Wizz Air Surcharge

cAt457dooR6

I've been flying with Wizz Air for a number of years now. In April I booked flights for June on their website with no problems. I wanted further flights in August / September so yesterday tried to do so. However, whatever I did a £36 surcharge fee was added-in near the end of the booking process immediately before the payment was taken. Looking on the Web many have experienced the same recently.

On various threads there is talk of perhaps the Wizz Air site thinking I'm a bot and suggesting I switch off ad-blocker in my web browser or using an alternative browser altogether. I've tried all of these options but the surcharge was still applied.

(In my case I cannot be seen to be a totally new customer to the site. As I'm a Discount Member with Wizz Air I've got to sign in to receive my discount. However, the discount is less than the surcharge!)

As per a number of web threads I've read this morning I phoned Wizz Air and they suggested I pay the total (including the £36) and then raise a complaint on their website to get the surcharge refunded!! Surely that's not the way to run a business. Many punters will perhaps not notice the additional charge and pay the higher total. )Is this perhaps what the airline are hoping for.)

Has anybody else encountered this annoying 'feature'? Has anybody found a fool-proof technical remedy?

basill

All I found was advice that using the app avoided the surcharge, nope... Wrong.

cAt457dooR6

I've sent an email to the team at moneysavingexpert this morning. I know they get far more requests for help than they can handle but I stressed that this will be impacting many many people and that WA happy to collect a fee that many customers might not notice with only refunds being given to those that apply for it . . . .

cAt457dooR6

I've tried the web page and the app . . . .I've tried different devices . . . We were away this weekend so tried somebody else's Internet connection / IP address . . . the surcharge was added in every time. To not remove the surcharge in their systems after it has been pointed out to them and then applying a remedy as weak as "pay it and apply for a refund" still leaves many many out of pocket with only WA benefiting . . .

gordouli

They are still doing this.  Last moment ‘OTA’ (online travel agent) £36 surcharge applied.  What’s suspicious about this is that they refund it immediately without question - but only once you’ve 
- tried to register for a refund on the web chat and gone round a loop or two 
- finally got a number to call (it’s 00443309770444)
- waited half an hour or more to get through (at least they tell you estimated wait time).  

This appears carefully designed to make busy people forget to bother.  Friction surcharging.  

heatherw_01

What is the name of this surcharge?

There IS a surcharge if you book via OTA (Online Travel Agent).

Here are a list of all fees:
https://www.wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/prices-discounts/all-services-fees

This has info on the OTA fee:
https://www.wizzair.com/en-gb/help-centre/my-wizz-account/invoices-and-payments/payment/payment-issues