To Martin - Consumers Champion! - Stop a site using deceptive prices

geoff_s---r

As the consumer's champion, Martin. I'm sure you get incensed at people who advertise a price which ends up many times larger when you come to actualy buy it.

For example, only today I got an e-mailed newsletter using this dodgy deception. This operation goes under the name of https://www.MoneySavingExp.... oh sorry, isn't that you?

Your advertised 99p flights simply aren't.

I see why the airlines want to deceive customers but why do you reprint their deceptions? Isn't it time for you to make an honourable stand & promise you'll never again advertise the fictional prices that the airlines dream up for their marketing drives. (Surely adding the standard 'taxes' to flight prices must be the simplest thing in the world for your recomended computer program to do?)

Isn't the £19.99 video you recommend actually 99p (+ VAT & shop charges)?
That 5.5% interest rate... is more like 9.9% (less their operating costs)?
A £9.99 magazine subscription? Isn't it more truthful to say 99p (+ expenses)?

In fact life would'nt it be much simpler if all Martin's Best Buys were 99p (+ misc charges)

Sorry, I know you must have read these arguments so many times before, but someday, someone must take action. As a hero, why can't that someone be you and that someday be today?

MSE_Martin

I accept what you say. The problem is the taxes vary depending on the site - there is no fixed price for the taxes it depends on where you are going. Thus there's no way to print it. I do always include plus taxes.

There's no way round doing this without not putting the price in - which defeats the point. We are looking at ways to include the taxes, but the technology of the flight checker unfortunately doesn't make that work

martin

Tony_H_3

Could I create you a little online calculator to calculate the price with tax after a member has chosen their flight?

MSE_Martin

It's more about gathering the info because it changes. What i'm looking to do is include a tax estimator to help.... it's underway

8383

It is very annoying when you think you have cheap flights only to find £50/£60 of taxes slapped on.

MarkyMarkD

The OP was about the e-mail, not the flight checking system. I can't help but agree - it only encourages the airlines' deceptive advertising to quote fares as "from 99p plus taxes" when really it's "from £15.99" or whatever including non-optional taxes and charges.

MSE_Martin

I've taken this on board from net week I'm going to write (assuiing its the sme

Flight 99p + taxes (usually c. £20)

mrtin

geoff_s---r

Many Thanks Martin,

I was just thinking that if Ryanair always adds say £17.88 "taxes'' to Stansted - Palma flights, your computer program might be persuaded to always add £17.88 to Ryanair's Palma prices ..... & I see you are already trying to do this.

Your, 'I've taken on board' reply sounds very Blairite. Did something rub off from the PM's warm seat a few weeks ago? In politician speak "I've taking it on board" means "I'm ignoring that", but you're subversively changing it's meaning by doing something.

I'm sorry to be ungrateful, but I've still got a problem. You say you'll add a phrase like "+ abt £20 taxes". Don't you think this is misleading? Saying "+ abt £20 Extra Charges" would be more accurate.

I'm sure Ryanair, ext, would love to spread the fiction that they are being forced to pass these 'taxes' on. But the extra charge is not all taxes, they make a fair chunk of their profits by hiding some of their overheads into the 'tax'.

You might go even better by saying "Ryanair adds between abt £17.99 & £22.89 to its advertised prices"

A third option, & surely more in the sprit of your website, might be to say "(In the real world, Ryanair's 99p flights cost abt £37.96 to £47.76 return, depending on destination)". Even using plain English, they're still bargain fares. (Don't you hate it, when increasingly, the headline price on adverts for train, ferry & coaches turns out to be one-way only?..... I'm expecting the bargain £29,999* Virgin space trip (*single fare only) )

As your work is free. If it would be of any help you, I'd be happy to trawl through Ryanair & extract their highest & lowest 'taxes' for return journeys.

Thanks again & good luck to the guy who's trying to train his computer program to add the airline's 'taxes'

geoff

Former_MSE_Abuse_Controller

geoff_soper wrote:

Thanks again & good luck to the guy who's trying to train his computer program to add the airline's 'taxes'

I'll give our office junior, William Gates, a pat on the back for you

Edinburghlass_2

Don't forget to listen to Martin today on Jeremy Vine show talking about cheap flights.

You can of course email vine@bbc.co.uk your points or phone in to 0500288291

geoff_s---r

Blimey Martin, 2 hours after I complained that Ryanair's taxes aren't taxes, I pass a car radio & you've broken into a national radio station to tell the nation that Ryanair's taxes aren't taxes.

I'll ignore that you plan your subjects day's before & can't possibly read e-mails on a broadcast day & just celebrate only 2 hours from complaint to national action. Keep this up for a few more years & after your broadcast, Blair might be heard boasting that the PM warmed his chair.

Wonderful clarity on these new digital radios, There was so much passion for the downtrodden consumer today, I swear I could hear your blood vessels popping. Could the death grip you obviously had on the DJ's microphone be inflaming your RSI?