Globaliser, they have stripped out that intermediate booking page with the bag drop/checkin choice dropdown. I see no reminder at all on that page of the fact that there is a mandatory checkin surcharge for all non-promotional flights. In fact NOWHERE is there a disclosure of it in the buying process unless you stop and query why you can't avoid it by researching their small print and forums like this where the change is discussed.
The old intermediate bags/checkin/insurance page did of course include the method of Checkin chosen within one combo dropdown (it was coupled with the number of bags). The choice of an unsurcharged checkin is no longer offered here or anywhere else so now the combo dropdown just adds up the bag total at eight bleedin' quid per bag each way
Then without an Electron card there's another five quid each way for all other means of paying on the next page
. All that is on top of the new £5 each way mandatory checkin charge
. So for all flights not advertised separately as all-in promotional fare prices (that means for most flights), if you have a bag in the hold and no Electron card then you will be charged £18 each way PLUS the base fare PLUS taxes/other fees.
Now I am clever enough as a frequent flyer with no choice of airline to be wary of Ryanair's tricks every step of the process, but the way they are again selling flights effectively by what looks to me like bait and switch is surely NOT a fair way for Ryanair to be doing business according to EU law? It is at least as poor a way to do business as the competitor ways they complain about e.g. their logo "Say No to Air France Fuel Surcharge" etc.
Seems to me Ryanair are attempting to tip EU law on it's head - the only way to be sure you are not getting hit with a mandatory checkin surcharge when you click on something saying "
from £4.99" or similar (
THE BAIT) is if once you have chosen your dates and route you don't move from the flight selection page until you see the words "Free Online Checkin" next to the selection option button lower down. Click on most flights and those words WILL NOT appear unless you happen to be booking within a major promotion period. Without it you are soon on the hook for that extra fiver
(
THE SWITCH). And BTW, if you like the look of a flight labelled "from £0.00GBP", and next to the option button it says "SPECIAL OFFER" ... those words won't hack it. That's not a promotion for the purposes of Ryanair's latest wheeze. No Siree! You will still cop a mandatory £5 checkin charge and some further tax/fee as far as I can see ... In fact let me spell it out based on one example I am looking at right now using the flexible dates option that shows a view of a week's possible flights to the chosen destination:
Tues 2/6 "from £4.99" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £43.26
Wed 3/6 "from £4.99" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £43.26
Thu 4/6 "from £4.99" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £43.26
Fri 5/6 "from £0.00" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £13.00
Sat 6/6 "from £34.99" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £73.26
Sun 7/6 "from £4.99" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £43.26
Mon 8/6 "from £4.00" Actual minimum price no bag no Electron £9.00
Even as a regular Ryanair booker it has taken me 10 minutes to get those actual bottom lines for my purchasing decision whereas the "from £X.YZ" figures were in my face from the first moments. You can see that the "from £0.00" bait is actually more expensive than the one labelled "from £4.00"
It also looks to me like Ryanair feel emboldened enough to perhaps start charging for Electron sometime soon:
Ryanair - FAQS : Table of Fees (English)
(Check the second item - "
Visa Electron - As a special offer to Visa Electron card holders, Ryanair, for a limited period only, will not apply a Debit Card charge" - limited period only: what's that about?)
It's about time the OFT bit O'Leary's ar$e good and proper. If they can stop credit card co.s charging £20 when they feel like it for late payment etc, then they can stop O'Leary charging spurious amounts not based on any particularly incurred business or administration cost too
. He even now has the cheek to invite customers to throw away £1 for an SMS booking confirmation that has no validity at the airport!
Come on Ryanair - you don't have to stoop this low. We know you can do the business. A bit of respect would not cost you a thing
PS What's that £20 Infant Fee?? Is that a new one too? Infants not requiring seats are now charged a flat fee perhaps?? And boy, look at that Name Change fee now
.
PPS If what he's doing IS bait and switch, your bottom line buying decision is beside the point
, PaxBoy