Ryanair Refusing Mastercard Prepay

MarkBargain

I have had FairFX bookings rejected a number of times, and so always tried next day and then managed to book (hoping prices haven't risen by then). The easiest thing after choosing flights and entering all details would have been to pay with another card and suffer the card fee, so I was a bit suspicious by the rejection of the only card in the list not to attract extra fees!

bertietrouble

budgetflyer wrote: »

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?

I am in no doubt that the issue lies at Ryanair's end and is deliberate. It also appears to be a fairly recent tactic, as I myself have also used the Prepaay card successfully in the past.

I believe that by not accepting the card they are banking on people's apathy and the inevitable switch to using a debit card which will attract the fees they so desire. Who has the time and patience for repeated attempts and waiting twenty-four hours, while the prices go up... There are very few people who would ultimately walk away from making the booking altogether and let's face it, most of us don't have that much choice. For me, living equidistant from Stansted and Luton, Ryanair is my only option. There are no other carriers.

There is no software issue, having tried two different computers both pc and mac, using two different browsers and closing all other windows. Repeated attempts over three days and getting nowhere (as I had been blocked, without being told so by the airline.)

I have been onto Trading Standards and they are going to investigate. If enough people who have encountered the same difficulty lately also do the same, there will be a very strong case for Ryanair to start behaving themselves.

bertietrouble

MarkBargain wrote: »

I have had FairFX bookings rejected a number of times, and so always tried next day and then managed to book (hoping prices haven't risen by then). The easiest thing after choosing flights and entering all details would have been to pay with another card and suffer the card fee, so I was a bit suspicious by the rejection of the only card in the list not to attract extra fees!

I think you are very right to be suspicous. It is naive of people to imagine that these sort of underhand business practises don't go on and as a longtime customer of this particular airline I wouldn't put anything past them! They are not after our respect, just our money.

If you feel you have hoodwinked then give Trading Standards a quick call (08454 04 05 06 Consumer Direct) The more voices the better and the issue can be properly investigated.

Bob_the_Saver

We fly lots and lots and lots of times a year. This year so far Ireland - a few times, India, Malaysia - a few times, Australia - a couple of times, New Zealand - only once, USA only one so far, France -Many booked, etc etc and it's the 'big bank' credit cards that sometimes don't work "for our protection" we are told. Our pre-paid cards which should be there only as a back-up but ALWAYS work.

bertietrouble

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

We fly lots and lots and lots of times a year. This year so far Ireland - a few times, India, Malaysia - a few times, Australia - a couple of times, New Zealand - only once, USA only one so far, France -Many booked, etc etc and it's the 'big bank' credit cards that sometimes don't work "for our protection" we are told. Our pre-paid cards which should be there only as a back-up but ALWAYS work.

I am glad you have had a good run with the prepaid cards,they are a useful tool. My issue is very specifically with Ryanair and the length they appear lately to be going to to discourage their use. There are many reports online of people experiencing the same difficulties with this company, hence starting this thread to get a dialogue going.

adindas

Do not just believe what FairFx has told you.
Other Prepaid card get accepted, for what reason they need to block FairFx ?

bertietrouble wrote: »

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.

bertietrouble

adindas wrote: »

Do not just believe what FairFx has told you.
Other Prepaid card get accepted, for what reason they need to block FairFx ?

If you look online at this issue you will see that there are many recent reports of Prepaid cards, of which there are only a handful, being systematically refused by this airline. They might blame a system error and online issues, but as soon as a debit card is used those issues are nowhere to be seen. I can see no advantage to FairFX in this instance playing games...the only advantage to be gained is by Ryanair, in making it so difficult to complete a booking without card fees that people are left with little choice but to default to the cards for which they are charged.

adindas

They probably did. This thread is just one example:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3253432

It could be a marketing strategy ..... ?

Please be aware I am not saying that Ryanair did not attempt to stop people paying using pre-paid card. I simply do not know this. But if Ryanair try stop people using particular pre-paid card "FairFX" then I believe it is a marketing strategy from FairFx try to create image that they are too good in comparison to other pre-paid cards ....

TBH, I also have FairFx and the only reason why I apply for FairFx is to beat ryanair charges, so far so good. I will not use it for foreign currency withdrawal as I have various superior alternatives, which put them on the bottom of my list.

bertietrouble wrote: »

I can see no advantage to FairFX in this instance playing games...the only advantage to be gained is by Ryanair, in making it so difficult to complete a booking without card fees that people are left with little choice but to default to the cards for which they are charged.

bertietrouble

adindas wrote: »

They probably did. This thread is just one example:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3253432

It could be a marketing strategy ..... ?

Please be aware I am not saying that Ryanair did not attempt to stop people paying using pre-paid card. I simply do not know this. But if Ryanair try stop people using particular pre-paid card "FairFX" then I believe it is a marketing strategy from FairFx try to create image that they are too good in comparison to other pre-paid cards ....

TBH, I also have FairFx and the only reason why I apply for FairFx is to beat ryanair charges, so far so good. I will not use it for foreign currency withdrawal as I have various superior alternatives, which put them on the bottom of my list.

I also have the FairFX card only to beat the card charges for flights. It stays in a drawer otherwise and I use a Santander Zero credit card for foreign puchases and a Zero debit card for withdrawals abroad.

The information regarding Ryanair's 24 hour block on the card came from FairFX customer service, after several phone calls. Why would they tell me to wait 24 hours before attempting to use the card again if Ryanair had not blocked it? There is no advantage to them in it not being used. It was blocked over 3 days...I made something like a dozen attempts in that time to book the flight, eventually having no option but to make the booking using a debit card and incur the charges, as the sale was ending. It went through without a hitch, first time. Suddenly all those 'system errors' and 'incorrectly entered details' were nowhere to be found.

dmg24

It is odd that you have ignored the fact that this problem is not limited to Ryanair ...