Source: Reuters
Ryanair may face EU probe over charges - paper
LONDON (Reuters) - Ryanair <RYA.I>, Europe's biggest budget airline, could be facing a European Union probe into alleged misstating of taxes and airport passenger fees on its routes in the region, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Monday.
It said that the low-cost carrier had been accused of inflating charges added to ticket prices for flights from some of its airports, a practice the report said may breach EU law.
The Daily Telegraph said that Eva Lichtenberger, an Austrian MEP on the European Parliament's transport committee, was planning to call for an inquiry by the European Commission after the claims were apparently made by the German television programme PlusMinus.
"This is a very serious matter," Lichtenberger was quoted as saying.
The newspaper said that Ryanair had denied any misrepresentation of its charges and that it had insisted all its fees accurately reflected costs imposed at Europe's airports.
The company could not be reached for comment.
Ryanair may face EU probe over charges
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Source: The Scotsman (Newspaper -UK)
Tue 11 Jul 2006
Budget airlines face hidden-costs inquiry
ALASTAIR DALTON TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT
RYANAIR and other airlines are facing a pricing inquiry after Euro MPs yesterday called for an investigation into claims that ticket costs were being pushed up by inflated add-on charges.
The move comes after the Irish no-frills airline was accused of mis-stating some charges as government taxes.
The Air Transport Users Council (AUC), the official passenger watchdog, welcomed any European Commission inquiry after failing to persuade airlines to offer all-inclusive fares, rather than listing taxes, fees and charges separately.
Eva Lichtenberger, an Austrian MEP and a member of the European Parliament's transport committee, said she would call for the inquiry following the claims against Ryanair made on German television.
Gary Titley, the leader of Britain's Labour MEPs and a fellow committee member, said other airlines should be investigated too. He said: "Airlines inflate their prices with extra charges so that customers expect to buy a flight for £1.99 and instead end up spending £55.
"To make the whole industry more transparent, any investigation should look at hidden charges by every airline, not just Ryanair."
James Freemantle, a spokesman for the AUC, said it was in everyone's interests for airlines to quote only inclusive fares.
This is compulsory in adverts, but not on airlines' own websites, where many passengers book their tickets.
Mr Freemantle said: "The issue of charges is causing such problems for airlines and much confusion for passengers, and could be solved if just one price was shown.
"This would make it much easier for passengers to compare prices between airlines. At the moment, charges are not shown until quite late in the booking process, by which time passengers may be drawn in. They may also assume the charges would be the same as those of other airlines."
Only British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have heeded the AUC's call for inclusive fares.
However, Ryanair described the claims as "inaccurate and untrue". A spokeswoman said: "No Ryanair passenger has ever been 'overcharged'.
"Before any passenger is allowed to confirm and pay for a booking on Ryanair, they are presented with a breakdown of their total fare, including taxes, fees and charges, and are asked to confirm their agreement to this total amount before they are allowed to proceed with their booking.
"Every passenger agrees to these sums as part of the booking process."
Tue 11 Jul 2006
Budget airlines face hidden-costs inquiry
ALASTAIR DALTON TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT
RYANAIR and other airlines are facing a pricing inquiry after Euro MPs yesterday called for an investigation into claims that ticket costs were being pushed up by inflated add-on charges.
The move comes after the Irish no-frills airline was accused of mis-stating some charges as government taxes.
The Air Transport Users Council (AUC), the official passenger watchdog, welcomed any European Commission inquiry after failing to persuade airlines to offer all-inclusive fares, rather than listing taxes, fees and charges separately.
Eva Lichtenberger, an Austrian MEP and a member of the European Parliament's transport committee, said she would call for the inquiry following the claims against Ryanair made on German television.
Gary Titley, the leader of Britain's Labour MEPs and a fellow committee member, said other airlines should be investigated too. He said: "Airlines inflate their prices with extra charges so that customers expect to buy a flight for £1.99 and instead end up spending £55.
"To make the whole industry more transparent, any investigation should look at hidden charges by every airline, not just Ryanair."
James Freemantle, a spokesman for the AUC, said it was in everyone's interests for airlines to quote only inclusive fares.
This is compulsory in adverts, but not on airlines' own websites, where many passengers book their tickets.
Mr Freemantle said: "The issue of charges is causing such problems for airlines and much confusion for passengers, and could be solved if just one price was shown.
"This would make it much easier for passengers to compare prices between airlines. At the moment, charges are not shown until quite late in the booking process, by which time passengers may be drawn in. They may also assume the charges would be the same as those of other airlines."
Only British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have heeded the AUC's call for inclusive fares.
However, Ryanair described the claims as "inaccurate and untrue". A spokeswoman said: "No Ryanair passenger has ever been 'overcharged'.
"Before any passenger is allowed to confirm and pay for a booking on Ryanair, they are presented with a breakdown of their total fare, including taxes, fees and charges, and are asked to confirm their agreement to this total amount before they are allowed to proceed with their booking.
"Every passenger agrees to these sums as part of the booking process."
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O’Leary brands report as fiction
Source: irishexaminer.com
12 July 2006
O’Leary brands reports that Ryanair overcharged passengers €17m as total fiction By Niall Murray
RYANAIR has described reports that it is overcharging passengers by over €17 million a year in non-existent taxes as total fiction.
The airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary insisted yesterday that any charges which are set out at booking all go where they are supposed to go. He said reports that there was a difference of around €2.50 per passenger between what Ryanair charges and what it pays to airport and other authorities was complete and utter fabrication.
Every Ryanair passenger travelling through Dublin Airport pays a PSC — passenger service charge — which Mr O’Leary said is detailed on the airline’s website as the airport fees and charges plus an air traffic control charge at Dublin, which comes to €15.40.
“Nobody is being overcharged, they (the charges) reflect what we pay the airport and Ryanair takes nothing from anybody,†he said.
The airline boss said the notion of a difference of €2.50 between what they charge for each of its seven million Irish passengers and what they pay to the Government or airport authorities was a fiction.
“It’s based on nothing other than a number of industry sources which, as you know, is the usual fiction from journalists when they can’t actually find someone to back up a story,†Mr O’Leary told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme.
“I don’t break down what we pay for fuel or advertising either. We issue a published set of accounts every year but do we break down the detail of what we pay to every individual airport? No,†he said.
Mr O’Leary said the company would be delighted to provide the European Commission with a breakdown of the PSC charge if they ask for the information. It is carrying out a study of European airline pricing policies and will examine whether any sector-specific rules are needed to complement existing consumer protection rules.
An Austrian MEP raised the pricing issue on Monday after a German television programme claimed Ryanair lists some airport charges as government taxes.
12 July 2006
O’Leary brands reports that Ryanair overcharged passengers €17m as total fiction By Niall Murray
RYANAIR has described reports that it is overcharging passengers by over €17 million a year in non-existent taxes as total fiction.
The airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary insisted yesterday that any charges which are set out at booking all go where they are supposed to go. He said reports that there was a difference of around €2.50 per passenger between what Ryanair charges and what it pays to airport and other authorities was complete and utter fabrication.
Every Ryanair passenger travelling through Dublin Airport pays a PSC — passenger service charge — which Mr O’Leary said is detailed on the airline’s website as the airport fees and charges plus an air traffic control charge at Dublin, which comes to €15.40.
“Nobody is being overcharged, they (the charges) reflect what we pay the airport and Ryanair takes nothing from anybody,†he said.
The airline boss said the notion of a difference of €2.50 between what they charge for each of its seven million Irish passengers and what they pay to the Government or airport authorities was a fiction.
“It’s based on nothing other than a number of industry sources which, as you know, is the usual fiction from journalists when they can’t actually find someone to back up a story,†Mr O’Leary told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme.
“I don’t break down what we pay for fuel or advertising either. We issue a published set of accounts every year but do we break down the detail of what we pay to every individual airport? No,†he said.
Mr O’Leary said the company would be delighted to provide the European Commission with a breakdown of the PSC charge if they ask for the information. It is carrying out a study of European airline pricing policies and will examine whether any sector-specific rules are needed to complement existing consumer protection rules.
An Austrian MEP raised the pricing issue on Monday after a German television programme claimed Ryanair lists some airport charges as government taxes.