ABTA rebukes Ryanair hypocrisy
ABTA has accused Ryanair of hypocrisy after the carrier branded agents “unscrupulous” for hiking the cost of low cost fares.
Responding to an attack by the airline’s deputy chief executive Michael Cawley, in which he claimed retailers were “fleecing passengers”, Newman Street said it was “rich” to point the finger when the carrier itself had recently been fined for misleading the public.
Cawley claimed agents add a service charge of up to 87% on a web price and then conceal the fee from customers.
“Customers are entitled to be told if a handling charge is being levied on their ticket but unfortunately many travel agents are not informing their customers and instead are ripping them off,” he said.
ABTA said it was not aware of any members being deliberately misleading.
“It’s rich, but not unexpected, coming from Ryanair considering the fact it has recently been found guilty and fined for misleading customers on the pricing policy on its website,” a spokesman said.
The fine in March, of £24,000, relates to six breaches of the Consumer Protection Act where Ryanair advertised prices but failed to state they excluded tax and charges.
Report by Steve Jones
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