Ryanair said refunds would now be processed into a new online wallet function within 24 hours of a flight being cancelled, allowing customers to book new flights immediately or opt to get the funds back within five working days.

The pledge is part of a number of digital customer improvements Ryanair says will further improve its customer service and provide easy access to all flight information when customers most need it.

Ryanair was rated one of the worst airlines for refunds during the pandemic. None of the Ryanair passengers surveyed by Which? received their refund within the legal time frame of seven days after the cancellation. Many Ryanair customers were left waiting months for their money back as they spent hours of their time trying to contact the airline.

The budget airline has now promised to make “radical improvements to its customer service” after feedback from customers. These include live updates on new departure times/re-routings during disruptions, live updates on airport, terminal, flight and gate information, and easy access to boarding passes and other travel documents via the Ryanair app.

myRyanair Wallet will allow quick access to book flights using wallet balance and real time status updates on refunds with one-click access.

Dara Brady, Ryanair’s director of marketing, said: “We are pleased to launch these innovative customer improvements which will enhance the travel experience of our guests. Driven by customer panel input, these improvements allow our guests to self-serve online when changing flight dates or passengers’ names, updating contact info or adding bags/seats. For customers who need extra assistance they can now track their interactions with Ryanair across calls/email/chat/social and receive live status updates online.

“In rare cases of cancellations, customers who request a refund will now get confirmation and access to it within 24hrs in myRyanair and will be refunded to the original form of payment within five working days.”

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a probe into Ryanair’s refund policy during the pandemic, specifically when Ryanair refused to refund flights that customers couldn’t legally take. However, the CMA closed the investigation earlier this month, citing a “lack of legal clarity” around the circumstances in question.