Airline Charges Rip Off Discussion

Rebecca15

I flew to the UK earlier this year with Jet2, I checked in on line the day before and was seated on a different row to my 6 year old daughter (it was only the 2 of us travelling). I had to ring up and argue the toss as I said that I would not pay for pre allocated seating as again it is a rip off. After ages on the phone they agreed with my point that a young child should not be sat with strangers on a flight!!!!

MSE_Martin

Posted in the first post...

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).

Ali_UK

Sneaker wrote: »

I decided a trip to Eindhoven was in order so thought I'd check Ryanair, 2 return flights for £20, great get all the way through, and then it's up to £40 with the card charge.

I've now applied for an easycash or something Halifax account but obviousl not going to be here in time, at least I'll have it for the future though.

:mad:

My bank wouldnt give me an electron card to run alongside by visa debit on my current account so I got my visa pre-pay electron from the post office and it was ready to use 24 hours later, is worth a go (actually having to wait saved me money as the flight prices dropped!!)

Darius_K

I am a musician, and frequent flyer, and rarely book my own flights, so am at the mercy of concert promoters when it comes to which airline.
The worst by a very long way are Ryan Air, who as Martin has stated are expert rip off merchants.
1. The idea that you can 'check in online' is farcical. Even if you did manage to spot the small print when booking the tickets and remembered to check in online, when you get top the airport, guess what? You still have to stand in the same queue that traditional check in requires, show your passport, weigh bags etc etc, so its a check in, in all but name. I have a sneaking suspicion this 'online check in' is an invention to catch people out who didn't read the small print, who then have to pay a very hefty £40 per person, per flight,. And if you did print out the online check in paperwork, but mange to lose it, guess what? Another fine of £40.
2. If you are a musician you get penalised. How? By having to pay an 'instrument charge' of £40!!! Like musicians (professional, or amateur and just happen to be carrying an acoustic guitar with them) are all really wealthy or something??? Actually most musicians struggle to make ends meet at all! This charge is irrespective of the size, so even if its smaller than a suitcase...you still gotta pay! Oh yes, and they will not let you carry on any instruments at all, so you have to risk checking in your valuable, and beloved instrument to the hold, or pay for an extra seat, which inciidentally, they won't allow a baggage allowance for either....????? Why???? Go figure! The same goes for sports equipment. I think this amounts to discrimination against musicians and sports enthusiasts.
3. A couple of years ago i had the misfortune of my bag being stolen in madrid, which contained my passport. Despite arriving back at the same airport, with the same group of travel companions only 3 days after my arrival, and, despite being in possession of my UK photo drivers license, and a police crime report, they would not let me fly. So i had to travel across Spain to barcelona, where British Airways were only too happy to le me fly with them under the circumstances (although at a premium rate of course).
4. The seats don't lean back.
5. There is nowhere to put your book/magazine etc.
6. A tiny can of beer is £5 (or £4.50) either way extortionate.
7. The boss banned his employees from charging their mobile phones at work to save the company money.....come on you tight %*$£ard.
8. I'm sure there's more but having ranted a little, i need to get on with some work now.

richardw

MSE_Martin wrote: »

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.

Agreed.
So a £1 promotional fare would be equal to

"£6 per person, including online check-in, debit card fee and hand luggage only (Save £5 by using an electron card)"

Flippsie

You are spot on, so long as the advertised price is achievable and clearly labelled, I don't have a problem with it. What I can't abide is searching for a flight on moneysupermarket, finding one price advertised as all inclusive, then following a link to Terminal A to find that the price has increased and then being charged a fee to pay for the flight. To add insult to injury, I am then emailed in very bad English (deliberately bad, I believe) and told that there is some disagreement between the different carriers operating my flights and that the return flight I was sold is no longer available (despite both flight actually being operated by GermanWings. But guess what, good old Terminal A have just managed to find me another flight, that was nice of them - wasn't it? Well yes, but this amount of niceness does of course come at a cost. The final price for my ticket was more than double that advertised on moneysupermarket.

This is, I believe, a deliberate attempt to extract every last penny possible. I would strongly advised anyone not to use either moneysupermarket or Terminal A. The former is pointless if the prices you're comparing are not for the same services and the latter, well I can't really write here what I think of the latter. I would like to add the GermanWings are completely blameless in this matter.

Options, I agree are one thing, but stating an all inclusive price, which clearly isn't, is quite another. Things such as taxes and actually paying for your flight are not optional and should be included in any price stated.

I hate to bang on about this, cathartic as it is, but has anyone ever tried customer services for either moneysupermarket or Terminal A? Don't bother, unless you enjoy being ignored.

Senjo

I agree with Martin, I can't believe that some moneysavers are so smug that they know how to work the system and don't give a damn about others who find things more difficult. I have spent the time and got "£1" flights at the minimum possible cost but it takes ages checking all Ryan Air's small print to make sure you've done everything correctly. When you get to the airport you're still not sure if they'll suddenly say you didn't do something right and slap on an extra charge. The last time I flew with them there were some poor elderly people in front of me in the queue and they were charged extras they weren't expecting. I think we should back Martin's call for correct advertising to protect those who either find it difficult to jump through Ryan Air's hoops or don't have access to/can't use a computer.

Hamsden

The easiest way to the sleight of had that the airline is using is to avoid going to them at all. I did because the whole process would have taken so long to work through the various stages that when you see all the hidden extras it was just not worth it. I opted for British Airways and went to Madrid for £68 one way with 23kg of hold, a laptop and hand luggage..........no hassle!

As for the gentleman who has virtually no luggage.......I just would not like the experience of sitting next to him for a couple of hours on the plane....phew!

Sooler

MSE_Martin wrote: »

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.

So the MSE email that has any info on 'cheap flight' offers really ought to include and give equal prominence to the hoops that are required to be cleared to obtain the 'cheap flight'.

European flights £1-ish - (Requires payment by Electron card,hand luggage only,online check in)

Or at least from now on should include a link to the new guide.

Else it's a bit misleading as you only find out the restrictions on obtaining the cheap flight after you click through from the email.

66z

it's actually all fair.

i've been flying with Ryanair back and forth for bare £1.

if you pay with Visa Electron, there are no charges.

if you don't take checked baggage, no extra charges either. if you do: book it over the internet and take online check-in, it'll be an extra £10 then which looks rather sensible to me.

there are more expenses once you arrive at the destination's airport which often tends to be in a notable distance from the city so you have to get a coach but that's a business beyond Ryanair.

anyway, what's the fuss. you want extras, you pay for it! Ryanair still gives an opportunity to travel for almost free and I for one appreciate that.

p.s. how do you think, would you pay less if you booked a normal rate ticket including taxes and check-in fee?