Help Needed! Ryanair charged me to check in bag of duty free

HelenaHandcart

NFH wrote: »

Not true. I always take two items of cabin baggage on British Airways whose baggage policy explicitly allows this.

No, this is what it says: "You are allowed one piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag." One piece of hand baggage. Laptops and handbags are not hand baggage as defined by BA.

HelenaHandcart

jpsartre wrote: »

By the way, unless you know otherwise I'd question that fees are fixed for such a long time period. In fact, my guess is that the airport can more or less increase their fees any time they want.

I don't know how long the fees are fixed. They may be completely flexible or there may be a long tie-in. My point was that it is not always easy to renegotiate a contract. Yes, if it is possible, the airports should increase the landing fees if the shops are not doing enough business. Ryanair will then pass that on to the customers, probably calling it something like 'AENA surcharge' so that passengers blame AENA rather than the Ryanair carry-on policy.

The fee increase clause in Ryanair's T&Cs is there because Governments can and do impose extra taxes and charges at any time. It also allows the airline to pass on unexpected increase in things like fuel.

jpsartre

HelenaHandcart wrote: »

The fee increase clause in Ryanair's T&Cs is there because Governments can and do impose extra taxes and charges at any time.

But it also there to cover any increases in landing fee. From what I gather, the recent Spanish announcement of an increase in APD is exactly an increase in landing fees, which would also apply to Ryanair.

HelenaHandcart

jpsartre wrote: »

But it also there to cover any increases in landing fee. From what I gather, the recent Spanish announcement of an increase in APD is exactly an increase in landing fees, which would also apply to Ryanair.

Isn't APD a tax which applies across the board? Landing fees are imposed by individual airports.

jpsartre

The stories I've have read about the Spanish increase in APD all mention landing fees specifically. You may be right that landing fees are charged by individual airports but since the majority of Spanish airports are owned by AENA, any increase imposed by the latter will be close to being across the board.

NFH

HelenaHandcart wrote: »

No, this is what it says: "You are allowed one piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag." One piece of hand baggage. Laptops and handbags are not hand baggage as defined by BA.

Further on under "Your maximum number of hand baggage items" it says "One bag and One laptop-sized bag, handbag or briefcase" and it describes the maximum dimensions of each bag. You're splitting hairs. Ryanair allows one bag; BA allows two.

WelshSun

NFH is right. Most 'mainline' carriers allow two pieces of hand luggage. A normal piece as well as a laptop bag or handbag. Most also allow additional things to this such as umbrellas, walking sticks, coats over your arm and a few other things.


I don't blame AENA (which is an executive agency of the Spanish Government, and runs almost all of Spain's airports) for exploiting an old law to try and increase their revenue, due to the over generous deals they gave to Ryanair etc in 'the good years'. AENA has spent over the last decade or so billions of Euros on projects across Spain (New terminals/ runways at Malaga, Madrid, Barcelona etc- most of which weren't needed), and currently have 14 BILLION Euros of debt to pay down.
(http://www.tumbit.com/news/articles/5187-aena-to-increase-airport-charges.html)


Also note that airports can't change their fees once a contract is signed, for the duration of the contract. Governments can however impose taxes and fees when they want. They can have taxes and fees charged per passenger or per plane landing/ take off or indeed both.

k3lvc

WelshSun wrote: »

Also note that airports can't change their fees once a contract is signed, for the duration of the contract. Governments can however impose taxes and fees when they want. They can have taxes and fees charged per passenger or per plane landing/ take off or indeed both.

And likewise as far as I'm aware Ryanair have no penalties if they don't make the flights (unlike the Heathrow landing slot penalties) leaving MOL free to choose more profitable routes for his flights is he chooses to rather than continually battle AENA. As someone suggested earlier the winter schedule for Spain is significantly reduced and I can't see other airlines queuing up to take the spare slots.

callum9999

NFH wrote: »

Further on under "Your maximum number of hand baggage items" it says "One bag and One laptop-sized bag, handbag or briefcase" and it describes the maximum dimensions of each bag. You're splitting hairs. Ryanair allows one bag; BA allows two.

Well technically, someone with a rucksack and a hold-all would be blocked at the gate according to BAs rules - so it's not really 2 bags. Though BA are far, far more flexible than Ryanair so would probably let it slide as they have plenty of room for hand-luggage due to giving everyone a free checked bag.

jpsartre wrote: »

The stories I've have read about the Spanish increase in APD all mention landing fees specifically. You may be right that landing fees are charged by individual airports but since the majority of Spanish airports are owned by AENA, any increase imposed by the latter will be close to being across the board.

My impression of the whole matter was that the central Spanish government made a decision to raise the landing costs (in Madrid and Barcelona specifically - not sure about the others). As far as I know, Spain doesn't actually have APD.

Doshwaster

callum9999 wrote: »

Well technically, someone with a rucksack and a hold-all would be blocked at the gate according to BAs rules - so it's not really 2 bags. Though BA are far, far more flexible than Ryanair so would probably let it slide as they have plenty of room for hand-luggage due to giving everyone a free checked bag.

Yes, I fly BA a lot and I cannot remember seeing anyone being refused boarding with the number of items in their hand luggage. Another reason to fly on a proper airline.