Air fares may be misleading, warns consumer watchdog

PASSENGERS are having increasing difficulty in getting low fares from airlines, consumer champions warned last night.

Flyers face a raft of extra charges once they have booked their seat, making it hard for them to compare competing air fares easily.

This week Ryanair slashed its free baggage limit from 20kgs to 15kgs for checked-in luggage, meaning passengers with heavier bags have to pay more in excess weight fees.

Flyers must consider all aspects of travel, like the weight of baggage, when looking for the lowest fare possible, said the Consumer Association of Ireland.

“We are starting to see that advertised airline prices are by no stretch the low cost they are purported to be,” said CAI chief executive Dermott Jewell.

“Fares are constantly changing and evolving — and they are becoming less affordable.

“Ryanair’s 25% reduction in baggage allowances is a price increase whichever way you look at it.

“There’s more take from the consumer,” he said.

Among the extras faced by airline passengers on top of the price of the seat, taxes and airport charges are:

* Fees for checking in baggage ranging from €4.50 online to €10 at the desk with Ryanair or €4 and €8 respectively for Aer Lingus.

* Excess weight fees of €5.50 per kilo with Ryanair for bags over 15kgs, €8 per kilo over 20kgs with BMIbaby or €8 with Aer Lingus for luggage over 36kgs.

* Credit card fees varying from €2.50 with Ryanair to €8 with BMIbaby.

* Debit card fees of €1 with Ryanair and 80cent with BMIbaby.

* Priority boarding charges of €3 with Ryanair.

* Additional cost of bulky luggage or other out-size items.

* Optional fees for choosing seats.

Ryanair said the reduction in baggage limits was brought in to encourage passengers to take less luggage with them.

“If they don’t wish to travel with checked-in luggage then they can travel with carry-on luggage,” said spokesman Peter Sherrard.