Ryanair warning over ‘booking rip-off’ that could cost you extra for flights – but it’s easy to avoid
HOLIDAYMAKERS have been warned over a "booking rip-off" on Ryanair flights that could see you pay more.
Customers are being charged extra using Ryanair's "dynamic currency conversions" option when booking online.
This is when the airline's website displays ticket prices in the currency of the departure airport.
So for example, if you booked a flight from Alicante back to Bristol, the fare will be shown in euros.
This is relatively common for airlines to do, Which? told The Sun and flights advertised in euros may be cheaper than what is costs in pounds.
But at the end of the booking process, Ryanair automatically switches the price into pounds using its own exchange rate.
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This can cause the price of your flight to jump when you enter your card details to pay - it will switch the price into pounds using its own conversion rate.
How much more could you be paying?
When The Sun checked prices online, we found travellers could be paying up to £46 more for their flights under Ryanair's exchange rate.
We looked at return flights from four popular holiday destinations.
We looked at what Ryanair's conversion rate is compared to what the mid-market rate is - which is the midpoint between the two currencies' buying and selling prices on the market. - according to money transfer firm Wise.
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Alicante
Flight from Alicante to Bristol, single traveller: €61.56
- Ryanair's rate: £57.62
- Average market rate price: £54.10
- Price difference: £3.52
Flight from Alicante to Bristol, family of four: €254.96
- Ryanair rate: £238.65
- Average rate price: £224.15
- Price difference: £14.10
Madeira
Flight from Madeira to Stansted, single traveller: €87.99
- Ryanair's price: £82.36
- Average rate price: £77.31
- Price difference: £5.05
Flight from Madeira to Stansted, family of four: €236.08
- Ryanair's price: £220.98
- Average rate price: £207.46
- Price difference: £13.52
Tenerife
Flight from Tenerife to Bristol, single traveller: €126.13
- Ryanair's price: £118.08
- Average rate price: £110.84
- Price difference: £7.24
Flight from Tenerife to Bristol, family of four: €805.44
- Ryanair's price: £753.94
- Average rate price: £707.42
- Price difference: 46.52
Lanzarote
Flight from Lanzarote to Bristol, single traveller: €182.27
- Ryanair's price: £170.61
- Average rate price: £160
- Price difference: £10.61
Flight from Lanzarote to Bristol, family of four: €790.36
- Ryanair's price: £739.80
- Average rate price: £694.34
- Price difference: £45.46
Ryanair's conversion rates were highlighted in The Money Edit, where one customer saved over £7 on her flight by opting out.
It follows on from an Which? investigation in 2019, which found the airline was charging passengers up to 6% more for flights because of this exchange rate.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: "Ryanair’s fees are charged in the currency of the departure airport regardless of the nationality of our customers. We do not alter our fares or fees to reflect exchange rate movements.”
How to avoid the bill sting
There are ways to avoid Ryanair's sneaky bill hike.
You can opt out of accepting the rate by unticking the box.
It is found in the "more information" section, and in the small print, there is a box to un-tick to opt out of the rate conversion.
Consumer champion Martyn James called the rate a "total rip-off".
He said: "It is yet another example of why some airlines need to be watched like hawks, to make sure unsuspecting customers aren't paying a high price for a well-earned break."
While Wise chief product officer Nilan Peiris said: "When booking somewhere abroad, make sure you pay attention to which currency you’re being charged in, so you can avoid the conversion fee.
"We tend to feel safer paying in the currency we know, but in this case, this comes at an extra price."
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It comes as Ryanair was told to pay up to £350 in compensation to thousands of customers.
A reader told us how he sued Ryanair for £200 - and it only took him 15 minutes.