MSE News: Ryanair 'sticks two fingers up at passengers' with new card fees

MeanExpat

Sorry if I ask the obvious, this is new news to me.

"You can use it all over the UK free until the end of March 2012."

What for?
Will it be still free to book Ryanair flights after March 2012?

If the rules change (say airlines are not allowed to charge a card fee... in a few years), does it cost £6 to cancel that passport cashcard?

I am very grateful to RyanAir to fly from and to places where I have to go frequently and cheaply.

Obviously the cheap flights are only made possible by those who pay all the extras.
So thanks to those who think it is too much trouble to get yet another card.

Bob_the_Saver

"Obviously the cheap flights are only made possible by those who pay all the extras.
So thanks to those who think it is too much trouble to get yet another card."

Amen to that (can I say that?)

llenar

I have a prepaid card to avoid charges on Ryanair. ...it was really the only reason I decided to get it. The new card will now make this useless.

Like your article said on Ryanair sticking up its fingers to the issue of charges for using debit cards etc. I decided to apply for one of their credit cards. I secretly knew that I would not be successful not because my credit score was bad but because the more people they refuse the more people they will scam into paying their obscene fees for using a card.

I am not adverse to having to pay a charge but they amount they charge is way over the top, plus the online check in fee is a joke. we do all they work they save on costs, check in staff, printing boarding passes etc then they sting us £6. I do not have too much of a problem with Ryanair but it just makes my blood boil in the way they just rip you off.

Wouldn't it be great if we could get the great British public to boycott the airline for a week and in addition boycott buying anything from them while in the air until they drop the obscene charges......never going to happen though:D

llenar

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

"Obviously the cheap flights are only made possible by those who pay all the extras.
So thanks to those who think it is too much trouble to get yet another card."

Amen to that (can I say that?)

I don't think it is too much of an issue to get another card. But when the debit card was supposed to be the end of all the hassle of going to the bank, savings to the banks, and easy payment for the consumer why do people like Rayanair owner and Easyjet impose such high charges on a debit card when hundreds and hundreds of other retailers and service providers do not.

Bob_the_Saver

llenar wrote: »

I have a prepaid card to avoid charges on Ryanair. ...it was really the only reason I decided to get it. The new card will now make this useless.

Like your article said on Ryanair sticking up its fingers to the issue of charges for using debit cards etc. I decided to apply for one of their credit cards. I secretly knew that I would not be successful not because my credit score was bad but because the more people they refuse the more people they will scam into paying their obscene fees for using a card.

I am not adverse to having to pay a charge but they amount they charge is way over the top, plus the online check in fee is a joke. we do all they work they save on costs, check in staff, printing boarding passes etc then they sting us £6. I do not have too much of a problem with Ryanair but it just makes my blood boil in the way they just rip you off.

Wouldn't it be great if we could get the great British public to boycott the airline for a week and in addition boycott buying anything from them while in the air until they drop the obscene charges......never going to happen though:D

Yes I'll be thinking this on my first £6 quid all-in flight next week.
You're right, it's never going to happen and we all know why, because £6 or £12 it's still bloody peanuts to sit in a £60 million pound piece of kit and be flown around Europe.

GraceCourt

Courtesy of the Consumer Intelligence web site here:

Ryanair's new prepaid card was released and marketed as the only way to avoid booking fees when paying for flights with the airline. What wasn't made clear is that it also comes with a lot of charges to pay if you don't use the card. If after six months you don't use the card you'll be charged £2.50 for each month of inactivity and £10 every time the card goes into a negative balance due to inactivity. Card holders will also be charged £2 a time for withdrawing cash at machines and £4 for obtaining cash over the counter. The costs of owning the card could very quickly outweigh the benefit of avoiding a £6 surcharge for booking a flight unless you tend to use the airline frequently.

Apologies if I'm repeating something that regular posters to this forum were already aware of, but this was news to me, and I will definitely not now be getting one just to avoid Ryanair's nasty hidden charges. Frankly, I don't see me ever using Ryanair, I've now heard too much about appalling, indifferent service and unfair "small print" additional charges.

2010

Ryanair's new prepaid card was released and marketed as the only way to avoid booking fees when paying for flights with the airline. What wasn't made clear is that it also comes with a lot of charges to pay if you don't use the card. If after six months you don't use the card you'll be charged £2.50 for each month of inactivity and £10 every time the card goes into a negative balance due to inactivity. Card holders will also be charged £2 a time for withdrawing cash at machines and £4 for obtaining cash over the counter. The costs of owning the card could very quickly outweigh the benefit of avoiding a £6 surcharge for booking a flight unless you tend to use the airline frequently.

I wasn`t going to post again on this thread because we`re trawling old ground.
The above points have been noted and discussed and the conclusion is,

1. The card is techically free, you get the £6 back to use for your 1st flight.
2. You have to load it with £150 the first time but the card is free to use with Ryanair and free with other outlets until April 2012.
3. The inactivity charge is easily avoidable by using it in a supermarket/petrol station where there is a charge of 50p every time you use it.
Fill the car up with £50 of petrol and it`ll cost use £50-50p.
4. Don`t let it go into negative balance.
5. Don`t get cash out of an ATM.
6. Plenty of places to get foreign currency from besides this card.

7. Don`t get the card and pay £6 each way for every person every flight.

malkie76

Anyone is free to use another carrier or alternative mode of transport.
I really don't get the issue here.

SaveTheEuro

2010 wrote: »

1. The card is techically free, you get the £6 back to use for your 1st flight.
2. You have to load it with £150 the first time but the card is free to use with Ryanair and free with other outlets until April 2012.
3. The inactivity charge is easily avoidable by using it in a supermarket/petrol station where there is a charge of 50p every time you use it.
Fill the car up with £50 of petrol and it`ll cost use £50-50p.
4. Don`t let it go into negative balance.
5. Don`t get cash out of an ATM.
6. Plenty of places to get foreign currency from besides this card.

7. Don`t get the card and pay £6 each way for every person every flight.

When buying the card it's £156 minimum upfront. Use a debit card to pay this because it's £4 extra with a credit card.

And one other thing to bear in mind: online reloads will take up to 1 working day to be credited.

Thailand

tobiascurious wrote: »

Anyone bought one of these yet?

Just bought mine, hope is does come within 3 days as I am moving! I swear it said it would ask for documents such as driving licence/passport details but it never did. Maybe it will later upon activation.

I will report any problems.

I ain't ever paying his cruddy card fees, I will use the £6 voucher, I will keep a balance on and so on....

Whilst not the greatest, at least there is a 0845 number to call with any problems since it isn't a Ryanair card per se, because I think he would prefer a £1 a minute line. Having said that I am a fan of Ryanair.... too many flights to count and half of Europe seen on a shoestring!!