How to avoid Ryanair's latest charges

By Staff Writer Ruth Jackson Dec 08, 2009

Ruth Jackson

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If anyone ever deserved a visit from the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future it's Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary.
 
He makes the original Scrooge look generous. If he isn't suggesting that it is perfectly reasonable for people to stand up for a budget flight, he's on national radio muttering about charging them to use the loo in mid-air.

And not all his ludicrous-sounding ideas are just about getting free publicity – a good few actually end up getting implemented. Just think – even five years ago, would you ever have thought you'd have to pay extra just to check in for your flight? Quite. 
 
Anyway, this week O'Leary's been at it again. Ryanair has announced that it is to start charging people a transaction fee if they book flights with a Visa Electron card. What's wrong with that? Until now, using a Visa Electron has been the only way to get around Ryanair's extortionate booking fees. But from 1 January, you will be charged £5 per person per flight to book with a Visa Electron card. That's £20 for a couple booking return flights. Irritating, isn't it?

On the plus side, there is still a way around the fee. Ryanair can only get away with advertising their fares minus booking fees if they maintain at least one way of avoiding said fees – making paying the fees technically a choice, not an obligation. So while they have cancelled the 'promotional offer' on Visa Electron bookings, they've transferred the offer to the Mastercard prepaid card.
 
These cards are similar to the Travelex Prepaid Visa Electron Card I have recommended in the past  to avoid Ryanair's fees. You buy one, load it up with money, then use it like a debit/credit card. Sadly, there aren't any Mastercard prepaid cards that are free to use. But if you choose carefully, you can find one that will have you paying a lot less than Ryanair's charges.
 
There are two particularly cheap ones. The ICE Travellers' Cashcard is recommended by MoneySavingExpert.com. This card costs nothing to get but there is a 2% charge whenever you load money onto it, and a £1.75 charge when used at an ATM.

The other option is the Caxton FX Global Card, a favourite at The Guardian. This doesn't charge you anything for putting money on your card, but charges £1.50 per usage in the UK. So if you bought two return Ryanair flights you'd pay a £1.50 charge rather than £20. 

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Five more tricks to cut the cost of flying

1. Don't pay for travel insurance you don't need. Some airlines will automatically add travel insurance to your order. If you already have cover, then make sure you deselect this. And even if you don't already have insurance, the airline's travel insurance is rarely – if ever – competitively priced, so buy your travel insurance elsewhere.
 
2. Cut the amount of baggage you take. For some airlines you pay for each bag put in the hold, so if there are two of you try to check-in just one bag between you, and put all the things you can't take into the cabin - liquids for example -  into that bag. Then put everything else into your hand luggage. Just make sure your hand luggage isn't bigger or heavier than allowed.
 
3. Check-in online. More and more airlines are charging you for the privilege of checking in at the airport. You can avoid this charge with most airlines by checking-in online.
 
4. Bring plastic bags with you. Since the rules on carrying liquids were introduced, it's become a common sight to see airport staff handing out clear plastic bags at security for people to put their liquids into. But never ones to miss a money-making opportunity, some airports now have started charging £1 per bag. Take your own with you and you won't have to pay.
 
5. One of the big downsides to budget airlines has always been the lack of assigned seating. Families face a fierce battle for seats if they want to sit together. To avoid this, Ryanair and Easyjet offer priority boarding for a fee. But this fee often doesn't actually buy you much: I once saw all the priority boarders leave the gate first only to see them two minutes later on the bus that took us to the plane. No-one stepped aside to let them off the bus first.

One way around this is to only buy a priority boarding pass for one member of your group – ideally the biggest, scariest looking person. Then that person can board earlier if possible and save seats for everyone else. But if you all get stuck on a bus and they can't get there first, at least you won't have wasted much money.

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Comments (8)

Published in Personal finance | More articles by Ruth Jackson

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  • 1. Brian

    (08 December 2009, 04:08PM)  Complain about this comment

    Yes but how do you avoid the credit card charge?

  • 2. Hugh

    (08 December 2009, 04:19PM)  Complain about this comment

    Some airlines weigh your hand baggage, but only sometimes, so you never know before you check in. If like me you have a lap top and other heavy stuff that you don't want to put in your hold baggage, then bring a coat with decent size pockets and use them for items like lap top charger, camera, paper back books, etc.

  • 3. Paul

    (08 December 2009, 04:30PM)  Complain about this comment

    By all means take a bag for liquids but it must of a certain size - check with the airport.

    My bag was a few mm too big but someone lent me another bag. -phew

  • 4. Rob and Angela Rutter

    (08 December 2009, 06:08PM)  Complain about this comment

    It's not a case of going to charge a fee when using Visa Maestro DEBIT card - we were charged £5 each both ways for the privilage of paying Mr O'leary in early November last.
    A charge for using a dbit card really sticks in your throat!!

    R & A

  • 5. Ryder Hook

    (08 December 2009, 08:07PM)  Complain about this comment

    Since the best way to control inflation is not to raise interest rates but to increase unemployment, the most powerful way to avoid Ryanair charges is to force them away..... simply boycott the airline altogether.

    Ryanair, and their alter-ego Easyjet, are not at all cheap airlines in comparison to main airlines. In fact these main airlines are often significantly cheaper. In addition they conduct their business with courtesy and employ staff for their ability to be helpful and of course, the real bonus, they transport passengers between major cities. Simply boycott Ryanair to avoid ALL their charges.

  • 6. William Rowntree

    (08 December 2009, 09:24PM)  Complain about this comment

    I hold no brief for Ryanair; let themdefend themselves if they want to. But I am old enough to remember what it was like before Ryanair ..........
    In 1993 my wife and I decided to fulfill our dream and buy a house in the Luberon, some 100K north of Marseille. At that time the only flights to Marseille were from Gatwick, pooled between British Airways and Air France.
    The list price then for an ecconomy round-tripwas around £500. We could only fly if I had enough 'airmiles' from business trips. I hate to think what the fare might have been now ..........
    No matter how the total fare is calculated, with all sorts of add-ons and extras, passengers today often do not realise just how lucky they are.
    Ryanair's fare structure may seem complicated and even somewhat devious, but no matter how they are arrived at, Ryanair's fares are a bargain compared to the cost of flights sixteenyears ago.
    Be grateful!!!!!


  • 7. Jim MacWilliam

    (09 December 2009, 06:02PM)  Complain about this comment

    I totally agree with WilliamRowantree. We have a property 20 mins. by car from Murcia San Javier. Pre Ryanair ticket prices from Glasgow to Alicante were seldom less than £300 return. I cannot recall paying a fare in excess of £100 inc taxe s with Ryanair Prestwick /San Javier. Further, we have never had a jlight going or returning that was more that 30 mins. late.
    Pay attention to all the details, buy nothing from on board services, and you save alot of money

  • 8. Fernando Ribeiro

    (13 January 2010, 10:42PM)  Complain about this comment

    In first place I have to thank for the article, which I think it will be usefull for a lot of (UK) people.
    In my case, since I buy tickets in euro and pounds, it's not a perfect option (I would have to pay the normal credit card fee for tickets bought in euro), for what I've read and understood.

    Regarding the prices of "low cost" companies, which I think they became already "mid cost", it's almost always better than "high-cost". The conditions are different of course, but still money valuable.

    Since ryanair and other companies appeared I can have small vacations 5 times a year, instead of once each 2 or 3 years.

    So, even with these tricks to gain more money from customers (where does this doesn't happens?!?), for me it's still the best solution to take some days off.

    Best regards to all informers and travellers,
    Fernando from Porto, Portugal.

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