Ryanair challenged on booking fee hike

Ryanair yesterday criticised the British Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for what it said were attempts to “distance itself” from its role in the airline’s 2% increase on credit card bookings, which comes into force from today.

Ryanair had announced it was introducing the charge as well as retaining its €6 administration fee, although the latter charge will be dropped in February, because of a ruling by the OFT.

The airline said the new charge was a processing fee and was being implemented “in order to comply with the UK OFT’s recent ruling on credit card fees”.

However, a row then developed between the trading watchdog and the airline.

First the OFT said: “We have not required any airline to introduce new payment charges, increase their credit card charges, or scrap any discounts they wish to offer.”

A spokesman added: “We took action to make sure that debit card charges are included in the headline price and credit card charges are transparent and not sprung on shoppers towards the end of the booking process.”

Stephen McNamara, head of communications at the airline, responded yesterday by saying that: “Ryanair is disappointed, but not surprised, by the OFT’s attempt to distance themselves from their anti-consumer rulings.

“Before the OFT imposed these baseless changes, airlines could partner with card providers to allow their cardholders the exclusive advantage of avoiding such fees.

“As the OFT has removed our ability to help passengers avoid fees through exclusive partnerships, perhaps they may wish to pay these fees on the consumers’ behalf.”

It is not the first time Ryanair and the OFT have clashed.

Last year the watchdog opened an investigation into Ryanair’s 30% stake in Aer Lingus.