The passengers of Ryanair are being hit with expensive price hikes when trying to rebook their cancelled flights – and finding new flights much cheaper. The airline has waived their change fees, but when trying to re-book their flights, are being charged much more.
The change fee, which starts from £35, was removed earlier this month as travellers faced massive travel disruptions by grounded flights due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, some of that holidaymakers have found the new flights cost more than buying a new ticket, with some up to £80 more expensive.
After checking the Ryanair website for the same time and date, it cost just €48.99 (£45). Another traveller found the changed fare cost £98.99 for a re-booked flight from Alicante to Manchester while a new flight was £51.99.
However, Ryanair are not allowing passengers to get a refund if they want to cancel their flight, meaning passengers will be left out of pocket if they book the new fares themselves. More than 90 per cent of Ryanair planes are now grounded, with the remaining aircraft used to provide repatriation and rescue flights for various European Union Governments.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said that the airlines are right to be offering the option to rebook flights during this period of uncertainty, but Ryanair seemingly inflating its prices for passengers who have no other option than to re-book following worldwide travel restrictions is simply unacceptable.
The regulator must monitor to ensure airlines are not implementing harmful sales and pricing practices during the coronavirus outbreak, and be ready to clamp down on any that are found to be taking advantage of customers who have been left vulnerable as a result.
