BBC News: Credit and debit card surcharges 'are excessive'

MarkBargain

malkie76 wrote: »

wah wah wah boo hoo hoo

Don't like one providers service then use another.

As NFH posted, the point is that customers should be able to fairly compare companies' prices, not be hit with an "administration fee" at the end of the booking process after a customer has entered all their flight times, personal details etc. Rather than advertising £6 flights on their front page, why not just advertise £11 flights and not have the admin fee? That would be fairer. Also, I think the £6 "online checkin fee" should be included as part of the main fare as that is not optional.

cactusdust

Then use a Prepaid Mastercard, really how difficult is it?

Then of course if you can't fathom up a prepaid Mastercard and you still don't like what Ryanair offer you then don't pay for it. No one is forcing you to pay an avoidable card charge and no one is forcing you to fly Ryanair.

DavidHayton

cactusdust wrote: »

Then use a Prepaid Mastercard, really how difficult is it?

Then of course if you can't fathom up a prepaid Mastercard and you still don't like what Ryanair offer you then don't pay for it. No one is forcing you to pay an avoidable card charge and no one is forcing you to fly Ryanair.

This is very true.

I am one of those who does use a prepaid mastercard, prints his own boarding card, etc, etc, and successfully avoids (nearly) every additional charge. It means that I can get a very cheap price for the service. Great!

But Ryannair (and others) can only let me get away with paying them a pittance because other customers (not so savvy) are being enticed in with one price and end up more - sometimes much more. In effect I am exploiting them.:( If you believe (as I do) that this is wrong then you have three options:
1. Never fly Ryannair
2. Choose to pay more to cover your fair share of the cost of the flight.
3. Campaign as a society for Ryannair to be transparent in their advertising so that the price you see is the price you pay. This is normal in our society (e.g., retailers cannot normally quote prices ex-VAT).

Option 1 is tempting but sometimes not feasible; option 2 is silly. This is why I support Which? and their super complaint. Ryanair have the right to charge what they like to who they like, but they should not be allowed to be misleading in their advertising.

David

whatmichaelsays

MarkBargain wrote: »

As NFH posted, the point is that customers should be able to fairly compare companies' prices, not be hit with an "administration fee" at the end of the booking process after a customer has entered all their flight times, personal details etc. Rather than advertising £6 flights on their front page, why not just advertise £11 flights and not have the admin fee? That would be fairer. Also, I think the £6 "online checkin fee" should be included as part of the main fare as that is not optional.

Why should I have to pay £11 instead of £6? Ryanair propose a contract based on certain terms being met. If I am willing to meet those terms, why should I pay more to subsidise those who aren't?

MarkBargain

cactusdust wrote: »

Then use a Prepaid Mastercard, really how difficult is it?

It is a lot of hassle to apply for a new card just for one retailer, and it needs research into what all the charges associated with them are (upfront fee, load fee, transaction fees) - plus there is the hassle of loading money onto the card each time you want to use it.

Imagine if everyone had these tactics, would we all be happy to take out a Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Solo, Electon, Mastercard prepay, and perhaps Moneybookers, Neteller, Paypal and MyCitadel too to avoid "administration fees" everywhere we shopped?

MarkBargain

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

Why should I have to pay £11 instead of £6? Ryanair propose a contract based on certain terms being met. If I am willing to meet those terms, why should I pay more to subsidise those who aren't?

The problem is the "contract" that Ryanair proposes is not upfront and clear, and the small print means customers paying a lot more than they were originally lead to believe. Ryanair has to operate within the laws of the land and the public have a right to transparent pricing. I know this might not suit frequent fliers who have put time in getting round Ryanair's charges, but we have to think of the wider public interest.

whatmichaelsays

MarkBargain wrote: »

The problem is the "contract" that Ryanair proposes is not upfront and clear, and the small print means customers paying a lot more than they were originally lead to believe. Ryanair has to operate within the laws of the land and the public have a right to transparent pricing. I know this might not suit frequent fliers who have put time in getting round Ryanair's charges, but we have to think of the wider public interest.

It is clear though. The proposal is laid out in front of me, it is clearly itemised and I am given ample opportunity to reject those terms. All the charges are also clearly tabled on their website.

As for the wider public, I'm sorry, but I don't see the relevance. Life is full of cases where people get a better deal than others. It is an individual's responsibility to look after themselves and their finances, not Ryanair's - and I certainly don't think that it's right that those who are prepared to accept Ryanair's terms should subsidise those who aren't.

DavidHayton

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

Why should I have to pay £11 instead of £6? Ryanair propose a contract based on certain terms being met. If I am willing to meet those terms, why should I pay more to subsidise those who aren't?

I suppose it comes down to your view of society. You seem to believe that you should be free to exploit others who are less savvy, less knowledgable, less well educated. I am being not being critical here, just making an observation.

Others would say that society has a duty to ensure that the less savvy should be free from exploitation.

Unfortunately not everyone can be "free".

I suspect that the split in opinion over Which?'s latest rumblings will be on similar lines.

David

malkie76

Vendee wrote: »

And what if there isn't one?

There aren't other airlines other than RyanAir? That's news to me.

whatmichaelsays

DavidHayton wrote: »

I suppose it comes down to your view of society. You seem to believe that you should be free to exploit others who are less savvy, less knowledgable, less well educated. I am being not being critical here, just making an observation.

Others would say that society has a duty to ensure that the less savvy should be free from exploitation.

Unfortunately not everyone can be "free".

I suspect that the split in opinion over Which?'s latest rumblings will be on similar lines.

David

I disagree that people are being "exploited" - life favours those those who use a bit of effort or initiative to look after themselves and that's not something is unique to the airline industry.

Ryanair are hardly asking you to give them your first born child here. They're simply saying that if you pay with their preferred type of card, they will waive a fee. If you want to pay in your preferred method, they will charge you for it. If you don't like that structure, fly with an airline that doesn't adopt it.

And lets be frank here; cheap air travel is not a right - it is a commodity that has to be paid for like any other and it is one that is being sold in an intensively competitive market.