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I wrote a complaint to the passenger complaints inbox at CAA.

to: passengercomplaints@caa.co.uk date: 22 May 2012 20:36 subject: Complaint Regarding Ryanair

Good Evening,

Following from a article/picture on user generated newsfeed website, Reddit.com, I have found something which may need to be investigated. The picture is of a tweet stating "Looked up fare yesterday, total £123.00. Returned today and fare is £237.00. Flushed cookies. Fare back to £123.00"

This smells of exploitation, although there is a work around, it is preying on innocent customer base who are typically pushed into paying exorbitant prices which I would deem unfair (comparatively speaking).

Thank you

Reply;

Dear Mr NoizeUK

Thank you for you for your email.

It is not clear if you have also written to the airline on this matter. If you have not yet taken this up with Ryanair, could I please suggest that you do so.

In the meantime, I have attached some information that you may find useful.

Yours sincerely

Consumer Affairs Officer Regulatory Policy Group Civil Aviation Authority

Attached;

Tickets and fares The price of a ticket is based on a range of factors. Different airlines charge different prices for the same trip. And an individual airline will charge varying amounts for seats on one flight, even for those in the same class of travel. For example, the price of the ticket will usually depend on how far in advance you book, the time of year or day, or the conditions of a ticket. Airlines are for the most part free to set airfares as they wish. Governments do not generally regulate prices. Fare Restrictions Most tickets are sold on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. You cannot get your money back if you do not fly. You may, however, be able to change to a different flight for a fee. But you are likely to have to pay an administration charge and any increase in the price of fare since the original booking (but if the fare has gone down you do not get any money back). Some airlines will let you transfer your reservation to another person, again, for a fee and any subsequent increase in the fare. Full flexibility (to be able to change to different flights or get a refund) comes at a price that is considerably higher than other fares. Taxes, Fees and Charges Some airlines list certain taxes, fees and charges (TFCs) as part of the airfare. These include items such as Air Passenger Duty, local airport or ticket taxes, passenger service charges (paid to the airport operator), as well as fuel, security, insurance, and even wheelchair, surcharges. There can be considerable discrepancies in the level of taxes, fees and charges imposed by airlines operating similar or identical routes. There is no law under which they are required to refund these charges if you do not travel for some reason (for example, the law that brought in the UK’s Air Passenger Duty does not deal with the issue of refunds when a passenger does not use their ticket). If they do agree to refund your TFCs, or at least part of them, they are likely to charge an administration charge for processing the refund. Supplemental charges Many airlines now charge for services that were previously included as part of the fare. These may include: Baggage fees A number of airlines have charges for checked-in baggage. You will probably find it is cheaper to pay for these online at the time you book rather than at the airport. Sports / musical equipment fees Some airlines charge to carry special types of checked-in baggage, such as sports equipment or musical instruments.2 Priority boarding fees Airlines that do not allocate seat reservations may give you the option of boarding sooner than other passengers for a fee, although they may not specify how much sooner you get to board. You may find that this service has already been selected for you, so if you don’t want it, you might have to remove it yourself. Credit and debit card / handling fees Many airlines now charge credit and debit card fees on bookings. These can vary between airlines. They can be a percentage of the transaction or a set amount per passenger or per flight. Credit card fees are significantly higher than debit card fees. And some airlines that charge for using a credit card do not charge for using a debit card. But remember that using your credit card may provide you with protection against airline bankruptcy that you would not get with a debit card. You can often avoid these charges by using a prepaid card.