MSE News: Ryanair forces ALL customers to pay booking charge

csnbrum

Looks like Aerlingus also joined Ryanair in scrapping free booking for certain card type. So far it used to be free for Visa Electron but now they have removed it. But web site says admin fee (£6 one way) is payable on certain cards (while booking) but looks like its applied for all cards now. Removed the free admin fee in a hurry. Thanks to OFT :mad:

jpsartre

csnbrum wrote: »

Removed the free admin fee in a hurry. Thanks to OFT :mad:

That's incorrect, Aer Lingus are free to charge whatever admin-fee they want for whichever cards they want.

NFH

jpsartre wrote: »

That's incorrect, Aer Lingus are free to charge whatever admin-fee they want for whichever cards they want.

They won't be able to, once Article 19 of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights takes effect. This has been enacted in the UK under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 which come into force on 6th April 2013.

budgetflyer

I think an "admin fee" is different from a "credit card fee".
That is why they have all switched over. Debit cards are included in the inclusive admin fee price but then the extra cost ie 1 to 4 % added on for a credit card

NFH

budgetflyer wrote: »

I think an "admin fee" is different from a "credit card fee".

It doesn't matter what the fee is called. If it is levied according to the method of payment and is above cost, then it will be illegal.

jpsartre

NFH wrote: »

They won't be able to, once Article 19 of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights takes effect. This has been enacted in the UK under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 which come into force on 6th April 2013.

I wasn't talking about card-fees, I'm talking about adding an administration fee. Nothing in the regulations prevents an airline from charging this or for giving a discount to people paying in a certain way. Of course, it has to be included in price upfront which is why Aer Lingus won't do this.

NFH

jpsartre wrote: »

I wasn't talking about card-fees, I'm talking about adding an administration fee.

What's the difference, other than the name?

jpsartre wrote: »

Nothing in the regulations prevents an airline from charging this or for giving a discount to people paying in a certain way. Of course, it has to be included in price upfront which is why Aer Lingus won't do this.

Agreed. However, this would not facilitate a misleading indication of price, which is the purpose of above-cost surcharges.

jpsartre

NFH wrote: »

What's the difference, other than the name?

Not real difference, just like there's no real difference if airlines simply added their card-charges to price of the base fare.

NFH

jpsartre wrote: »

there's no real difference if airlines simply added their card-charges to price of the base fare.

That's where you're absolutely wrong. Excluding any surcharges from headline fares facilitates a misleading indication of price. Including surcharges within the headline fare and removing them at the end of the booking process does not facilitate a misleading indication of price. This is the reason why the airlines chose to do the former and not the latter.

jpsartre

NFH wrote: »

Excluding any surcharges from headline fares facilitates a misleading indication of price. Including surcharges within the headline fare and removing them at the end of the booking process does not facilitate a misleading indication of price. This is the reason why the airlines chose to do the former and not the latter.

I'm aware of that and agree 100% so not sure what it is you think I'm absolutely wrong about. I never said the admin fee could be removed from the headline price.