Spanish Rip off

Mishomeister

Just had this email from Ryanair





Dear Customer,

The Spanish 2012 budget was passed into law on Saturday 30 June, as a result all airlines are obliged, with effect from 1 July onwards to collect increased Spanish airport departure taxes from all passengers booked on flights after that date.

It appears that the increased Spanish airport departure tax may also apply retrospectively to customers who booked flights before the 2nd July 2012 and are travelling from the 1st July onwards.

In accordance with Ryanair's General Terms and Conditions of Travel (Article 4.2.2) we hereby advise passengers that we may be forced to debit passengers for the increased airport departure tax imposed by the Spanish government for all flights departing from Spain which were booked before the 2nd July 2012 for travel from the 1st July 2012 onwards.

Once the Spanish authorities confirm whether the increased airport departure tax applies retrospectively (as set out above), Ryanair will notify passengers by email of the additional charges applicable to their pre 2nd July booking. Passengers not wishing to accept the additional tax will have the option to cancel their flight and receive a full refund.

N.B. All new flight bookings departing from Spanish airports made on or after the 2nd July are not affected by this retrospective clause as the increased departure tax has already been included in the purchased flight price.



Looks like Spaniardrs feel they have too many tourists so their rapidly growing economy can not handle because there are too many vacancies in Tourism sector they can't fill. Therefore they are making a decision to reduce the number of tourists by introducing such a dodgy actions.

20vt-rs

Just got the same email as well, vauge is not the word here. No mention of if and how much at all. So no clude whether to cancel or stick with it now. Bar stewards!

jpsartre

Looks like it will be less than 10 euros per person at worst, probably a lot less than that for some airports. Annoying for sure but not something I'd cancel my holiday over.

ferf1223

interesting that the airline is giving the option to cancel for a full refund for something that is completely out of their control.

I don't remember being offered the option to cancel when the UK did a similar thing and increased APD a few years ago...just had to pay the airline the additional.

busiscoming2

I've had one of these today as well. I am very surprised they are offering a full refund if required.

I'm a bit miffed after finding this dated 20th April especially as I booked my flight on 15th June!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2132695/Now-Ryanair-introduce-tax-won-t-tell-AFTER-youve-booked-flight.html

I also booked the no taxes flights, so how can they add to that?!

jpsartre

ferf1223 wrote: »

interesting that the airline is giving the option to cancel for a full refund for something that is completely out of their control.

Yeah, they don't have to do that, all airlines have in their T&C that airport taxes can increase before departure. I'm guessing they are expecting very few people to cancel over this.

mountain_bike

Well it looks like the Spanish have decided to follow the British Governments line and started to rip of its much needed tourism trade just look at the London Olympics. Unless they have decided that holiday resorts out side the EU with no departure tax need help to boost their tourism.It doesn't need a chimpanzee to work out less tax more spent more tourism, more tax stuff you we will go somewhere else. Sorry chimps have more brains than government officials.

HelenaHandcart

ferf1223 wrote: »

interesting that the airline is giving the option to cancel for a full refund for something that is completely out of their control.

I think they are legally obliged to provide the option to cancel because, even though the T&Cs mention the possibility of price changes, it is a material change to the terms of the contract.

jpsartre

I don't see how it's any change to the contract at all but then I'm not a lawyer

HelenaHandcart

jpsartre wrote: »

I don't see how it's any change to the contract at all but then I'm not a lawyer

It's an increase in the price.

jpsartre

Yes but the contract states that:

"Taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date that your reservation has been made. If any such tax, fee or charge is introduced or increased after your reservation has been made you will be obliged to pay it (or any increase) prior to departure."

So I don't see how the charge constitutes any change in the contract. On the contrary, it is exactly in line with the contract that any increase in taxes will be charged at a later stage.