Airlines put on extra flights but Irish footie fans face hefty flight prices following match draw 

Before the draw, a fare on matchday was €319 with Aer Lingus, before rising to €470. On Ryanair, no one-way ticket in the two days prior to the game, or game-day itself, was available for less than €300. File picture

Airlines have laid on extra flights to meet demand from fans hoping to see the Boys In Green on the next step of their World Cup journey after seats were snapped up following the draw for the playoffs. 

Ryanair on Wednesday evening announced extra flights and 3,000 additional seats between Dublin and Prague, while Aer Lingus said it had increased capacity to Prague with five extra flights on Wednesday 25, Thursday 26, and Friday 27 March, to accommodate fans travelling for the Ireland vs. Czechia qualifier.

However fans are paying a hefty price, as airlines hiked fares on Prague flights for the World Cup playoffs minutes after the draw was made.

After the euphoric wins against Portugal and Hungary last week, Ireland’s dreams of North America for a first World Cup appearance in 24 years remain very much alive with Thursday’s draw pairing them against the Czechs in March.

Lying ahead if Heimir Hallgrímsson's men win against Czechia is a home tie against Denmark or North Macedonia to seal qualification just a few days later.

However, keen fans swept up by the wave of positivity were faced with higher airfares within minutes.

As early as 2pm on Thursday, Aer Lingus flights from Dublin to Prague were sold out, both on match day Thursday, March 26, and the day before. 

The cheapest flight home for the day after was more than €400.

Before the draw, a fare on matchday was €319, before rising to €470.

On Ryanair, no one-way ticket in the two days prior to the game, or game-day itself, was available for less than €300. 

Flights home will be similarly expensive, with the cheapest fare on the day after the game at €277 following the draw.

For comparison, a Wednesday-Friday trip with Ryanair the week prior would cost less than €190 return.

Fine Gael Senator Mark Duffy hit out at the airlines for penalising “loyal supporters”, as he urged regulators to examine the issue.

“Regulators should examine whether sudden fare increases are consistent with consumer protection laws, given the scale of the increases,” he said.

In some cases, the fare more than doubled in the space of half an hour. This cannot be justified in a normal and fair market.

Tickets will be scarce for the game against Czechia. While the country has no designated home ground, unlike Ireland with the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, it is likely the game will be held in Prague, with its main stadiums both below 20,000-seater capacity.

With the Czech capital well connected with other nearby European countries by air, train and road, it is likely many fans travelling will be taking the longer way to Prague in March.

In a statement, Aer Lingus said it had "significantly increased capacity to Prague with five extra flights on Wednesday 25, Thursday 26, and Friday 27 March, to accommodate fans travelling for the Ireland vs. Czechia qualifier. This increase is already in place, and we expect services to be very busy during this period."