Ryanair & passengers needing assistance

xmfclick

It looks as if Ryanair are making another effort to discourage disabled passengers from flying with them (while charging all passengers an extra fee for "costs associated with carrying disabled passengers").

If a passenger needs assistance (e.g. a wheelchair to get them to the plane) they have to phone Ryanair to ask for the assistance. (Ryanair say you have to phone on the day you make the booking, but they don't seem to enforce this rule. Anyway, their customer service department isn't open 24 hours a day.) There is a link on the booking confirmation page that takes you to a page giving contact numbers ...

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=cnt&quest=disabilityreq

The UK number is premium rate, so I tried calling the Rest of the World number, to find a recorded announcement saying that Ryanair's numbers have changed and giving an 09xx number for the UK (even more expensive than 0870) and other premium rate numbers for Ireland, Germany etc. -- but no number for any other country. So, if you are disabled and need assistance, you have to pay for a premium rate call to arrange it -- unless you are outside the UK, Eire or Germany, in which case YOU CAN'T ARRANGE IT AT ALL (using the numbers Ryanair give you).

Eventually, having looked on https://www.SayNoTo0870.co.uk, I called Ryanair HQ and spoke to someone who gave me this direct number for Customer Service ...

+353-1249 7791

I got through and arranged the wheelchair, but it took me 15 minutes and about 5 wasted phone calls to do it.

Has Martin spoken to Ryanair recently about their policy relating to disabled passengers? I forget how they justify their levy on all passengers to pay for the (probably quite few) disabled passengers they carry, but it seems to me that they could be laying themselves open to some kind of legal action for the way they in effect discriminate against disabled people. Any lawyers read this?

madfrenchgirl

There has been a story last year in the Sun about a disabled guy who had to pay 60 to Stansted airport to move him around to his plane. that was twice the price of his plane ticket. The worst thing was Ryanair and Stansted BAA kept on saying it was each other's fault and would not take responsibility.

I agree with you, this is completely pants but this is also how they make their money. Also, have you seen how much they are charging for Xmas flight this year! last year I payed 90 this year it is 210...

xmfclick

Ryanair lost the court case and now have responsibility for helping disabled passengers. The first thing they did was add an extra charge on everybody, for the privilege.

Personally, I think BAA should have the responsibility for helping disabled passengers. I don't know how the system works, but I expect it's BAA who decide which gate any particular airline has to use. In that case, surely they should have the responsibility for getting passengers to the plane?

Anyway, my point was that Ryanair have bumped up their charges to disabled passengers (discrimination?) and even made it next to impossible for people in some countries to obtain assistance.

richardw

Ryanair are charging over 2.5 times more than easyJet for Taxes, Fees and charges for flights departing from London Stansted

Saturday 17 September
London Stansted to Barcelona
flight 3031; dep. Sat 17 Sep 07:15
arr. Sat 17 Sep 10:35
£94.99
(per person)

Cost of your selection
Airfare per adult or child £94.99
(per person)

Taxes and charges per adult or child £5.00
(per person)

RYANAIR

Sat, 17 Sep 05
Flight 9802 06:10 Depart London Stansted (STN)
09:15 Arrive Barcelona Girona (GRO)

Pricing

Going Out (Reg fare)
1 @ 99.99 GBP 99.99 GBP
Taxes, Fees & Charges 14.68 GBP

There is plenty of room for Ryanair to add on 20p to take them up to £14.88, 20p for the toilet charge whether or not you use it on the aircraft !