The latest Ryanair surcharge

Budget airline Ryanair has introduced yet another surcharge to its ever-growing list of fees, ie ways of ripping off its customers. This time it’s a £2 (€2 for the rest of Europe) per trip fee to cover the cost of paying compensation to passengers when flights are cancelled.

The charge comes as the budget carrier continues to demand that the European Commission change regulation EU261 which obliges airlines to pay compensation to passengers if their flight is cancelled. Ryanair is unhappy that it has to pay out for accommodation and food for passengers even if the reason for the flight cancellation is out of its control.

2010 was a tough year for airlines as industrial action by air traffic controllers in France and Spain and the Icelandic ash cloud forced most carriers to cancel thousands of flights. Indeed, Ryanair claims that it cancelled 15,000 flights last year and had to spend £88 million on passenger compensation. So, in a way they have a point, but I don’t think penalising the passenger is the right way to go about it!

Many customers and rival airlines have accused Ryanair of adding in yet another sneaky stealth tax to its flights. One of Ryanair’s biggest competitors, easyJet has said it will not introduce a surcharge to cover compensation costs.  However, they will be upping a different fee...

See  easyJet mimics Ryanair over baggage fines

See also: www.lovemoney.com/news/scams-and-rip-offs/rip-offs/5465/beat-these-ryanair-ripoffs

© Paul Whitelock

Tags:  Ryanair, Ryanair surcharge, Budget airline, compensation, European Commission, regulation EU261, industrial action, air traffic controllers, Icelandic ash cloud, easyJet, paul whitelock, www.a1-solutions-spain.com