iahphx

Yup, that's what I was billed for on a 9.99 Euro fare to Morocco -- and my credit card company only took 1 percent!

The last trick seems to be some sort of currency conversion thing for foreign visitors. It popped up on my screen that my x euros would be converted into y dollars. Nice, after all the other fees.

And now I also have to live with their incredibly stingy baggage requirements.

FWIW, my Easyjet flight back to Spain cost about half this price (I couldn't fly Easyjet outbound because I was starting in Seville).

Ryanair claims their customers are satisfied. I doubt it. I feel a bit like I was pickpocketed. You feel sleazy doing business with them. I will avoid them whenever I can in the future -- and would be willing to pay more (within reason) to fly a competitor.

tom911

Google "dynamic currency conversion". I've ran across this before in both the U.K. and Ireland where merchants want to charge me in $USD. I'm doing a lot more in cash there these days than with credit cards.

Check this Washington Post article on the topic:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...072900927.html

Carolinian

These forced currency conversions are a real racket. The credit card is going to charge you (unless it is CapOne or a handful of others) a 3% ''foreign usage charge'' no matter what currency it is in, so having a foreign airline make a currency conversion is of absolutely no benefit to you, only an extra and annoying fee for them.

iahphx

Yeah, I intentionally used a USAA mastercard for this one as they charge only 1%. It seems like I'll be charged the 1% on this one -- after Ryanair got through with me. Interestingly, it first showed up on my online credit card statement as the "right amount" in Euros, but now seems to be billed in dollars at the extra amount (3% higher, I believe). It's completely outrageous, especially in light of their other silly fees. And it's "real money" as I was buying tickets for 5 people.

In my case, the only real alternative to flying Ryanair was a train to a ferry to another train. In most cases, though, there is some viable alternative. I will always take it before I book Ryanair again.

Roger

There must be some info missing. Are you really saying the Ryanair price was €9.99 and you were charged $67 for the €9.99? I don't want to say, 'I don't believe it' but I don't believe it. If true, you should complain.

DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion) is an option allowed by Visa and Mastercard BUT the cardholder has to agree - and I never agree.

- http://www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacen...tsheet1105.pdf
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...072900927.html

In any case, it wouldn't amount to more than the 2% or so mentioned in the WP link, plus any surcharge your bank might add.

Or are you really saying that the Ryanair base price was €9.99, that various charges were added and that you clicked and agreed to a total price higher than €9.99?

SirJman

Were you sure to remove the insurance which they try and add after you chose your flights? (Dont forget about the 5 Euro, 'you-arent-using-the-correct-card' fee)

MisterNice

On those 1 GBP and 1 euro tickets you pay oodlies of taxes. Did you check include the taxes along with the fees.

MisterNice

iahphx

Yes, I agreed to a price higher than €9.99. The only fee that's arguably COMPLETELY hidden is the currency conversion fee, which will escape most customers' attention unless they have a calculator handy.

The Ryanair strategy is definitely to advertise a low come-on fare and then keep adding fees and you go through the ticketing process.

My point is not to be lured into flying Ryanair when you see a really cheap fare. I think it's hard to believe that a 10 Euro ticket can come to almost $70 with no optional add-ons. That's pretty crazy (and deceptive), no?

Roger

No, that's completely wrong. Those fares 'include' taxes and online check in. Any extras are for baggage, non-Electron payment and the like. I have several reservations at 2p (£0.02) round trip all in.

Of course, they can't really include taxes. FR pays for them and hopes to make up the money in ancillary charges such as baggage and catering.Ah, so the premise of your first post was wrong. Your fare wasn't €9.99, it was something nearer $70 give or take currency conversion.

At no time did you click on €9.99 expecting to pay €9.99. You must have added other items and then clicked on the price agreeing to pay whatever the total was. If you didn't like it, you didn't need to buy.

Sorry, Ryanair have been around long enough for people to know how their system works. Like them or not, and clearly you don't, they are successful and profitable, and I believe are Europe's biggest airline.

iahphx

True enough, but I didn't think I'd be out the door at $67. Given Ryanair's reputation, I guess I expected to pay about $40. If Ryainair's all-in prices had been on kayak (like Easyjet) I would have revisited all other alternatives before engaging in the lengthy booking process (where you are naturally not inclined to abandon and they nickel and dime you from page to page). But you see a 10 Euro fare and you think "I can't beat that" and buy. Ryanair is definitely "tricking" its customers. It's a bad long term business model, and will come back to bite them, IMHO, with dissatisfied customers.

xanthuos

+1 ^^

A list of all the fees Ryanair charges is available on their website prior to booking, so that a customer can do their due diligence.

alanR

How much did you pay in Euro? I guess somewhere around €40 perhaps?

All you need to do is follow the rules and that €10 will be €10. It's just that people can't be bothered to spend a few minutes working out the costs.

barman2891

Ryanair really can work if you know what you are doing.... i personally have flown two times with them paying them 1 pence (or 2 cents), and thats it...

WillTravel

No one seems to object too much when they buy a $1000 advertised fare that actually works out to $1200.

9.99 Euros plus fees (I'm not sure if this includes checked baggage or not) to bring it up to 40-45 Euros is really not bad.

Roger

Good point. If the OP is in the US - and with two US airport codes as his/her FT handle, that may be possible - s/he would be well aware that NO air fares advertised in the US can be bought at the advertised price. That little asterisk diverting you to small print saying that taxes and charges may be payable, really!

OTOH FR promotional prices of £0.01 can be booked - I've booked several - and more than 50% of FR tickets are at promotional (= inclusive) fares.