Ryan Air admin fees for refunds

YasmynRybak

Talking of companies charging unfair rates for their "admin" expenses... I recently missed a Ryan Air flight and after the event decided to try and claim the air tax/fees/charges back (I had not had enough time to re-schedule the flight in advance). I have been told that I can claim the taxes back (around £21) BUT that Ryan Air charge a £14 admin fee for the privilege... leaving me with only £6 refund!!!! This admin charge seems excessive. What do you think? Is there a way I could contest this?

GlennTheBaker

In a word, no.

mystic_trev

There have been other threads mentioning that its not worthwhile trying to claim taxes and charges back.To be quite honest £14 for an admin charge is reasonable amount for the work involved.

peterbaker

It's not right of course, but the only way it could get changed is if enuff people complained to their MP and the OFT perhaps.

I have a feeling that Ryanair takes millions in "taxes" that it never passes to the authorities even when the flight is completed. When the Government increased Airport Duty recently you didn't see Michael O'Leary complain about being a tax collector, did you, eh?

I say this because thousands of people have been in the situation you are in, and also the tax they quote varies incomprehensively for the same routes on different dates even when the base price is the same. If the "cost" of cancellation was less, then far more people would claim back the tax, thus scuppering this part of Ryanair's blatantly opportunist business model. But they would simply dream up another way to grab the same kind of cash until someone complained about that too.

Have you noticed how their checked in baggage charges have rocketed in the last 12 months since they introduced it?

I actually checked in a bag free last time (saved ten quid!) because the check-in person obviously didn't register the fact that I had not paid extra. She did not ask for my Booking Reference Number either (I rarely print it out - I just carry the number it in my phone or my head).

On the face of it you might say I was lucky to get one back on them, but actually it just shows how holes appear in low cost procedures. Makes you wonder what else they can so easily forget, doesn't it?

And while I am on my Ryanair rant today, have you noticed just how hard-faced they require their staff to be when answering questions like "Would it be ok for me, mother-in-law, the push-chair and the two babies to get on with the Priority Paid passengers so we can find a seat?" "Have you bought a priority boarding pass?" "No, but I just thought it might be best if ..." "Sorry, no pass, no priority boarding. Please go to the back of the normal queue over there and could you please move your push chair as you are blocking the way".

...and the other one ... can I pay for my coffee by Danish Krone on this flight from Denmark (crewed probably by Poles Italians and Spaniards and flown by Bulgarians and South Africans). "We only accept notes and we give no change (not even change in Sterling or Euro). The Exchange rate is XXX".

...and finally my old favorite ... Dynamic Currency Conversion without asking my permission when I buy my ticket quoted in non-GBP currency. Must get the Nationwide VISA dispte forms out again!!

All jolly wheezes to part us with our hard-earned dosh when we are least likely to argue or walk away.

dmg24

If people don't like it, then why not fly with another airline ... who will charge you twice as much for doing so!

YasmynRybak

That's not really the point - I quite like Ryan Air, the planes are on time and the service is more than OK for the money. The point is that they have taken money for TAXES that they do not need to pay since I didn't fly with them. But, then keep the money by charging admin fees of £14. This is my problem. Seems a bit mean to me.

Alfie_E

You could try going to court. The Guardian article Are you missing out on hundreds of pounds in flight tax refunds? considers the legitimacy of such admin fees. You should note, the article says, “Ryanair has always refused to hand back taxes paid as part of a booking.” Ok, as I remember, the fee used to be set at £20 per person per leg, which used to mean it was always greater than any taxes. The fact that you got any money at all must rank as a huge climb down by Ryanair, given it usual takes an extremely hard-line stance on all matters.

richardw

Ryanair is like a venus fly trap and passengers are the flies, go near them and you could be Ok, or you could fall into the trap, and if you fly frequently the probability of getting trapped is high and hence the average flight cost will be high, so be careful.

DIBS9130

YasmynRybak wrote: »

That's not really the point - I quite like Ryan Air, the planes are on time and the service is more than OK for the money. The point is that they have taken money for TAXES that they do not need to pay since I didn't fly with them. But, then keep the money by charging admin fees of £14. This is my problem. Seems a bit mean to me.

Not really.

They have offered to refund you in full the taxes of £20.

However, they will charge you their standard £14 admin fee, leaving you with £6 left over.

The admin charge is perfectly legitimate and considerably lower than many other similar admin charges charged by other companies.

What if they offered to refund your card £20 but charge it £14. You'd still be left with the same £6 but you'd have your £20 refunded to you?

DIBS9130

richardw wrote: »

Ryanair is like a venus fly trap and passengers are the flies, go near them and you could be Ok, or you could fall into the trap, and if you fly frequently the probability of getting trapped is high

Excellent analogy!

Ryanair do what they say on the tin, so I have no complaints with them - But they lack any form of customer service or flexibility! I try to fly with another carrier if at all possible!

blue_haddock

I suggest that if you want a fully changeable, fully reundable flight then try BA but if you want a nice cheap flight then try ryanair, they may not be flexible but as long as you realise the game gets played their way then you'll be fine.