I'm not bashing Ryanair, simply stating the facts. The public have rumbled him. The scams and cons that have been deftly strewn in the way of the unwary travellers in the past, and now particularly the on-line check in rip off, will be seen for what they are; a cheap trick to get the pssengers to part with yet more of their hard earned and increasingly tight money.
Isn't it the goal of all businesses to try and get punters to part with "their hard earned and increasingly tight money?" That hardly makes it a scam or a con. They may have a host of additional charges, but you can see what they are before you decide if you want to make the purchase. It is not as if they take the money with no intention of providing the service. If you think the amount finally charged is too high for the selections you have made, then don't enter your card details and don't click "Order". Move on to a competitors website and try and get a better deal, that is what competition and choice is all about.