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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that Ryanair have got a scam to force people to pay for extras?

38 replies

MirandaGoshawk · 27/01/2018 13:22

Long - sorry - and expletives have been removed (mostly)!
Last night I tried to book two seats on a return flight in April for £97 total. (The price had gone up from £86 two weeks ago, but that's a different story.) It said five seats available, all went well, I input the passenger names, declined all the add-ons (baggage etc). A pop-up appeared saying was I sure I didn't want to pay £5 for allocated seats? Clicked 'no thanks'. Ticked I accepted Ts&Cs. Then is payment, but when I clicked on it nothing happened, so I hadn't had a chance to choose Paypal or put in a credit card number. I waited, tried again a few times, it kept asking me if I wanted to continue. So I went into my account details and input my credit card, but still nothing. I tried it on my phone instead of the computer: same thing. Chat was closed and I'd been trying for over two hours, so I gave up.
This morning the flight had gone from £97 to £133! Still a bargain so tried again. Same. Waited in a queue for Chat, who said that their payment uses google Chrome and has problems with other browsers, also I should delete my browser history and it would work. I already use Chrome so I deleted all my history. Same. Tried to book on phone. Same. Asked DH to book it on his work computer, work email. He set up a new account in his name and IT STILL WOULDN'T TAKE PAYMENT!
So I went onto e-bookers, who booked it immediately with a £20 booking fee. I paid £153 by Paypal. Got a confirmation email from them immediately, at 10.18. Incredibly, I also got an email from Ryanair at 10.18. Thanks for booking, you have paid £133 by credit card 1234. (So e-bookers must pay them immediately by credit card.)
So, AIBU to think that Ryanair weren't going to accept my booking until I'd paid for some extras?

I've paid for three lots of Ryanair flights over the past three years. Have an account with all my details in it, and my travelling companion's details.

They are bastards.

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 27/01/2018 13:25

If they’re bastards don’t fly with them....

Agyne · 27/01/2018 13:26

Oh dear god never fly with those cowboys.

MongerTruffle · 27/01/2018 13:27

They’re a business. Their job is to make money, and their business model is obviously working. Before low-cost airlines, holidays abroad were a luxury. I’m happy with the service they provide relative to the price.
Choose another airline if you’re not happy.

Partyfops · 27/01/2018 13:27

I will never fly Ryan Air

RestlessLegKick · 27/01/2018 13:27

This is Ryanair we're talking about and they're as shady as they come without breaking obvious laws, so I wouldn't put anything past them.

Who hasn't been tried to be scammed by Ryanair into paying additional extras they don't want?

You can't even sit next to your travel companions anymore without paying for allocated seating.

Flutterbyeee · 27/01/2018 13:28

If something appears too good to be true....

StickThatInYourPipe · 27/01/2018 13:29

It sounds to me like you have paid twice, one through e bookers and once through Ryanair. It would be odd for ryanair to send you a booking confirmation with price if you’ve had already had one through ebookers

MayFayner · 27/01/2018 13:31

I've never experienced the site crashing but the prices do go up the more frequently you check them, yes. You can go into private mode to stop it happening.

Ryanair are beyond crap and annoying but they are very cheap, so swings and roundabouts. I recently took a five hour flight with them which I won't be rushing to repeat though.

MongerTruffle · 27/01/2018 13:31

Ryanair send you a confirmation because they don’t allow you to use other websites to book your flight. They have no idea that you used their service.

PrincessMargaret · 27/01/2018 13:31

I think it sounds like you paid twice too. I would check very quickly.

MongerTruffle · 27/01/2018 13:32

their = ebookers

LemonRedwood · 27/01/2018 13:36

m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAg0lUYHHFc

womaninatightspot · 27/01/2018 13:38

I booked a flight via opodo and got a confirmation direct from Pegasus (random turkish airline) as well as from Opodo I was a bit concerned as I'd try to book with them direct first but the payment thing kept stalling so I thought I'd managed to double book. The booking reference was the same on both though so I hadn't.

I suspect this is something the cheapie airlines do as BA et al have never sent me seperate confirmation when booking via third party.

I don't fly ryanair as can not be bothered with the awfulness of their booking process/ cattle herding approach to flying.

gobbin · 27/01/2018 13:39

the prices do go up the more frequently you check them, yes. You can go into private mode to stop it happening

THIS. It’s a thing, especially with Skyscanner too. Delete browsing history in between (or browse incognito). Massive scam right there!

Original poster
MirandaGoshawk · 27/01/2018 13:45

No, I definitely haven't booked twice. I tried for 5 hours in total and couldn't input any card details and didn't get past the payment part. The card it said it had been paid with wasn't mine.

I know about the prices going up the more you check them - this isn't about that. This is about not being able to pay if you don't choose to have extras.

OP posts:
Original poster
MirandaGoshawk · 27/01/2018 13:47

Same booking ref on both.

OP posts:
woodlanddreamer · 27/01/2018 13:47

*the prices do go up the more frequently you check them, yes. You can go into private mode to stop it happening

THIS. It’s a thing, especially with Skyscanner too. Delete browsing history in between (or browse incognito). Massive scam right there!*

Everyone always says this but I've checked it again & again by deleting browsing history, deleting cookies, going incognito, using another laptop & it has never made the slightest difference.

Original poster
MirandaGoshawk · 27/01/2018 13:49

You can book through other agents/not direct with Ryanair but you pay a fee on top of Ryanair's price. I used to be a travel agent! We did this - booked Ryanair if people felt they didn't want to do it themselves but we charged a service fee.

OP posts:
Original poster
MirandaGoshawk · 27/01/2018 13:53

Actually woodlanddreamer, I think you're right. I think the thing is that they say "FROM x amount". So they might have three seats on the plane at £19.99. Then when they are sold, the 'from' price will be £25.99 but they only have 5 at that price. Etc. So the first time you check the price it's lowest. A week later its gone up on your computer - but it will have on everyone else's as well.

OP posts:
MissDuke · 27/01/2018 13:53

OP did you try adding extras to see if it would then accept your booking? Only if you were right, then surely that would have been cheaper than the extra £20 booking fee you paid?

AnyFucker · 27/01/2018 13:56

Have used Ryanair loads of times and never had a problem. I do use some of the extras though (always take a suitcase, eg) and still find them the cheapest and always efficient

Eltonjohnssyrup · 27/01/2018 13:59

Where any of the people children, it might not have accepted the booking if they weren't seated with an adult.

Charismam · 27/01/2018 14:00

Of course, scams within scams!

MayFayner · 27/01/2018 14:04

woman Pegasus is a charter airline afaik

Asiaticlily · 27/01/2018 14:08

From what I can read you didn't actually buy any extras though?

You paid through a third party site who charged you - that's not an extra from Ryanair!

Could you not have called Ryanair?

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