Good Old Ryanair!!

laurence4fun

I've had a Ryanair Credit Card for 6 months now, and in line with their promotion, my regular use of it has earned me a 'free' flight voucher. I say 'free', I still have to pay for everything including taxes, fees, baggage etc, except the cost of the flight itself.
I stored the voucher away until today when I wanted to redeem it on a flight this summer for my wife and myself on a holiday in France.
I dutifully phoned their booking number (you cannot redeem vouchers online, only via a 10p per minute telephone call), and was told that 'yes, I could use the voucher on this flight'. I eagerly awaited the cost of my discounted flight................only to be told that it was £2.50 more than the price charged for the same flight if booked online without a voucher!!
It looks a right bargain, I think I will apply for a card for my wife as well!! Not!!
Has anyone else had a similar experience?

OllyM

Yes, it's a total con (same as all budget airline reward cards). Forget it and get a better rewards card!

callum9999

I agree with OllyM, the same happened with my Flybe card.

Though to be fair, the reason why it's sometimes cheaper to book it online without a voucher is because not only are the airline not charging you for the fare, but they are paying some of the taxes for you. Hardly a valid reason to get in a strop with them!

laurence4fun

Sorry Callum, but I must disagree with you, I think it's an entirely valid reason to get in a strop with them.
The voucher scheme is an inducement a) to take out their card, and b) to use it reguarly so as to earn the voucher.
After all this, I'm sorry, but I would expect a discount on a fare that I was booking if it was available on that route.....which it was.
It is apparent that Ryanair must have a two tier fare structure. one as published on the internet, and a second, not disclosed one, which is offered to customers of their credit card when redeeming vouchers.
Sorry, but that doesn't sound at all fair to me.
Continue the strop!!

callum9999

laurence4fun wrote: »

Sorry Callum, but I must disagree with you, I think it's an entirely valid reason to get in a strop with them.
The voucher scheme is an inducement a) to take out their card, and b) to use it reguarly so as to earn the voucher.
After all this, I'm sorry, but I would expect a discount on a fare that I was booking if it was available on that route.....which it was.
It is apparent that Ryanair must have a two tier fare structure. one as published on the internet, and a second, not disclosed one, which is offered to customers of their credit card when redeeming vouchers.
Sorry, but that doesn't sound at all fair to me.
Continue the strop!!

I highly doubt it - a lot of work for virtually no gain.

As I said, it's very simple. Many of the fares available on line are being sold below cost. Your "free" fare voucher is used to get a ticket at cost. (Not exactly at cost as they still have to pay for fuel etc. - but they aren't paying out any fees on your behalf). This is how all airlines work, from Emirates all the way down to Ryanair (well, BA has a discount scheme to Europe). To make any savings you'll need to go on a flight that isn't currently being sold below-cost (which depending on availability may or may not be easy to do!).

I have no idea about their availability for the scheme (a valid thing to moan about - Flybe's is awful) but the logic behind it is sound, and explained to you before you take out the credit card.

obi_ben

Same thing has just happened to me.

I've been using the card for 6 months to get to the spend limit and I went to book using the sight. Without my "free" flight voucher the cost was £133. With my "free" flight voucher it was £175!

I asked the woman whether the fares ever worked out cheaper than online and she said that she had never found one. It's a complete con, and I think Money Saving Expert need to take the card off the website!

giblet10

I've had some pretty decent benefits from proper airlines' card schemes over the years - paid for my friend and I to fly Air Canada Business Class to Toronto and for me to fly Lufthansa First Class to Dubai...then I tried the flybe card card just as they removed the sunshine destinations from the scheme..so the nearest hotspot for a sizzling holiday I can get with my flybe points now is...Belfast or Doncaster..and the best bit..I can only fly one way..!

fozmcfc

Bloody hell people are actually still giving Ryanair their custom, depsite the clear contempt they show customers.

Travelling with Ryanair is like asking someone to punch you in the face, oh and then kick you when your down.

callum9999

fozmcfc wrote: »

Bloody hell people are actually still giving Ryanair their custom, depsite the clear contempt they show customers.

Travelling with Ryanair is like asking someone to punch you in the face, oh and then kick you when your down.

Bloody hell are people still giving their ridiculous, unwanted opinions on Ryanair?

Define contempt exactly? The only contact I've ever had with Ryanair, on my 19 flights with them, have been with the staff checking your boarding pass on your way into the plane, and with the staff saying goodbye on your way out.

Surely anyone who needs their hand held, or is incapable of basic numeracy, already know they should be avoiding Ryanair?

virgo17

fozmcfc wrote: »

Bloody hell people are actually still giving Ryanair their custom

Yes, millions of people.

I flew to Spain and back last month at short notice. Ryanair was the most convenient option and the aircraft was packed full, not a spare seat in sight.

MeanExpat

fozmcfc wrote: »

Bloody hell people are actually still giving Ryanair their custom, depsite the clear contempt they show customers.

Yes, I do, and am very grateful to be able to fly 1000 miles for £5.
The route is perfect, the staff is smiling, the flight is on time, what more do you want?

So hopefully they won't scrap the "free" payment via an obscure card, etc... Good heavens, I might have to pay £10...

Looking forward to reading why it is wrong to praise Ryanair!