extortionate £16 card fee), the minute the payment went through it said my card had been charged £235 and brought up my original booking reference!!! i rang the £1 per minute 'help'line to be told it was not their fault and to send a fax to complaints services?!!!! this is the more digusting company i have ever had the misfortunate of dealing with. surely it is illegal to take more money than i agreed to pay?!!!!!
sorry, meant 'payment details' not 'payment deals'
I am so irritated with this company. My wife tried last week to book flights. It took most of the afternoon and we gave up in the end . Exactly the same problem as Matthew Davies had exactly!!! Can matthew confirm did he ever get a refund ?! I had the same downright rude attitude today when both my wife and I tried to get them to resolve the problem. Disgusting it really is !!
I am fed up with Ryanair. I have tried to book a flight going to Barcelona. I have been attempting to do this for two days. I know there was sufficient funds. I have contacted my bank, Ryanair, who have told me that there should be no problem. At long last two days later, I have confirmation. I will check my emails to see that I dont have multiple confirmations. My head is buzzing and I feel sick.
I have booked with ryanair to go to Malta. Then they just cancelled the flight from nomvember and december. I had the refund. I find myself very lucky reading about them. I have not fly with them and I think i will never do. Have fly with many low cost. all ok. but not this one. I am not going to play with my money with Ryanair. Disgusting company with no a mail address to contact them, just a very expensive phone that cuts the line everytime. NO WAY.
Ryanair ceases to amaze me!!!!! Having booked a family holiday to spain mid August, 5 minutes before the scheduled departure from Birmingham airport it was announced that this flight was cancelled. "Operational reasons" given for the cancellation, at no point was an apology given, passengers were dutifully informed to collect their luggage and make their way to the Ryanair desk. Staff were unsure what to do, some alternative flights given from airports miles away, only if you were fortunate enough to be first in the queue!!!!! So thanks to Mr O'Leary I will take my business elsewhere.
L Taylor
Can anyone tell me how is one supposed to book flights with Ryanair if you cannot access the booking system? I get e-mails all the time advising me of bargain offers but when I go onto their site, put in my travel dates and click, nothing happens or I get a page telling me I have put in wrong web address or some such nonsense. This has been going on for some three to four weeks. You cannot telephone Ryanair and there is no e-mail to their Customer Service, I think. Any ideas out there? A very frustrated potential customer.
Same old same old.We had many problems with Ryan air and lost money on several occasions.You cant get through on the phone,e-mails go unanswered,we even paid them a visit at Dublin airport.Then I discovered this VERY INTERESTING site;www.ryanaircampaign.org.It will tell you how to contact them and who to speak to,how to sue for your money back by paying Euro 15.00 to the small claims court in Dublin,all the details are supplied and they pay up straight away.Lots of contacts and other interesting stuff.So if you are at your wits end click on it.
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