Ryanair CC Charges

K

KS1

Registered User
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just booked flights from cork to dublin with ryanair on the internet and got charged 15euro credit card charge which didn't show up until after the final payment was made. is this a standard charge. it seems a bit excessive and unfair.
 
didn't show up until after the final payment was made
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That would be theft -- if you authorise payment for one amount, they can't add charges to it afterwards. I think what you mean is that, after entering all your details, just before you confirm, they mention the credit card charge. You still have a chance to cancel the transaction before proceeding (I think -- unless they have changed the procedures recently!).

They do mention the charges in their terms and conditions. The charge depends on how you are paying -- e.g. fees for debit cards are lower. So, until you enter your payment details, they can't display the correct charge for you.

As to whether the charge is excessive -- probably. I would be surprised if credit card transactions cost them more than 1% of the transaction value to process (but remember the transaction includes taxes and airport charges, which don't contribute to their bottom line.). So some element of their profit must be coming from this charge -- it's a bit like ebay sellers who make their money on "postage". But the total cost is still good value, so we don't complain, even though the sleight-of-hand makes us feel ripped-off.

Another avenue of complaint is that the card organisations (Visa, MC, Amex) normally expressly prohibit credit-card surcharges. Ryanair are probably in violation of their "merchant agreement" with their "acquiring bank(s)". It may be possible to reclaim the fee from your bank on this basis.
 
MugsGame said:
They do mention the charges in their terms and conditions.
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They also require you to check a box stating that you have read and accept these terms and conditions before allowing you to proceed with the booking.
MugsGame said:
Another avenue of complaint is that the card organisations (Visa, MC, Amex) normally expressly prohibit credit-card surcharges...
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I'm not sure this is the case, actually — if so, it would mean that a lot of other merchants/companies would be in breach of such a rule (think Ticketmaster.ie, for an example of an even higher charge — per ticket, not per transaction)

As MugsGame says, you just have to consider the charge as a 'hidden'(?) extra when deciding whether or not to book with Ryanair as opposed to another company. How many people have booked €9.99 flights to 'Paris', and then found they have to pay another €12.50 for a coach to bring them the 65km from Beauvais (in Picardy) to the edge of the city..?
 
Ryan Air charge €2.50 per person each way as a credit card fee.
I've been caught out by this too.
 
When I last booked with Ryan Air, I paid via an Italian Post Office prepaid credit card and was charged no credit card charge whatsoever. Could it be that Ryan Air simply deducts the commission the Credit Card Companies charge them?
 
The last time I used Ryanair, I used one of those 3v visa debit cards and was charged only the lower rate of 60 cent.
 
re Alba Longa's post. Those prepaid credit card that (I think) ptsb sell might actually work out cheaper than 'real' credit cards. I know they are geared at students and internet purchases etc but if you bought one for booking ryanair flights and they wern't debiting the booking by credit card charge to this particular card they might actually work out much cheaper. anyone know if this might work? If it worked for A L then no reason why it wouldn't work for the Irish version of prepaid credit cards. I am assuming that the card companies do not extort a % of the sale on the seller thus R A would have no cause to make the charge.
 
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