A mother from Washington, Tyne and Wear, has expressed strong disappointment with Ryanair after the airline denied her a refund following the death of her teenage son just days before a planned trip. Tina McDermont, a civil servant, had booked a flight with her husband from Newcastle to Alicante, Spain, for a four-day holiday scheduled for 30 August. However, their son, Billy McDermont, died in an accident on 19 August, just 11 days before the flight. McDermont contacted Ryanair to inform them of the situation and requested a refund for their £350 booking, providing a copy of Billy’s death certificate. Ryanair, however, informed her that she was not eligible for a refund because the death occurred 24 hours outside the airline’s 10-day bereavement policy window. Under Ryanair’s policy, passengers can apply for travel credit if a family member—such as a partner, parent, or child—dies within 10 days of the scheduled departure. In this case, Billy’s death occurred just beyond that time frame, making the family ineligible for reimbursement. McDermont described the airline’s decision as “disgusted” and called it “greedy,” stating she had hoped to use the refund to help cover funeral costs. She criticized the policy as a “slap in the face” and said the experience has made her swear off flying with Ryanair in the future due to what she called “inhuman” policies. McDermont is now calling on Ryanair to review all bereavement claims on an individual basis and to consider adding a special circumstances clause for cases involving close relatives like children. She argued that the airline should show more compassion and flexibility in such difficult situations. “Ryanair needs to change their policies,” she said. “There needs to be a special circumstances clause for close relatives like children. Have a bit of heart and compassion.” In response, Ryanair reiterated its policy, stating that the bereavement occurred outside the 10-day window and that the passenger was not entitled to travel credit. The airline also informed McDermont that she could submit a claim through her travel insurance provider if applicable. McDermont said she felt “deflated” by the experience and continues to advocate for a more compassionate approach to bereavement claims, emphasizing the need for airlines to consider the emotional and financial burdens faced by grieving families.