There’s high airline prices, and then there’s Ryanair level airline prices.
An elderly British couple flying with Ryanair last week claims they were charged a hefty fee of £110, equivalent to about $140, to print their boarding passes for a flight from Central London to France.
Ruth Jaffe, 79, and Peter Jaffe, 80, reportedly used Ryanair’s mobile app to download their boarding passes. However, the couple downloaded the wrong boarding passes. According to the couple’s daughter, who shared the incident on social media, this led to the unexpected charges.
Ryanair’s check-in policy stipulates that passengers who fail to complete online check-in at least two hours before departure will be charged an additional fee to obtain their boarding passes in person at the airport. In this case, the Jaffes were charged a total of $140 for what their daughter described as “2 pieces of paper which took 1 minute [to print].”
The daughter revealed that, in addition to the $30 her mother paid for her to sit with her disabled father on the flight, her mother also paid another $30. Despite the expenses, it appears that the couple was not able to sit together during their flight.
In a statement, she expressed their dissatisfaction and that they will not fly with Ryanair again. She was also frustrated that her parents paid extra for them to be seated together only to have to pay additional charges on the boarding pass.
In response to the controversy Ryanair released a statement stating that all passengers travelling with the airline are required to check-in online before they arrive at the airport. The statement explained how passengers receive reminders by email and SMS 24 hours before their departure to complete the online check-in. The statement attributed the failure to follow check-in procedures to passengers.
The incident sparked a conversation on social media, with various users sharing their own experiences and opinions about the airline’s policies. Some users criticised the airline’s approach while others stressed the importance of following the airline’s rules and regulations.
Ryanair’s website reinforces its policy that passengers who do not complete online check-in in advance will incur additional charges for obtaining their boarding passes in person at the airport. The website lists various fees, such as those for checking in large items or traveling with a child.
The Post contacted Ryanair to get their comments on the matter.
This incident brought to light the policies and procedures of low-cost airline carriers such as Ryanair. Discussions were sparked about transparency, customer service and passenger responsibility when flying on these carriers.