[TheRedEye]

A few days ago Ryanair launched a special offer of return flights to selected European destinations for just 9.99 euros. As a resident of Ibiza, one of the Spanish Balearic Islands, we qualify for 50% discount on all Ryanair flight in Spain.

A problem arose when I attempted to complete their online booking form for 2 return flights from Ibiza to Barcelona. To prove we qualify for the 50% discount as a resident of Ibiza, we had to submit either our NIE or DNI numbers. However, their site rejected both these numbers with a massage in red stating "Not validated" after 3 attempts.

Totally confused I docked my Sherlock Holmes outfit and eventually found their Live Chat option buried deep within all their small print. However, my conversation with their agent didn't go well. For a start, the agent didn't know what a NIE or DNI was! That's Ryanair training for you! I had to explain to this Ryanair employee what these figure were.

She didn't seem to know what to do, so she suggested I phone a contact number in the morning. I explained, from previous experience, that I suspected most if not all the special priced flights will be sold out by then. She then told me to book with another company. I couldn't believe it! A total abdication of duty. She then terminated the Live Chat.

I looked for a Complaint Form on the Ryanair website and filled it in. I also posted my experience on Twitter. This drew a response from Ryanair who sent me a link to a different Complaints Form. They gave me a Reference number for my complaint.

I duly copied and pasted their complaint form online link and began to complete their form. However, on this occasion their form wouldn't recognise the reference number they had generated themselves. It also asked for my 6 figure flight reference number, but as I hadn't been able to complete the booking of my flights, I wasn't able to submit this number. Another stalemate.

So I'm currently in a position where I couldn't complete my Ryanair flight booking on their web site, and neither have I been able to complete their own complaint form.

I have subsequently communicated with a number of people in Ibiza who also have had the same negative experience with the Ryanair web site.