Legality of Ryanair's advertising

Smick100

jammin wrote: »

I will point out again that not a single Irish bank issues Visa Electron cards to it's customers, so payment by this method is not even an option for Irish residents.

Bank of Ireland issues Electron (Irish bank? The giveaway is in the name).

It is a pre-paid card which has to be bought at the Post Office.

You can get it in Euro and the only cost is in the conversion fee. Alternatively you can get it in Sterling and pay 1.5% to top it up.

Next time you are up North with all the other Southerners visiting Sainsburys and Ikea, nip in and get one!

jammin_2

Smick100 wrote: »

Bank of Ireland issues Electron (Irish bank? The giveaway is in the name).

It is a pre-paid card which has to be bought at the Post Office.

BOI issue them in partnership with the UK Post Office. BOI do not issue them in Ireland, nor do any other banks.

Smick100 wrote: »

You can get it in Euro and the only cost is in the conversion fee. Alternatively you can get it in Sterling and pay 1.5% to top it up.

Meaning converting from Euros to Sterling to Euros again, resulting in a very expensive transaction. I believe that Ryanair would still charge in Sterling anyway, because the card is issued in the UK, regardless of the actual currency of the card.

Smick100 wrote: »

Next time you are up North with all the other Southerners visiting Sainsburys and Ikea, nip in and get one!

Afaik you have to be a UK resident in any case. Certainly you do if you try to buy one online. Can you confirm that UK Post Office branches sell their pre-paid Visa Electron cards to non-UK residents, who call in personally to buy them?

brightonman123

they'll be charging for the air next.. then the seats (standing room only??).. and maybe 50p for the loos, too..

the extras (and card fees) really need to be made clear before a booking is started..

dmg24

As they are clearly not breaking UK Law, could I suggest that you may get more relevant responses on an Irish site?

MrSmartprice

jammin wrote: »

The credit/debit card fee is not a good, and (in many cases), there is no choice but to pay it. The credit/debit card fee is also totally inflated compared with what Ryanair are actually charged by the banks for processing such payment. It's nothing more than stealth tax and I'm sure most people know that.

My argument is that Ryanair advertising "No other taxes, fees or charges" is inaccurate, since most people will have to pay a credit/debit charge fee.

I will point out again that not a single Irish bank issues Visa Electron cards to it's customers, so payment by this method is not even an option for Irish residents.

Of course there is a choice. I fly several times a year with Ryanair. I always pay the headline price because I check in online, I travel with 10kg of cabin baggage (as I do not need to take the kithen sink on holiday), and I pay with an Electron card. I use that card just for flights.

If you want the best deals, play by their rules. Get an Electron card, check in online, take less luggage, and don't eat their overpriced sandwiches - take your own!;)

I have just been on a trip from EMA to Madrid, Madrid to Santander, and Biarritz back to Birmingham, total cost £5.50, for two people. Less than a quid a flight, all in. Last year 2 of us went to Dublin and back for £0.04. I have just booked 2 return flights to Alicante, total cost £57. Hardly a rip-off!:rolleyes:

Amy83

moonrakerz wrote: »

MPs eating sandwiches ? you must be joking !

Smoked salmon, cut into triangles (without the crusts, obviously)

jammin_2

MrSmartprice wrote: »

Of course there is a choice. I fly several times a year with Ryanair. I always pay the headline price because I check in online, I travel with 10kg of cabin baggage (as I do not need to take the kithen sink on holiday), and I pay with an Electron card. I use that card just for flights.

<snip>

jammin wrote:

I will point out again that not a single Irish bank issues Visa Electron cards to it's customers, so payment by this method is not even an option for Irish residents.

Why quote something and then ignore what you've quote?

MarkyMarkD

MSE is a UK site, so it's not for us to understand the implications of what an Irish airline does to its Irish customers surely.

Complain to the Irish equivalent of the ASA. Because you won't get anywhere with the UK ASA for the reasons others have pointed out.

MrSmartprice

The OP does not state that he is in Ireland.

Also, Ryanair is an international airline. It doesn't just operate in and out of the UK and Ireland. Where it prices its flights in £s, it is reasonable to presume that the users will be in the UK. If you book flights that don't operate in the UK, or fly one-way to the UK, you pay in Euros. We have purchased flights in Euros and still used an UK Electron card. There is no reason to only have an Irish account, even if you are resident there, but that's personal choice.

So I didn't ignore the OP's point, it just wasn't relevant to the issue.:rolleyes:

Marty_J

Report them to the ASAI:

http://www.asai.ie/

Saying flights are €5 with no hidden charges when in fact it is not possible to book without incurring further charges is not on.