‘Hidden’ Ryanair charges at Irish airports among the airline’s highest

RYANAIR passengers using Irish airports face some of the highest levels of “hidden charges” imposed by the airline anywhere in Europe.

An Irish Examiner survey of taxes, fees and charges relating to over 110 airports used by Ryanair shows that Passenger Service Charges (PSCs) levied by Ryanair at Ireland’s three main airports are among the most expensive across the airline’s network of destinations.

PSCs at Irish airports also account for a much higher percentage of the overall level of taxes, fees and charges than at other airports served by Ryanair. However, the reason why passengers using Dublin, Cork and Shannon incur such high charges remains unclear.

Although Ryanair claims PSCs are charges made by airports on airlines, the company collects no PSCs at around 40% of airports from which it operates, including all destinations in Germany, Austria and France, with the exception of Beauvais (Paris).

Travellers flying out of Irish airports on Ryanair aircraft face PSCs ranging from an average of €6 at Knock and Kerry to €14.98 in Shannon, €15.40 in Dublin and €17.48 in Cork.

Only four other airports among 110 destinations served by Ryanair have higher PSCs than the three main Irish airports. They are Malaga (€17), Riga (€17.33), Gatwick (€18.05) and Manchester (€19.56).

PSCs are also the only component of a series of taxes, fees and charges which Ryanair specifically claims are non-refundable in the event that passengers do not use their tickets — even though the airline is not charged by airports for passengers who cancel their flights.

The Consumers’ Association of Ireland has strongly criticised the lack of transparency shown by Ryanair in the manner in which it imposes such charges on passengers.

“There is certainly a perception that PSCs are some form of subsidisation,” said CAI chief executive Dermott Jewell.

“The lack of transparency gives passengers the attitude that they are consistently being fleeced. It is also unacceptable that Ryanair resists attempts by passengers to claim back such fees when they don’t travel.”

He expressed hope that the National Consumer Agency would investigate the operation of PSCs as part of its widening remit.

A Ryanair spokesperson explained that the €15.40 PSC charge at Dublin airport relates to landing, parking, air traffic control and passenger charges as well as a €3.90 “security charge”.

Despite the high level of PSCs for Ryanair customers using Irish airports, the overall levels of taxes, fees and charges which they face for travelling with the airline is comparatively less than for using many other European airports.

Standard combined charges at Dublin are just €20.64 compared to €21.66 for Carcassonne, €32.32 for Manchester, €30.81 for Gatwick and €28.58 for Porto and Faro.

PSCs have been widely criticised by consumer groups and aviation watchdog bodies across Europe as hidden charges designed solely to keep the cost of base fares artificially low.

Britain’s Air Transport Users’ Council has strongly criticised airlines, including Ryanair, for adding on a large variety of charges to the actual cost of the flight.

In addition to the PSC, Ryanair still imposes a charge of €4.74 on each passenger for each flight which it claims is an aviation insurance levy to counteract the withdrawal of insurance cover for terrorist attacks after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. It also charges all passengers €0.50 per flight as a wheelchair levy regardless of whether they are disabled or not.

The British aviation watchdog said different airlines flying the same route charge different levels of PSCs and other levies, even though they should, in theory, be identical.

In 2003, Aer Rianta took a successful High Court action against Ryanair for suggesting the entire PSC charged by the airline was collected on behalf of the airport authority.