Rip Off Ryanair. Please Help Me!

bairn7

Okay...*deep breath*...my second, and hopefully final foray into the dark world of the Ryanair/Rip-off argument.

My definition of a 'rip-off' would be paying greatly over the odds for a product or service, either by stealth charging or by the seller being in a dominant position in relation to the buyer.

Firstly, the problem here is people looking at ryanair's charges as separate products/services (ie £8 for the flight itself, £20 for processing a credit card transaction). I would refer to the usual ebay analogy here...when deciding whether to bid for a product, you take into account the postage charge levied by the seller, which is almost always higher than the actual costs of postage. When you add these together, the product is usually the same price as similar products being sold by others.

Having a cheaper initial advertised price and then increasing postage costs etc beyond what is needed is a way to attract attention to the product (whether this is good practice is another matter) but it is NOT a rip-off.

You have to look at how much you are paying AS A WHOLE for the flight (including all charges) and decide whether the flight offers value for money. If you do this, chances are you will find that Ryanair is at least as competitive as any other airline (and in many cases still dramatically cheaper).

Please please please just stop and think about how much the flight is going to cost as a whole before deciding whether you think you have been 'ripped-off'. The number of people who naively think that ryanair can fill a plane with people paying only £0-£20 and not go out of business very quickly astounds me every time!

MORPH3US

bairn7 wrote: »

but it is NOT a rip-off.

I disagree....

A 1p flight is a bargain.

A £32 for using a debit card is a rip off.

The package at (of a 1p flight and a £32) £32.01 is a good deal / bargain.

So it depends what you are talking about.

The OP said (IIRC) that the £32 charge for using a debit card is a rip off.

Now everyone is going.... "you're getting a flight for £32.01, that is not a rip off, its a bargain"

The OP was not talking about the flight or the package, he was purely talking about the charge for using a debit card....

What don't people understand about that....

If Tesco started charging that much to use debit cards there would be uproar.... i'm sure them saying "but we sell digital cameras for £50 when the RRP is £60" wouldn't convince people otherwise.

MORPH3US

mymatebob wrote: »

As long as they were aware of that up front

Ok, go to their website and tell me where it says that there is a charge for using a debit card....

I.m certain you'll find it, but is it given as much prominence as:

"SALE! EVERY SEAT! EVERY FLIGHT! £10!"

If it is then i'll eat my hat

mymatebob

MORPH3US wrote: »

Ok, go to their website and tell me where it says that there is a charge for using a debit card....

I.m certain you'll find it, but is it given as much prominence as:

"SALE! EVERY SEAT! EVERY FLIGHT! £10!"

If it is then i'll eat my hat

The charge is identified as you go through the booking process so purchasers are aware of it before they commit to any transaction.

I would think it an odd marketing ploy to advertise all the charges as prominently as any sale - for any company not just Ryanair.

MORPH3US

Ok you took my point too literally..... where does it say what the charge is until you actually come to the payment screen?

Name me one other company that shouts about their amazing prices and then adds on taxes and charges and then charges you to pay by debit card?

You are 100% correct mymatebob, they do tell you about the charges and so break no laws.... but I am talking about being up front and honest about charges....

Its not as if you can get around the taxes and fees so why exclude them? You can't get away with doing that with VAT.

And then a * by the price with a link to further down the page saying "additional fees for payment by debit card" or similar.

phatbear

MORPH3US wrote: »

Ok you took my point too literally..... where does it say what the charge is until you actually come to the payment screen?

Name me one other company that shouts about their amazing prices and then adds on taxes and charges and then charges you to pay by debit card?

How about ticketmaster just looked at some gig tickets and on the main band page it clearly says £29.50 each so you go through imager verification and then the order page £4.50 per ticket service charge and then £3.00 to pick the tickets up at the venue or £4.95 p&p. However no mention previously of service/postage charges.

And at the end of it all it comes down to choice:

Do I want to see the band
Do I want to want to pay the premium.

If not walk away and accept the decision.

all the best

the bear

alanrowell

MORPH3US wrote: »

Name me one other company that shouts about their amazing prices and then adds on taxes and charges and then charges you to pay by debit card?

Easyjet for one

alanrowell

MORPH3US wrote: »

Name me one other company that shouts about their amazing prices and then adds on taxes and charges

Which company are you referring to as Ryanair doesn't add on taxes and charges - except optional ones

ynot2005

MORPH3US wrote: »

Ok you took my point too literally..... where does it say what the charge is until you actually come to the payment screen?

Name me one other company that shouts about their amazing prices and then adds on taxes and charges and then charges you to pay by debit card?

You are 100% correct mymatebob, they do tell you about the charges and so break no laws.... but I am talking about being up front and honest about charges....

Its not as if you can get around the taxes and fees so why exclude them? You can't get away with doing that with VAT.

And then a * by the price with a link to further down the page saying "additional fees for payment by debit card" or similar.

its all a fuss about nothing,it takes no time at all to get to the final price and
you either book or you dont book, i suppose putting an * by the price will warn people about the scandal and they wont take their flight.

i don't give a fig how they break down the costs, i will no matter what airline im travelling with decide to click on the final price or not, thats how i purchase any other product, i dont care about shop overheads, transport, wage costs.

its all about travellers either booking the flight and then taking the debit card charge like adults and not moaning about it, or do somehting about it and avoid the charge

you have never had it so good with flights and ryanair and thats a fact

Catti

What puzzles me is how they process 4 charges for what is a single debit card transaction! That's the bit that seems wrong - although I do agree that you do get the choice to refuse!