Ryanair Refusing Mastercard Prepay

bertietrouble

Has anyone else had the experience of having the Prepaid Mastercard refused by Ryanair?

I have tried four times since yesterday to make a booking using my FairFX prepaid card, to avoid their card charges. It is listed by them as an acceptable form of payment, yet I have so far been twice locked out of the website, once had the payment refused and once had it 'modified'- where a reservation number was issued and the payment listed as 'pending'. However, no email confirmation has been forthcoming and the website now says the booking reference is incorrect to locate the booking.

I was on hold to their customer services number for 26 minutes before hanging up (at 10p a minute.) I also called Head Office and was answered after 27 minutes, but they couldn't or wouldn't help.
My instinct is that they are routinely refusing the card, which would seem to contradict what they say they will accept as payment. I wonder whether I should contact advertising standards?

Bob_the_Saver

Worked for me earlier, Is it a new card? is it activated?

Ian_Muir

Worked okay for me just last week.

bertietrouble

It is about a year old or so and I used it fine the last time I booked with them. Have checked it is fully loaded with enough cash so can't find any reason for their refusing it except to force me to pay card charges. Have now tried 5 times over two days and am at wits end!

Louisdf

Is the billing address correct? It must match exactly.

dzug1

bertietrouble wrote: »

so can't find any reason for their refusing it except to force me to pay card charges. !

There at least 4 more likely reasons than deliberate deceit - being an error or incompatibility on the part of one or more of you, Ryanair, FairFx or Mastercard.

OK leave you out - that's still 3.

Conspiracy theories really don't wash.

bertietrouble

I know it seems a stretch and I am not a conspiacy theorist but there are numerous postings on these Forums from others experiencing the same thing...Just searching for an explaination that makes sense.

Have tried twice more. The billing addresses match. The card is loaded with enough money and is active. Have tried from two different computers and used both Safari and Firefox and I continue to get either payment declined or locked out of the website. Since originally getting a reservation number and 'payment pending' a few days ago that has not resulted in any further contact from them and there is no trace of the booking using that code. Stumped.

dmg24

I find these prepay Mastercards very hit and miss - I tried to use one for alpharooms last week and it would not accept it, yet it is the same card that I use with Ryanair all the time. Not sure what the answer is, but it certainly isn't unique.

bertietrouble

I have now got to the bottom of this, after two phone calls to Fair FX, the card provider.

They said that Ryanair are actively discouraging the use of these cards by a variety of methods, from blocking the website, stating there has been a payment error (be it a number incorrectly entered, incorrect address details etc) and finally if this doesn't work, declining the payment.

What they don't tell you on the website, is that when they decline the payment, the card is then BLOCKED for 24 hours. Fair FX said if people call Ryanair as I did, they are told there is no problem at their end and refer you back to the card issuer. Every time you try the card again, you get blocked for 24 hours from the time of the attempt. Hence I have been trying for three days and have only served to push the block forward another day each time.

The final and most insidious con, according to Fair FX, is that if the card has been successfully used over a period of time (they suggested approximately 15 uses) therefore avoiding the card charges, it will then be PERMANENTLY BLOCKED. When this happens the card becomes defunct and the only solution is for Fair FX to issue a new one.

I believe that these sort of underhand tactics need to be exposed and I shall be contacting Trading Standards. I would love Martin to be made aware of the situation also so that a warning can be included in his guide which suggests the use of these cards in the first place. Any suggestions as to how else I might take Ryanair to task over this will be gratefully received.

budgetflyer

Strange how they have never blocked me from using my Escape PP Mastercard and I buy lots of flights with it.
The name of the game for Ryanair is selling flights. By not accepting your card, they are not selling a flight, so I doubt it is deliberate on their part. Probably a software issue.
Lets be honest. FairFX are never going to admit its their fault are they?

Bob_the_Saver

Never been blocked in 100+ bookings since OH and I have been using FairFx cards and we have 5 of them between us.