Ryanair ends free Electron bookings
2nd December 2009
From January 1st 2010 the only way to avoid booking charges will be to use a MasterCard pre-pay card
Ryanair is to charge Visa Electron cardholders a fee for using their cards to book a flight.
From 1 January 2010 the only way to avoid paying a fee for booking a flight will be to use a MasterCard pre-pay card.
However, these pre-pay cards are not free to use. Depending on the provider, some pre-pay cards charge for setting up the card, some levy a monthly service fee, while others charge for each transaction made.
Yet by waiving booking charges for passengers using pre-pay cards, Ryanair hopes to be able to continue to advertise ‘free’ and heavily discounted flights. It's also planning to introduce its own pre-pay card in 2010.
The airline claims it’s made the change because Visa Electron isn’t widely available in European countries but pre-pay cards are.
Many passengers had obtained a Visa Electron card specifically to beat Ryanair’s charges. The card was actually introduced for teenagers and students as it doesn’t allow the holder to go overdrawn.
So from January, if you don’t use a MasterCard pre-pay card and get your online check-in fee waived by booking a special ‘promotional fee’, such as a ‘free’ flight, you’re looking at £20 in fees on a return flight before you’ve even got to the airport.
Ryanair claims its average fare for a flight is now £30, although that’s before any additional charges.
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