Airline Charges Rip Off Discussion

JimmyTheWig

MrSmartprice wrote: »

I can only conclude that something is not right here. We have the country's acknowledged moneysaving 'champion' criticising a way to save money. I have a feeling that this misguided campaign will end up costing us all more. Rather than the sensationalist angle, the correct approach should be to encourage us MSEers to get our flights as cheaply as possible, like many already do.

No, the correct approach, when faced with something unfair, is two-pronged.
1. Do what you can to stop the unfair practices.
2. Do what you can, in the meantime, to avoid falling foul of these practices.

Which is exactly what this site is doing on this and other issues.
Here, for example, we have a campaign to make the charges fairer, etc, alongside articles of how to avoid the charges.
Equally, on bank charges we have a campaign to scrap them, get them refunded, etc alongside advice to avoid them - namely staying within budget.

This site is not just about making things better for the (significant) minority who use the site and are able to jump through hoops to bring costs down. It is about making things better for all.

Anon

The issue is how charges are added - for example, you would think "taxes and charges" are a constant, yet on many budget (or indeed other flights) lower fares attract higher taxes and charges, higher fares lower taxes and charges - how can that be? In many cases where I have flown, the overall price has been pretty much the same whether low or high starting fare. The way they get round this in their site explanation is that they "choose" to cover some of the costs on some flights.

And don't get me started on the fuel surcharge last year - here was me thinking that fuel would be included but no, they started adding it as an extra ... perhaps an urban myth but I understand that Ryanair are now looking at planes where you can stand up throughout the flight, so you will then get charged if you actually want to sit down ...!

Anon

andrewD.P

Hello All

Last week I tried to check-in online for my ryanair flight to Belfast City Airport and was unable to do so as I didn't have my passport (it had gone to the Indian embassy as part of a visa application)
I travel to Belfast frequently and have always used my photo driving licence as id.
Now that ryanair have insisted on you checking-in on-line prior to your flight I have to use a passport (the other form of id accepted on-line is an EEU id card) As I did not have my passport I had to cancel my flight and use an alternative carrier to Belfast International which is a long way from my destination.

Ryanair haven't publicised this on-line check-in change and it is only when you try to check-in that you discover the acceptable forms of id.
Furthermore Ryanair website states amongst their ramblings that from 01 October 2009 they will NOT accept a photo driving licence as valid id for a 'walk-up' airport check-in.
Something for internal UK flyers to note!

MrSmartprice

Wallhart wrote: »

When are people going to realise. It's not that Ryanair charge extras is that they aren't easy to always see.

If the charged a £1 flight and then clearly outline the costs and additonal payments before you hit submit then people wouldn't complain.

But they do! We have booked dozens of Ryanair flights and on every occasion we have followed their standard booking procedure. You select/deselect the options you do or don't require. The amount to be debited from your Electron card is clearly stated before you confirm the booking. How difficult is that to understand?

People who get charged extra at the airport have failed to comply with the requirements. It is entirely their own fault and nothing to do with the prices charged. On my recent £4 trip to Prague a woman was moaning about having to pay £30 to check in her bag because it was too big for the cabin. At the Prague bus station she came up to us to ask about buses and we saw the bag. It was huge! But she said to me that she thought no-one would mind. It was a tax on stupidity for her.

MrSmartprice

Anon wrote: »

And don't get me started on the fuel surcharge last year - here was me thinking that fuel would be included but no, they started adding it as an extra ... perhaps an urban myth but I understand that Ryanair are now looking at planes where you can stand up throughout the flight, so you will then get charged if you actually want to sit down ...!

This has to be one of the daftest posts ever! :rotfl:

Ryanair did not apply fuel surcharges to any of their flights, and in fact criticised the other airlines for doing so. Yet another post from someone who cannot be bothered to get the facts right, as it is far easier to slag off someone with this sort of nonsense.

http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/news/hx-travel/ryanair-criticises-airline-fuel-surcharges-11271s.html

grey-matters

answer £3
is this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

dmg24

cobblersmark wrote: »

I appreciate that you can get an Electron card to beat the charge but I think these companies are playing the system too much. Why not just up the price of their flights a little an include the charge? That way, you could pay, say a tenner instead of a pound with no charge.

Why should I pay £9 extra just because you cannot be bothered to get an Electron card or use Entropay? Hardly moneysaving!

Anon

MrSmartprice wrote: »

This has to be one of the daftest posts ever! :rotfl:

Ryanair did not apply fuel surcharges to any of their flights, and in fact criticised the other airlines for doing so. Yet another post from someone who cannot be bothered to get the facts right, as it is far easier to slag off someone with this sort of nonsense.

http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/news/hx-travel/ryanair-criticises-airline-fuel-surcharges-11271s.html

Good - it was meant to be to try to lighten the mood on this increasingly vitriolic thread :rolleyes: What happened to being nice to people on this site?

If you are going to start flaming , MrSmartPrice, please direct it elsewhere. It was said tongue in cheek and was not directed at Ryanair - the thread has been exploring wider issues of charges on flights. You will note that my only mention of Ryanair was about the urban myth of the standing airplane.

Anon

JimmyTheWig

dmg24 wrote: »

Why should I pay £9 extra just because you cannot be bothered to get an Electron card or use Entropay? Hardly moneysaving!

You've missed the point. It doesn't cost Ryanair that much less to process Electron payments. If everyone used these methods then Ryanair would put the prices up and you'd end up paying £9 extra anyway.
The only reason you are benefitting at the moment is that you are able to get out of these charges where others aren't (due to time, nouse, internet skills, etc).

richardw

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

The only reason you are benefitting at the moment is that you are able to get out of these charges where others aren't (due to time, nouse, internet skills, etc).

But those with time, nouse, internet skills, etc will benefit right across all money saving opportunities.
The playing field ain't level and never will be.