ABTA takes on Ryanair
Ryanair seems to be battling on all fronts with ABTA becoming the latest organisation to take umbrage with the way the low cost airline conducts its business.
The association has written to the Office of Fair Trading in the UK to complain about what it says are “misleading price indications” in Ryanair’s advertising.
ABTA argues that the headline fares advertised by Ryanair exclude fees, taxes and other charges. It says this makes it impossible for consumers to compare like-with-like and puts operators and other airlines at a competitive disadvantage.
An ABTA spokesman told TravelMole that the issue was particularly relevant following its recent announcement that all agents must now include the tour operators’ security charge in the basic price of a holiday.
But Ryanair has hit back – saying that if ABTA wants consumers to have accurate information it should make travel agents declare the commissions they receive.
In a statement the company said: “Travel Agents have been misleading consumers for years. They do not like low fares airlines like Ryanair, because Ryanair does not use them or offer them ridiculous commissions for selling tickets. Ryanair fare advertising is tax inclusive and handling charges are stated in every ad. Ryanair is Europe’s No.1 low fares airline, and will carry around 23 million passengers this year, by dealing directly with consumers, cutting out middlemen like travel agents and offering consumers the lowest fares.”
Ryanair added: “If ABTA are interested in giving consumers accurate information, perhaps they should require travel agents to declare all commissions received from airlines when they give ‘independent travel advice’ in their own advertising.”
Meanwhile Ryanair is also facing scrutiny over the subsidies it receives for operating to and from some airports. The airline has been forced to suspend flights to Strasbourg next month over the issue, with its routes to and from Charleroi airport in Belgium also under investigation.
See our previous stories:
19-Sep-2003 Ryanair forced to end Strasbourg flights
17-Sep-2003 Holiday price must include security charge, says ABTA
15 Sep 2003Another airport in trouble over Ryanair fees
05 Sep 2003 Ryanair pleads with EC over Charleroi deal
27 Aug 2003 Ryanair to suspend Strasbourg service
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports