Ryanair rejects court ruling on 'handling fees'

AIRLINE CHARGES:RYANAIR SAYS it has no intention of abandoning "handling charges" it imposes when passengers pay by debit or credit cards in spite of a German court ruling challenging the practice.

The airline also insists the additional charges are optional, as they are not imposed on customers who pay with a Visa Electron card. However, Visa Electron cards are not available in the Republic of Ireland.

The airline is appealing the decision of a Berlin court that the charges are inadmissible unless Ryanair offers a charge-free method of payment.

“This decision is not legally binding, and it is being appealed anyway. It said we don’t offer an alternative method of payment, but we do: Visa Electron,” said a spokesman.

In Ireland Ryanair charges €10 per return flight when a customer pays by debit or credit card; the charge applies for each passenger travelling, even though only one transaction is involved. Aer Lingus imposes a similar €10 per return flight per passenger “handling fee” for debit- or credit-card bookings, also with the exception of those made by Visa Electron.

About 25 million of Ryanair’s 67 million passengers each year book using Visa Electron cards, the airline claims, including an unspecified number of bookings from Ireland.

Electron cards are not available here or in many European countries, according to a spokesman for Visa in Ireland. “They belong to history,” he said.

The Ryanair spokesman continued to insist that Visa Electron cards were available in Ireland and said he had one. He declined to provide details.

Ryanair says its average fare, including all charges and one piece of luggage, is €37.

Under pressure from the EU and British authorities, most airlines, including the two main Irish ones, have made their websites more transparent, so a flight’s overall cost is clear early in the booking process, with all charges displayed and no opt-out boxes for optional services.