Airline Charges Rip Off Discussion

[FONT=&quot]Budget airlines' supposed 'extra' charges are nearly obscene. This week we've a new guide (see below) to beat them, inc anonymous tips from an Easyjet air steward. To prove the point...[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Quick Quiz. How much could a £1 flight cost?[/FONT]

A family of three get Ryanair £1 each way return tickets to Europe. If they were to pay on a debit card, take a suitcase each (not pre-booked) and need to get boarding cards at the airport, guesstimate the total 'additional' charges.



For a full guide on avoiding charges see the [FONT=&quot]Beat airline charges guide.[/FONT]
For a full discussion on avoiding charges see the Beat airline charges discussion.



Update From Martin 5 August 2009

Just a few words in response to the discussion below - some of which supports this viewpoint, others don't.

The communication of the extras by budget airlines is inappropriate and must be changed. Its interesting to read the reaction here - and makes me smile to an extent. In the past we've had a few "berating" posts for calling Ryanair £1 flights a pound (even though we always explained there are extras) - here there's a few saying the opposite.

I make no apology for calling for payment and checking in to be inclusive costs. It's interesting to note the main posts objecting to this stance are early in the thread, before the weekly email was sent. They tend to come from regular users of the board, who I would assume are mostly seasoned travellers and MoneySavers.

Yet for me this misses the point, clearly those who know what they're doing will be fine. The same can be said in many walks of life. Yet read down some of the comments - clearly others do find it difficult and we are constantly contacted by people heavily caught out by these.

For me saying "its beatable if you jump through all the hurdles and no what you're doing" is no justification for the way these charges are advertised and presented.

The airlines deliberate use of the electron card to claim paying is free is a farce, its a deliberate gemming of the system to enable them to headline cheaper prices.

Of course there are ways round it - and indeed that's what the entire new guide that prompted this note is about. Yet the above is important, it highlights what can happen if things aren't done exactly right, to ensure people know how careful they need be. Though i've taken on board some comments and tweaked the phrasing slightly.

The fact one airline charges £10 no matter how you pay and airline charges every time you check in online (barring £1 sales) yet these don't form part of the advertised price - doesn't seem right to me. It's inconsisentent, confusing, unfair and shouldn't be allowed.

So I believe the point is plain (or plane), if you book a flight, paying by debit card, and checking in online that should be in the main price advertised. The other prominent 'extras' such as baggage should have their prices displayed prominently. .

Martin

PS. If you see reference to MSE Archna below, that's because riginally for convenience this was copied from the weekly email by MSE Archna, though its my words, name as we were working on the weekly e-mail - now that's been corrected).


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