Pensioner claims airline told him to go on holiday without wife

A pensioner who claims he was advised by Ryanair to leave his ill wife behind while he took a pre-booked holiday flight has said he is still awaiting his refund.

Ryanair has denied it advised Roger Johnston, the former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, to leave his Dublin-born wife Marie at home after she had heart surgery, change the name on her ticket to France, and bring someone else.

Mr Johnston, 74, a retired architect from Woolton in Liverpool, had been seeking a refund on the two tickets from East Midlands Airport to Dinard in France after his wife Marie, 73, had a heart attack.

He made two calls to Ryanair and during the second call he claims he was told to change the name on his Rathfarnham-born wife’s ticket for that of “someone else”.

However, Ryanair said “at no point” was Mr Johnston advised to bring someone else on holiday. The airline stressed that he was told very early in the exchanges that he would receive his refund after he provided a doctor’s note certifying that Mrs Johnston was too ill to travel.

It is understood the airline has reviewed both calls it received from Mr Johnston and believe the case to be based on a misunderstanding.

But yesterday Mr Johnston, who aided efforts to twin Liverpool with Dublin when he was a councillor, said: “I am very unhappy. I have heard nothing from Ryanair.

“The situation is not as stated because it was only after I had explained to their customer relations person that they said they would look into giving a refund.”

He said he faxed through a letter from his wife’s heart surgeon on Aug 11 but was still awaiting a response from Ryanair.

In a statement, Ryanair said: “Ryanair confirmed to Mr Johnston that a full refund would issue on receipt of a medical letter from his wife’s doctor.

“The passenger called back to advise of a delay in obtaining the required letter [as the doctor was going on holiday] and it was confirmed to him that a refund would issue even if the required medical letter was received after the date of flight.

“At no point did Ryanair suggest he travel without his wife, and Ryanair wishes Mrs Johnston a speedy recovery and hopes to welcome the couple onto another Ryanair flight in the near future.”

However, Mr Johnston said it was only when it was suggested to him that he bring someone else that “I blew my gasket”. “I said: ‘I don’t know if you’re married or not but if your husband had had heart surgery would you go on holidays with someone else?’ ”