Specifically referring to Ryanair, they didn't introduce a new charge but simply warned that you risked the possibility of being denied travel outright if you didn't fill it out online beforehand. It's irrelevant for them now as it's collected during the mandatory online check-in process. That was when it was introduced by the Spanish government in 2007, the UK government seem to be rolling it out this year. To be honest I don't see it as BMI Baby dressing it up as the government's fault, it essentially it is the government's fault!