MSE News: Ryanair and Easyjet hike charges for holiday season

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The budget airlines have added a raft of new fees to hit those booking a last-minute Easter getaway or summer trip ..."

Read the full story:
Ryanair and Easyjet hike charges for holiday season

richardw

The old mantra 'shop around' is more than ever relevant.

whatmichaelsays

OMG! Businesses transparently acting like a business! Will somebody please think of the children?

Nessie23

There's a new £2 fee per person, per leg of the journey (£4 return) introduced this month to cover costs for reimbursing passengers for delays and cancellations where it is not at fault. It won't be levied on some promotional fares. Ryanair says it had to shell out over £87 million last year for delays, passenger care and compensation from more than 15,000 cancellations affecting over 2.4 million disrupted passengers.

Ryanair are an absolute joke. They will try to find any excuse to charge customers more. I have flown with them twice before, but as far as I am concerned I am voting with my feet and will not be using them again.

I will not miss their lack of customer service, inflated charges for checking-in luggage, extra fees for paying with a debit/credit card, etc.;)

spikyone

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

OMG! Businesses transparently acting like a business! Will somebody please think of the children?

Yes, I often find that when I'm at the supermarket the prices on the shelf don't include tax, fees to cover the shop's insurance, fees for paying by credit card, fees for using a trolley or a basket.

Oh hang on, I dreamt that last paragraph. :cool:

gavrc

I don't care what you charge as long as I can see a total price when I first search for a flight. Of course I'm paying by credit card, I will have luggage on my two week return and if you don't pay for insurance to cover delays and cancellations (and pass the cost on to me) then you're idiots. Just be honest about the cost and what that covers and if I feel you offer the best deal I'll buy it. Simples.

gav

danothy

I feel the 'charges' should be in some way avoidable (e.g. no checked luggage or paying by debit card) to be counted as add-on charges or otherwise they should be included in the headline price (for example the check-in charges as you HAVE to check in). This is my only gripe with budget airlines really (I have found that I will put up with poor flight experiences for the sake of cost).

As an after thought, I wonder how far charge hikes can go before they can't legitimately call themselves 'budget' airlines ...

matty_yorks

So long as these airlines don't have a fatality, and are to many cheaper than quality airlines, they will continue to thrive.

End of story.

blades123

The problem with all companies, not just airlines is that their main goal is to make as much money as possible without having to pay anything out. The days when a company invests in its business has long gone. If it does want to expand, in the past it would use it own money but now every price is increased to cover these expansions. Just look at the electrical companies or landline providers. They are willing to stop using powerstations to make their electricity and start using wind power - but only if their customers / goverment pay for it. It't the same with BT, they are willing to upgrade the broadband network across the UK but only if the goverment gives them a grant and if their customers pays extra on their bills. But the main question is: Who gets to keep these things i.e wind turbines or fibre optic network? They do without spending a penny of their own money

fun_in_the_sun_2

I am showing my age but I remember when you found cheap flights on Teletext and the only extra was the airport tax.

Drip feeding us prices and then adding a bit and another bit is a poor business ethic. Airlines should be ashamed.

Lynsey

Good luck to Which and their "super complaint".
Charging excessive debit card fees is bad enough, but to actually increase the charges again is a disgrace. It must cost pence to process a debit card and they should be fined (more than they charge) when levying these charges.
It's bordering on the ridiculous now and needs regulated. The price of a flight may go up and the actual cost may be the same (flight+charges), but it will be much easier and clearer to compare prices.

Again, good luck to Which and hope the end is nigh.
http://www.which.co.uk/news/2011/02/which-to-launch-card-fee-super-complaint--244377/

Add your support today (if you are bothered of course).
http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/personal-finance/card-surcharges/pledge-your-support/

Lynsey