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It's jets not fair
Flight charges exposed
SNEAKY airlines are heading for a bumpy ride, as the News of the World today reveals the TRUE price passengers pay in hidden charges.
What's more many of these so-called "extras", which can add hundreds of pounds to the cost of a family holiday, are actually ILLEGAL.
They can even tot up to more than the advertised ticket price.
We found it costs a staggering £98.70 extra with Ryanair if you book online, check in at the airport with a 20kg bag and buy an £8.70 snack on board.
Ryanair, Easyjet, Thomson and Flybe all charge up to £16 to check a bag into the hold. And BMI, Ryanair, Flybe and Thomson slap on an extra booking fee.
As our graphic (below) reveals, Ryanair demand £5 to check in online and there's a £40 fee for boarding cards if you don't print out your own ticket.
Anyone with breathing problems would have to cough up £250 just for OXYGEN on a return long-haul flight with First Choice.
Like Ryanair and BMI, the company refuses to let sufferers bring gas cylinders on board but charges for the oxygen provided. Now campaigners hope airlines will be forced to scrap the extra charges after a probe found 137 out of 386 were flouting European consumer laws.
Lorna Cowan, editor of Which? Holiday, said: "Although airlines view these services as optional, who'd go on a week's holiday without checking a bag in the hold?"
And the EU's Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Meglena Kuneva, warned: "It is unacceptable that one in three customers booking a plane ticket online is being ripped off, misled or confused.
"There are serious problems throughout the airline industry. My message to them is: act now or we will act."
Cut-price airlines claim giving passengers the option of paying for services only if they need them helps keep fares low. But traditional airlines are fighting back. BA has launched a "value calculator" on its website.
Sales chief Richard Tams estimates passengers can pay up to £375 in extras on return Ryanair flights. He said: "The no-frills carriers claim they're always cheaper. Our calculator shows they are not."
Trippers win on points
HARD-UP Brits are finding new ways to snap up bargain breaks, as holiday firms slash prices in a battle to tempt them abroad.
Some are turning to internet auction sites - or even swapping Nectar points for a luxury trip.
One lucky internet user recently got a week in Mauritius worth £5,000 for just £49 in a low-bid auction (where the lowest unique bidder wins) on holiday site Auctionair.
Another website, Sun Isle, reports the number of people using their "make me an offer" service has doubled. Last week seven nights at a villa in Kefalonia, which sleeps eight, went for £1,000 - £1,695 off.
Meanwhile, travel site Expedia are giving £10 discounts in exhange for 2,000 Nectar points.
Some people buy an entire holiday that way. One costing £2,250 was paid for with 450,000 points.
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This article has 12 comments
Ryan Air, are a complete and utter rip off. Their staff at Palma are rude and couldn't care less. I will never use them again. I explained that I had no faciltiy to print off my returning boarding card x4 and they said so what pay 160 euros of just go away and stay in the airport. I explained I had a young family and at that time had no method of payment, RYAN AIR staff replied SO WHAT, WE DON'T CARE. NIce I thought, I hope they some day suffer the same.
By ROLAND.. Posted July 14 2009 at 4:42 PM.
I work in a school and im NOT allowed time off during school so i HAVE to go in school holidays. This is not fair because of we dont like the heat we want to go out of season but school wont allow it. If they split the summer holidays up so we got 2-3 weeks later on in the year and earlier in the year i wouldnt have to go begging to my boss for time off. I could then go in october/november time when i wanted to go. The price and the system sucks for us school workers.
By shaz.. Posted July 12 2009 at 4:19 PM.
Johnnyboy: Since when are Monarch a single price airline? They are not!
By Eddie.. Posted July 12 2009 at 1:39 PM.
I used to travel often with ryanair.I made a visit home last winter and on my return found my bag to be 4kilo over weight . okay my fault i did not bother to check the weight of my baggage beforehand they charged me 60 pound, i payed as it was my own fault no fuss or complaints just got on with it. So this summer i had to take a trip back. On remembering the fee I had to pay last time I thought I would prepare this time and pay for 2items of luggage costing 15pound per bag i think it was. When I arrived at check in with 2 bags 15kilo in each. I was told that I was 15-kilo over weight and the lady said (yes sir many people make this mistake, Just because you pay for 2bags it does not mean you can have 15kilo in each you have a combined weight of 15 kilo) I said to her if many people make this mistake then why not make it clearer on the web page. as I did not see anything to state this when I was paying an extra 15-pound only to find i would have to pay an extra 230pound on top of that, which was how much they were asking for my extra bag. They give the option of taking 4bags with you. who in there right mind would pay for 4bags with weight of 3 and a half kilo?15 combined? who does this?&Then I was told that i was being fined for not checking in online, I did not see this option on the web page when I was booking my flight and I was not looking for it as we did not have to do it before... so I had to pay them 270 pound to fly. Con Air. Scam Air. your not fair Ryan Air
By Simon Weaver.. Posted July 12 2009 at 1:57 PM.
School holidays: the majority of people in the UK are NOT tied to school holidays as they don't have school age children. Those who are MOST affected by school holiday increases are actually those who work in a school. Unlike pupils, they aren't 'entitled' to take 2 weeks' holiday during term time.
I agree completely with the other comments. Do your research and vote with your credit card. I have NEVER found that a 'budget' airline is cheaper when I factor in the additional charges, transport to and from less convenient airports and a simple cup of coffee onboard.
However, I AM perfectly capable of going away for 2 weeks on cabin baggage alone with the aid of fantastic universal soap leaves, available from camping and outdoor stores. Maybe people should look more closely at the baggage they NEED.
We as consumers hold the power. Vote with your wallet and let the budget airlines know WHY you are going with another airline. Then they will have to take notice.
By Andi.. Posted July 12 2009 at 11:14 AM.
Funny... :-)
Economics. A flight from Heathrow to Palma will cost the airline £38,000 for 200 people. Some companies like BA will charge £ 249 per seat and include everything like two bags, food, drink and oxygen. And make their profit.
Others like Easyjet will charge £ 100 per seat, and then recover their costs by charging for check-in and baggage. It is just a marketing position designed to get you on the plane (there is no such thing as a "cheap" flight) so it really isn't worth complaining about it.
Don't like it? Don't go. Or travel on a single price airline like BA or Monarch.
Know what will happen if the EU looks at it? Nothing. The airlines aren't at fault, they are up-front about the "optional" charges during booking... the fault lies with people who don't understand economics.
I say that as someone who wishes flights were cheaper, but knows they won't be.
I do agree with "Jez" - the increases in or out of term time? - that is just wrong. Still marketing and still economics though, only this time it is an airline recovering losses from non-peak periods.
By JohnnyBoy.. Posted July 12 2009 at 10:16 AM.
instead of all this chat and waiting for the EEc to do anything,(which they wont untilit affects them) just vote with your feet, you cant be charged if you dont use the service !!
By Tony3534.. Posted July 12 2009 at 9:19 AM.
How can Ryanair justify charging £5 for on-line check in when you don't really have a choice? It's not really an optional extra anymore when they 'fine' you £40 if you don't do it!
By Pat.. Posted July 12 2009 at 8:56 AM.
You think that is bad, I work in Germany, and the petrol prices at the pumps change 3 times a day, and that is every day.
Cheap fuel upto 06.00hrs, Then a price increase until 10,00hrs, lower prices again until 16.00hrs then another increase until 20.00hrs and then back down to the cheap price.
When the school or public hols come along the fuel goes up just before and stay like that for a week or so.
The German Goverment are happy that way and do nothing about it, because no-one rocks the boat, in case of kick backs from other departments and agenicies,
By DURCH.. Posted July 12 2009 at 8:00 AM.
Does anyone believe the EU will do anything? Look how long it took them to deal with mobile roaming charges.
By jon ward.. Posted July 12 2009 at 6:52 AM.
Anyone who uses Ryanair needs to have their head examined or has more money than sense!
By eddie.. Posted July 12 2009 at 6:37 AM.
WHAT NOBODY EVER SEEMS TO WANT TO ASK IS : ONE DAY BEFORE A SCHOOL HOLIDAY THE PRICE OF A TICKET, AS AN EXAMPLE, WILL BE £100 - HOWEVER, AS SOON AS THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS BEGIN THE FARE SOMEHOW RISES TO £200...............SCAM OR WHAT! MAYBE SOME FROM AN AIRLINE CAN EXPLAIN!!!!! APART FROM THE AIRLINE OWNERS THAT IS !!!!!
THANKS - JEZ XX
By JEZ SAGARIS.. Posted July 12 2009 at 2:01 AM.