Rynanair Change Credit Card Booking Fees

 

Ryanair yesterday announced yet another stealth charge intended to squeeze more money from unsuspecting passengers. Once again, the controversy surrounds the issue of the booking fee.

Passengers have no other choice but to book online - they can't book over the phone, or through a travel agent - so why place an additional 'surcharge' on a service that is mandatory ? - it's not like the customer actually has a choice in the matter.

Furthermore, there is the issue of the credit card charge. Fair enough, different cards carry different overheads with the airline, but shouldn't this service be covered in the said 'booking fee' that is charged separately anyway ?

The latest change in position comes into effect on the 1st of November, despite the Office of Fair Trading calling the new charges 'grossly unfair'. Ryanair, however, insist that they are not charging the passenger for using the card, simply passing on their administration costs and as such plans to steamroller over all objections.

But the airline is obliged to offer one accepted form of payment that does not carry such a charge - otherwise they would have to quote an 'all in one' final price when passengers come to book their tickets.

What the regulators do not say, is what form this 'free' alternative must take, and how it should be applied.

Ryanair are scrapping the Pre-paid Mastercard that they previously accepted as a form of payment without administration charge, and replacing this with Ryanair's own 'cash passport'. But of course, this isn't even free to buy - Passengers will have to pay £6 to buy the card itself, even before they charge it up - and any purchases that the owner users for any Non-Ryanair service will incur a charge of 50p. It is only 'free' when being used to purchase on of Ryanair's services.