Ryanair scam (1 Viewer)

[Squire]

A couple of months ago I went on line and researched flights back to the UK from Montpellier. I finished up booking with Ryanair for a cost, in round figures, of 300 Euros. All prices were quoted in Euros, which came as no surprise as Ryanair is based in the Euro zone. I added various add-ons, as one needs to do - but at least on this flight there was no supplement for the use of the toilet - and when I came to the final total - in Euros of course - I pressed the accept button in the comforting knowledge that I was booking at the time of a good exchange rate - 84.4 - and that my bank would be using the current rate of exchange and debit my account at that rate, plus their commission. Imagine my surprise, then, when AFTER I had accepted Ryanair's quoite in Euros, they confirmed it by telling me that THEY had converted it into Sterling at THEIR rate of over 90.00 and had debited my account accordingly.

A nice little earner for them and totally unecessary. A clear a scam as you'd ever meet. :Angry:

Very appropriately an Irish friend has just sent me the attached link, which prompted me to post this.

Click on it and hearr what the Irish themselves think of their own !! :thumb:

THE RYANAIR SONG --- make sure you watch it to the very end, there's a sting in the tale (in the 'tail' too!)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPyl2tOaKxM[/ame]

 

[JJ]

A question.

Despite the "scam" was Ryan Air's price still the best value or was there a better priced alternative?

JJ

 

[haganap]

wont comment on the price of your flight, but loved the video:thumb:

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[TDH]

My experience with Ryanair is that I can fly to loads of places that I wouldn't have been able to 15 years ago, for a fraction of the price that flights used to cost. Its cheap, there are no frills and I never feel conned - I make sure I know what I'm paying for and decide whether its acceptable. The paying for the toilet myth started when their MD, p'd off with people moaning about how moneygrabbing they were, rammed his tongue firmly in his cheek and suggested that would be their next 'rip off'. Try BA if you're feeling conned. Me, I'll carry on being ripped off, even though it does mean I have to pay £40 instead of £37.50 for flights to the south of France.

Great vid by the way!

 

[slobadoberbob]

Pay using a caxtonFX card in Euros

Best way is to use a Caxton fx card.. They save a lot of money using the euro exchange rates. I use my Caxton FX card ..a preloaded card as a normal debit card in Europe and for cash withdrawals at machines for free. Pay for goods and fuel.. See there site for how they deal with Ryanair ..

Www.caxtonFX.com

Bob

 

[Squire]

A question.

Despite the "scam" was Ryan Air's price still the best value or was there a better priced alternative?

JJ

I'm afraid there was no alternative, JJ. I was stuck with Ryanair as they were the only line on that route back to LBA.

But I think I can answer your question in another way.

The outbound flight I booked was by Jet2 from LBA to Toulouse - more or less the same distance - and their charge for exactly the same thing was £117.

Judge for yourself ....

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[Squire]

My experience with Ryanair is that I can fly to loads of places that I wouldn't have been able to 15 years ago, for a fraction of the price that flights used to cost. Its cheap, there are no frills and I never feel conned - I make sure I know what I'm paying for and decide whether its acceptable. The paying for the toilet myth started when their MD, p'd off with people moaning about how moneygrabbing they were, rammed his tongue firmly in his cheek and suggested that would be their next 'rip off'. Try BA if you're feeling conned. Me, I'll carry on being ripped off, even though it does mean I have to pay £40 instead of £37.50 for flights to the south of France.

Great vid by the way!

You miss the point of my post, TDH

 

[Squire]

Best way is to use a Caxton fx card.. They save a lot of money using the euro exchange rates. I use my Caxton FX card ..a preloaded card as a normal debit card in Europe and for cash withdrawals at machines for free. Pay for goods and fuel.. See there site for how they deal with Ryanair ..

Www.caxtonFX.com

Bob[/QUOTE


Thanks for this, slobadoberbob - very good bit of advice and I'll certainly take it up. It takes a lawyer to get to the nub of the point straight away :thumb:

Interesting and amusing to see that Ryanair has been singled out for a special mention - and exactly what I was referring to ....

 

[TDH]

You miss the point of my post, TDH

Sorry about that - I thought your post was about a 'scam'.

The point I was making was that Ryanair make their money in all sorts of ways and they still provide (me, anyway) with a service that wasn't available to me until they opened up cheap flights to provincial airports. And I'll continue to use them happily, despite being restricted to cabin luggage, paying through the nose - if I choose - for a sandwich, and having to navigate my way through their booking system.

It's not a rip-off in my mind - it's their way of making dosh in a way that makes Europe accessible to me.

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[Chris]

I think it is a scam, one of several that they are involved in allegedly.

The office of Fair Trading seem to think so anyway.

I absolutely hate flying with them. I dont mind the no frills bit its the bumping and barging to get on without reserved seats.

Now days I would rather drive or use a decent airline.

Not very keen on the chief executive either.

 

[Toffs-G]

Had the misfortune to fly Ryanair some years ago back from Dublin, flight was paid for by the company and i chose it because it was earlier than the BA flight and i hadn't used them before so didnt know what i was letting myself in for, next time I'll wait for the later BA flight

 

[slobadoberbob]

He does not do any favors to the airline world

Now days I would rather drive or use a decent airline.

Not very keen on the chief executive either.

His business ethos is not very good, the man does no favors to the airline world in general, I for one would never spend a penny with him. I still remember the case Ross v Ryan Air ... Disabled Discrimination case that he lost and then loss again on appeal. The man is not a nice bit of work. The rip off if you pay using UK £ is unreal. Sooner or later the UK Offce of Fair Trade will have to act to stop this highway robbery.

Bob:Cool:

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[JJ]

Sorry about that - I thought your post was about a 'scam'.

The point I was making was that Ryanair make their money in all sorts of ways and they still provide (me, anyway) with a service that wasn't available to me until they opened up cheap flights to provincial airports. And I'll continue to use them happily, despite being restricted to cabin luggage, paying through the nose - if I choose - for a sandwich, and having to navigate my way through their booking system.

It's not a rip-off in my mind - it's their way of making dosh in a way that makes Europe accessible to me.

I am with TDH on this one... I use Ryan Air often and have learnt their ways...nine times out of ten I get the seat by the door and can stretch out my legs once under way...First to deplane" and as I fly with no luggage (just my laptop and associated gear) I am on my way really speedily. I don't expect to be treated like a Lord for the price I pay.

JJ

 

[Squire]

I am with TDH on this one... I use Ryan Air often and have learnt their ways...nine times out of ten I get the seat by the door and can stretch out my legs once under way...First to deplane" and as I fly with no luggage (just my laptop and associated gear) I am on my way really speedily. I don't expect to be treated like a Lord for the price I pay.

JJ

Well JJ, in that case I think both you and TGH have both completely missed the point I was trying to make.

I was NOT complaining about the cost of the flight (although in this case it did happen to compare very unfavourably with Jet2's fare).
I was NOT complaining about the cost of the 'add ons' – I actually booked some of them.
I was NOT complaining about the (option) of paying an extortionate price for a cheese sandwich.
I was NOT complaining about being herded like cattle.
I was NOT complaining about cramped seats – having been associated with the airline business myself I appreciate the reasons behind it.
I was NOT complaining about 'not being treated like a Lord'. – it is, after all, only an aerial bus and if I had wanted a limo I would have booked an executive jet.

None of the above can truly be described as 'scams' as at any time I could vote with my feet and decline the options before committing myself. The ‘methodology’ is a different matter, however, but that has been adequately addressed in this thread by other Funsters.

What I am complaining about was being quoted in Euros and agreeing to pay in Euros only to find out AFTER I had booked that Ryanair had NOT debited the cost in the Euros THEY HAD QUOTED THROUGHOUT THE BOOKING PROCESS but had unilaterally converted them into Sterling at their own grossly unfair exchange rate and only advised me of it AFTER I had pressed the accept button.

In anyone’s book THAT is undoubtedly a SCAM, and I make no apologies for ‘shouting’ where appropriate if it helps anyone, and especially TGH and JJ, to APPRECIATE THE POINT I WAS ORIGINALLY TRYING TO MAKE and not go off at a tangent in other directions …..

PS I’m not surprised that Judge Judy gets so aggravated every night !!

 

[callumwa]

We all know about Ryanair, cattle class on wings, but it gets us around, and it can be a lot cheaper than other carriers.

However I agree that Ryanair should let you know, before you press pay, that they will convert EUROS to £ at their rate, and advise you of that rate.

Otherwise maybe they could charge you 10% more than you credit card company would convert the EUROS at. Not very nice.

If they charged you 50% more would we all accept that, I dont think so...

So if you do not know their rate, how can we decide if you want to accept their rate.
That is a RIPOFF........

I use my cards all over the world and I accept the rate my bank uses as I know it is generally is quite reasonable, and for sure cheaper than withdrawing local currency, and which you always end bringing some home. I have a drawer full of the stuff.

Michael Ryan, good businessman maybe, but from what I have seen, somewhat unpleasant in character.

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[Chris]

Well said.

Not sure why the OP has to get so agitated about people going "off point".

Surely it is part of the discussion.

 

[JJ]

You are 100% right Squire and I am sorry to have caused you such frustration...

I too have experienced such frustration in the past based on posts that have missed the point I was trying to make... (usually connected with comments about "comedy" or "jokes") so I should have known better... :Blush:

Sorry.

My support of Ryan Air was, wrongly in this case, taking on the many people I hear complain about the airline's level of service as they compare it to a full on airline with much higher ticket prices.


JJ

 

[Douglas]

Squire, If you intend to stay with this forum, I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to getting replies that are not on the subject you intend, in fact there are some real IQ zero's here that will really get up your nose if you let them.

The best thing to do is simply ignore them.

Good luck Doug...

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[Squire]

You are 100% right Squire and I am sorry to have caused you such frustration...

I too have experienced such frustration in the past based on posts that have missed the point I was trying to make... (usually connected with comments about "comedy" or "jokes") so I should have known better... :Blush:

Sorry.

My support of Ryan Air was, wrongly in this case, taking on the many people I hear complain about the airline's level of service as they compare it to a full on airline with much higher ticket prices.


JJ

That's ok JJ - I wasn't all that frustrated really - just thought I'd stamp my feet to make the point, that's all

Surprised no one commented on Judge Judy and really got off the point

Did you like the video, though?

I thought it was and very apt .....

 

[Lob_Leg]

Good video. And I agree with the point too.

I work for an airport at the moment and they are making sure that Ryanair can't fly there. They really dont like them. Its not just the passengers that these airlines squeeze, its the airports too.

The other thing that irritates me is the rigmaroll (sp?) that it takes just to find out what you need to pay. We now have a baby and you can't just compare the headline you have to get right to the end. the result is its now cheaper to fly with KLM (and much nicer) as it costs more for for a baby to sit on your knee than for the adult who sits on the seat first!

Can't stand them myself - but having said that, I would fly with them if they were significantly cheaper.

 

[TDH]

Squire, I too thought that your post was a general grumbl about Ryanair (like a lot of the other postings on this thread) and if I got that wrong I too apologise.

Squire, If you intend to stay with this forum, I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to getting replies that are not on the subject you intend, in fact there are some real IQ zero's here that will really get up your nose if you let them.

The best thing to do is simply ignore them.

Good luck Doug...

I guess Doug, if you intend to stay on this forum, I'm afraid that you'll have to get used to ignoring those of us with with IQ zeros who don't have the mental capacity to keep up with the rapier like comments of those of you on a higher intellectual plane.

Cheers.

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[Squire]

Squire, I too thought that your post was a general grumbl about Ryanair (like a lot of the other postings on this thread) and if I got that wrong I too apologise.


That's alright TDH - no offence taken and apologies not necessary Squire.



I guess Doug, if you intend to stay on this forum, I'm afraid that you'll have to get used to ignoring those of us with with IQ zeros who don't have the mental capacity to keep up with the rapier like comments of those of you on a higher intellectual plane.

Cheers.

AW come on fellas - kiss and make up :hug::hug:

I don't want anyone to fall out just because I aired a grievance. :soaobox: