Ryanair to pass on budget pain for flights from Spain

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara says “The Spanish budget proposes to double passenger charges at Madrid and Barcelona airports, as well as imposing smaller increases at other Spanish airports.

“It appears these increases will become effective immediately after the budget is passed and any passengers who have already booked to travel later this summer will have to pay these higher fees, if the budget is approved by the Spanish parliament”.

Yes, although I heard they were also giving passengers the option of asking for their money back instead.

Life is getting increasingly expensive 

quote...

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara says “The Spanish budget proposes to double passenger charges at Madrid and Barcelona airports, as well as imposing smaller increases at other Spanish airports.

Isn't the Spanish government merely repeating the actions of the UK here?

No such thing as an original idea in politics!

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This is an extract from the Ryanair email received regarding increased taxes:

"In relation to your flight reference E======
Ryanair has been advised by the Spanish Government of a budgetary proposal to increase airport charges later this month.
In accordance with our General Terms and Conditions of Travel* we are advising customers with a reservation that includes a flight departing from a Spanish airport that we may be forced to debit passengers for any government imposed increases in airport charges prior to your travel date.
Once the Spanish government budget is published Ryanair will advise affected passengers by email of any additional airport charges that may apply to your reservation before any charges are made.
Please see our website for updates regarding increases in Spanish airport charges.
Yours sincerely
Ryanair Customer Service

• 4.2.2 Taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date that your reservation has been made. If any such tax, fee or charge is introduced or increased after your reservation has been made you will be obliged to pay it (or any increase) prior to departure. Similarly, if any such tax, fee or charge is abolished or reduced such that it no longer applies to you, or a lesser amount is due, you will be entitled to claim a refund of the difference from us."

No mention of refunding fare if I want to cancel. As usual, it's WIN WIN WIN for Ryanair.

Why are you slating Ryanair for this increase..............it is from the Spanish Government......................why should the airline company pay it?

Ryanair provide cheap flights, it is ridiculous to expect them to do this and to absorb charges which are added by an external factor and this instance is covered in their terms and conditions which you agree to before purchase.

"As usual, it's WIN WIN WIN for Ryanair"

Not quite sure how you fathom that out, they will have to pass this on to the government as it's a tax, nothing to do with them or their profits.

Of course if I was asked what I think of all these taxes, or in fact tax in general.................!

stop moaning, still cheaper than flying with some of the other carriers!

Karensun.. People are slating Ryanair because they are Sheisters... Every little thing to make money they will do.. and they are not so cheap by the way... that was a while back when you could see a price and it would be maybe €15 mor by the end of the booking.. now its more like €40 more.. And I used to fly with them but as i am a fiddle player i need to travel with my small fiddle case.. which in their opinion is too long (so does not fit in the lockers) so i need to buy an extra seat... then get on the plane... strap in my small fiddle case to the seat next to me and the steward DEMANDS i put it in the overhead locker and the seat has to be given to another passenger..!!

Dont stand up for them... they are cheaters... its common knowlege. mine is just one example of many.. I take it you work for them.?

Can't fault Ryanair I booked flights Wednesday evening to fly from Manchester to Murcia 6th May returning 16th May £ 35.98 all in! Bargain. I get an extra holiday at a bargain price :-)

fiddlegee......................no I do not work for Ryanair but I have travelled with them approx 5 times a year for the past 9 years.

I delay of 35 minutes, I cancellation because of ash cloud ( sorted no prob) and a really good saving from other airlines. Nuff said!

What I am complaining about is Ryanair passing on the new tax to people that have already paid for their fares, not the fact that they will be passing on the tax for future bookings. I paid fares of €146.92 per person(cheap flights!!!)  from Dublin to Murcia on 06 Feb last for flights in May 2012. Ryanair will have my money for over 3 months before I fly with them. If they wern't a moneygrabbing operation they would do the decent think and absorb the extra tax for those that had purchased prior to the announcement by the Spanish Government or at least offer the opportunity to cancel and get a refund.

 Easyjet and Iberia are also passing on the increase to passengers.  Jet2 have said they will increase the prices but can't find anything that says they will add it to fights already booked.  Can't see anything on Monarch either but I do notice they now charge you for allocating you a seat whereas it used to be incorporated into the filght cost.

Of course, the UK papers only report this as a "Ryanair hits passengers" type story.

I think that all these arguments should be put to the Spanish government. Surely to bring in a rise in tax, on any purchase, should only be enforced on purchases made after the increase?

Abyss, 

Surely to bring in a rise in tax, on any purchase, should only be enforced on purchases made after the increase?

Well that would be an interesting first.  Has it ever happened in UK or elswhere ?

I believe that it happens all the time in the UK. From what I know, every budget has increases in tax and I don’t remember being called back to the tobacconist, to pay the extra tax for the cigarettes I bought the day before.

You are correct to presume that I would have taken the cigarettes on the same day as I bought them, yes.

The point is, I made a purchase, for an agreed price, the shop should not be forced to break that contract because the government has changed it's tax rates.

If I forgot the cigarettes and went back the following day, saying I forgot my cigarettes yesterday. Are you suggesting that the shop owner should say, Oh yes, I remember, you left them on the counter. Here they are and you must now pay the extra tax? I don't think so.

Not Ryanair or any others are at fault, they are a business like any other. The governments are the ones at fault, forcing everyone to pay extra, for contractual purchases made before the rise in tax.

This is my personal opinion.