A pair of Ryanair customers have been left stunned after they were told to pay £1,375 in extra fees to check into the airport.
Karen Pritchard and her husband had to cough up the sizeable sum after booking return Ryanair flights from Bristol to Dublin for themselves, as well as four friends, via travel agency Opodo.
Having had “good experiences in the past”, the couple wanted to save themselves the “hassle and worry of checking in online” as the agency had previously offered such services.
However, the couple were slapped with extra check-in charges of £330 on their way to Dublin, as well as back to Bristol, after they struggled to manage their online booking at the airport.
However, the couple were slapped with extra check-in charges of £330 on their way to Dublin, as well as back to Bristol, after they struggled to manage their online booking at the airport
PA
Recounting the group’s aggravating experience, Pritchard explained: “[Managing their booking] proved impossible and eventually we had to admit defeat: at Bristol airport we had to pay £330 in check-in fees.”
“The next day, instead of enjoying Dublin with our friends, my husband and I spent several hours trying and failing to resolve the situation with both Opodo and Ryanair,” she told The Times.
After the group made another attempt the night before travelling back to the UK, although they failed to have any success.
“We’re annoyed at Ryanair for its lack of flexibility and understanding and with Opodo, which offered no support at all,” she added.
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Since returning, the airline has said that Opodo was “wholly responsible” for the issues inflicted on the customers, saying that the group had been overcharged by almost 80 per cent.
Previously, the travel agency had responded that the “abusive” check-in fees were imposed by Ryanair, which signals that the airline should be responsible for any refund.
Now, Opodo ceded that the customers failed to receive the “high standard of support” that was expected.
It added: “As a gesture of goodwill and testament to Opodo’s commitment to customer care, the team have offered to refund 50 per cent of the booking: £687.69.”
The budget airline has said that Opodo was “wholly responsible” for the issues inflicted on the group
PA
The travel website has recently faced a wave of accusations by disgruntled customers for deploying “obscure” wording to sign their customers up to a subscription which almost costs £100.
When making their booking, customers are given two prices – one for regular customers, and another for “Opodo Prime members”, which provides access to cheaper tickets and premium customer services, as well as the chance to freeze flight prices for an extra supplement of £1.
However, users of such a subscription claimed that they were not aware that the cheaper deal would leave them with an annual fee of £89.99.
Following several complaints that the company had failed to be transparent in its advertising, many were later refused refunds.