yes, another ryanair rant, wheelchair levy, wtf's up with that?

LegacyUser

just looking at my ryanair receipt, there's the usual tax's, then there's a fekin wheelchair levy €6.56

what the fcuk?

i'm prety sure i didn't accidently hit a wheelchair button, so i can only assume this is simply a money making scam.

i mean, i've never seen a wheelchair on a ryanair flight, and i use them quite a bit.

o'leary must be making a fcuking mint if everyone's paying this ridiculus charge, unless the wheelchairs are made of gold!

Dellgirl

mean, i've never seen a wheelchair on a ryanair flight, and i use them quite a bit.

Wheelchairs?

Chalk

make sure to request one at check-in...

Dellgirl

How much was it for?

astrofool

It was because someone who used a wheelchair sued that they had to pay extra for a wheelchair, so ryanair had to divide the cost among everyone instead.

LegacyUser

right just read, and watched the report, http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0130/disability.html

this was at the end of january, it states that ryanair would charge all its passengers a levy of 73c

so why am i paying €6.56?

seamus

astrofool wrote:

It was because someone who used a wheelchair sued that they had to pay extra for a wheelchair, so ryanair had to divide the cost among everyone instead.

Lol?

So, if there's a disabled person on the flight, you have to pay extra? Will they tell you there's a disabled person on the flight so you can choose not to get it, or can the others passengers vote the disabled person off the flight?*

I'm guessing that this is now a standard levy added to every single fare?

*Don't take offence, it's all tongue-in-cheek

LegacyUser

no, you have to pay a levy weather there's a wheelchair user on the flight or not, and more than likely there won't be.

it's charged in four airports that don't foot the bill, stansted and gatwick and 2 others.....

what a racket!

seamus wrote:

Lol?

So, if there's a disabled person on the flight, you have to pay extra? Will they tell you there's a disabled person on the flight so you can choose not to get it, or can the others passengers vote the disabled person off the flight?*

I'm guessing that this is now a standard levy added to every single fare?

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Chalk

standard levy,
on the basis that equipment has to be kept avaialble at all time for wheelchair users and all planes must be adpted to suit.

courts said it was discrimination for a wheelchair user to pay extra for these facilities, so ryanir being smeaky dogs, decided to charge everyone.

LegacyUser

fcuk all probalby, but i'd like to know why it's gone from 73c to €6.56?

ziggy67 wrote:

Not happy about it but what can you do?

therecklessone

paperclip wrote:

right just read, and watched the report, http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0130/disability.html

this was at the end of january, it states that ryanair would charge all its passengers a levy of 73c

so why am i paying €6.56?

Its not just a wheelchair levy, I'm pretty sure its a wheelchair and insurance levy. Its a while since I've flown with them, so I'm open to correction.

LegacyUser

ah, yes, i see it there, ins/wheelchair levy, still cheeky ba$tard, wheelchair levy.

therecklessone wrote:

Its not just a wheelchair levy, I'm pretty sure its a wheelchair and insurance levy. Its a while since I've flown with them, so I'm open to correction.

therecklessone

Further reading:

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=pnr&quest=taxesfeescharges

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18409-1410388,00.html

samo

I wondered about this when I booked Ryanair tickets a few months back online. I gave up wondering when I discovered it would cost me approx €1.80 a minute to call Ryanirair and discover what the charge actually was


Is it just Ryanair that levy this charge onto its customers as an actual charge on the ticket? (I'm sure the others build it in somewhere but dont advertise it quite so obviously!)

BuffyBot

So would you rather they just added it on to your fares without telling you?

whippet

Ryanair add it as a transparent levy more as a protest to the court decision and to highlight another cost to them.

Most of the long haul carriers imposed much bigger 'fuel levy's' last year when the price of oil rose but this wasn't stated as an additional charge on the ticket just incorporated into the price of the flight. Ryanair still want to advertise €25.99 flights and the like, and €26.72 just dosn't sound as good.

Ryanair's discounted (advertised) prices would be more or less at cost to them, therefore any additional floating charges would be added in afterwards .. ie. Gov Tax, Insurance Levy .Wheel chair levy.

astrofool

Others would probably have the charge hidden as you said, but this seems to be Ryanair's way of protesting the decision, i.e. pointedly marking out the extra charge on customers because the airports themselves won't supply the wheelchairs.

DrIndy

I understand why and its better to know what the charges are rather than hide them in a price rise.

I have a particular bugbear though - especially in america. I believe people should have a total weight limit which is the person and their luggage so thin people can take more luggage as the cost is the total flight and fuel to transport a total load (persons+luggage).

Enormous people who squeeze you out onto the galley corridor should be charged an "over luggage limit" charge.

drdre

guys it insuarance, wheel chair levy,taxes, fees and charges.
its not only the wheelchair levy.
so its kind of ok donot u agree,but ryanair is a scam and everyone knows that.:mad:

John R

DrIndy wrote:

I understand why and its better to know what the charges are rather than hide them in a price rise.

I have a particular bugbear though - especially in america. I believe people should have a total weight limit which is the person and their luggage so thin people can take more luggage as the cost is the total flight and fuel to transport a total load (persons+luggage).

Enormous people who squeeze you out onto the galley corridor should be charged an "over luggage limit" charge.

I am sure that would be classed as discrimination in our politically correct paradise.

Many years ago I travelled to the Arran Islands on a light aircraft, when we checked in at Galway each passenger was weighed as well as the luggage. Apparently it was so the plane could be properly balanced. Several of the women on the flight were very unhappy about a public weighing I can tell you The highlight of the incident (and the whole holiday as it happened) was an enormous 30st American woman who was placed in the middle of a bench seat on her own and told not to move from side to side, pure class.

Cabaal

John R wrote:

Several of the women on the flight were very unhappy about a public weighing I can tell you The highlight of the incident (and the whole holiday as it happened) was an enormous 30st American woman who was placed in the middle of a bench seat on her own and told not to move from side to side, pure class.

rofl, funniest thing I've read all day

airetam_storm

John R wrote:

I am sure that would be classed as discrimination in our politically correct paradise.

Many years ago I travelled to the Arran Islands on a light aircraft, when we checked in at Galway each passenger was weighed as well as the luggage. Apparently it was so the plane could be properly balanced. Several of the women on the flight were very unhappy about a public weighing I can tell you The highlight of the incident (and the whole holiday as it happened) was an enormous 30st American woman who was placed in the middle of a bench seat on her own and told not to move from side to side, pure class.

Classic

Thats one tourist not coming back here;)

Naos

ROFL @ JohnR. That is brilliant!

As for the wheelchair tax, it is pretty crap they way consumers must foot the bill, but at least its divided out evenly. It would be very unfair for wheelchair users to have to pay the entire cost, due to fact it is not their fault they are in the wheelchair(near darwinism aside).

DrIndy

John R wrote:

I am sure that would be classed as discrimination in our politically correct paradise.

Many years ago I travelled to the Arran Islands on a light aircraft, when we checked in at Galway each passenger was weighed as well as the luggage. Apparently it was so the plane could be properly balanced. Several of the women on the flight were very unhappy about a public weighing I can tell you The highlight of the incident (and the whole holiday as it happened) was an enormous 30st American woman who was placed in the middle of a bench seat on her own and told not to move from side to side, pure class.

Gas! Should be done more often......

Mossy Monk

wheelchair tax is needed

Ryanair dont make enough money and its right that all passengers foot the bill. the way some people go on you'd swear Ryanair were a crowd of money grabbing, tight arsed *****

i really dont see what all the fuss is about

DublinWriter

John R wrote:

I am sure that would be classed as discrimination in our politically correct paradise.

Many years ago I travelled to the Arran Islands on a light aircraft, when we checked in at Galway each passenger was weighed as well as the luggage. Apparently it was so the plane could be properly balanced. Several of the women on the flight were very unhappy about a public weighing I can tell you

Including my then GF! You're talking about the Halcyon days of Aer Arann when they used to run a couple of 8 seater props out of Rosaveel.

The scales in question weren't your usual bathroom type scales, it had a HUGE dial on the wall showing the weight of the person being weighted and looked like something more suitable for weighting livestock on.

About 10 years ago when I flew out, my GF of the time was really scared of flying, even in the likes of a 737, but this really added insult to injury. We get out of the 'hut' that was the airport to find ourselves facing what I could only describe as a Hiace with wings.

We flew out to Inishir and the pilot was in his 60's. No co-pilot, I'm sitting in the co-pilot seat, with just a single engine and what looked like one of the original Wright brothers seperating me from the Atlanic ocean and certain death.

However, it was an enjoyable flight! The gf needed mild sedation for a few days after and we split up a month later.

Turner

Reminds me of the flight my brother got with aer arann, same small plane.

The pilot got on looked behind him at all his passengers and said "right so is everybody here?, will we head off?"

Everybody nodded and he proceeded to take off.

Brilliant.

DublinWriter

paperclip wrote:

just looking at my ryanair receipt, there's the usual tax's, then there's a fekin wheelchair levy €6.56

This is a disgraceful stunt by Ryanair designed to turn regular punters against wheelchair users, due in part to their loosing of a court case recently in a UK regarding Ryanair charging disabled people for wheelchair usage.

What can you do about it? Easy, switch to Aer Lingus whenever possible. I booked two flights to Birmingham with them today for €4 each way. People tend to forget that both Aer Lingus and BMI also offer very cheap deals and use the same basic pricing model as Ryanair.

Ryanair are always the last option I'd take when flying.

I think their 'fcuk you' model of customer relations only works in the short term. Sure, they were great at driving down the cost of flying way-back-when, but I think their day is starting to gradually end.

Redleslie2

ziggy67 wrote:

Not happy about it but what can you do?

Avoid using Ryanair?

Redleslie2

DublinWriter wrote:

I think their 'fcuk you' model of customer relations only works in the short term. Sure, they were great at driving down the cost of flying way-back-when, but I think their day is starting to gradually end.

You got there before me but I'd add that Michael O'Leary's days may be numbered. His obnoxious image, language and behaviour reflects very poorly on the company and it's one of the reasons I never use Ryanair.

DublinWriter

Chief--- wrote:

Reminds me of the flight my brother got with aer arann, same small plane.

The pilot got on looked behind him at all his passengers and said "right so is everybody here?, will we head off?"

Everybody nodded and he proceeded to take off.

...not before he yelled "hAoin Do Tri!" and pulled his goggles down.

While I was in the co-pilot seat I found the urge to press some of the buttons almost overwhelming. A total Father Dougal moment if ever I had one.

Idbatterim

What are all of you on about? You think Aer Lingus and all the other airlines dont charge you for the levy? They just put it in their costs and pass it on to you, and you wouldnt notice it cause they are all so much more expensive than ryanair in the first place!

therecklessone

drdre wrote:

guys it insuarance, wheel chair levy,taxes, fees and charges.
its not only the wheelchair levy.

Thanks for that, but I think we established that a wee while before you joined us.

My post

paperclip's reply

drdre wrote:

but ryanair is a scam and everyone knows that

Where's the scam? They advertise ticket prices exclusive of taxes and airport service charges? There still cheaper than any of their competitors.

therecklessone

Mear wrote:

ROFL @ JohnR. That is brilliant!

As for the wheelchair tax, it is pretty crap they way consumers must foot the bill, but at least its divided out evenly. It would be very unfair for wheelchair users to have to pay the entire cost, due to fact it is not their fault they are in the wheelchair(near darwinism aside).

IIRC, the passenger who took the case against Ryanair that lead to the levy being introduced wasn't confined to a wheelchair, but requested one because he had difficulty walking any sort of distance. Had he been confined to a wheelchair, he could have checked in and then used his own 'chair to make his way to the gate where he would have been lifted onto the aircraft and his 'chair would have been carried in the cabin.

There's two sides to the case, the one Ryanair put forward didn't sway the court in this case, but one could argue that the airport operator has a responsibility to its customers (i.e. the travelling public) to make their journey as easy as possible. A 20 minute walk to a distant gate cold be made easier by complimentary wheelchairs.

de5p0i1er

I thought all air lines were supposed to provide wheel chairs by law.

AARRRGH

drdre wrote:

ryanair is a scam and everyone knows that.:mad:

Not true.

I am getting tired of this Ryanair bitching.

Before there were cheap flights (and Ryanair are DIRT cheap - they are taking you into the sky and bringing you hundreds of miles very quickly and very cheapy) no one complained about this kind of ****.

Because Ryanair are so cheap, and have cut out any extras, people seem to think this is a bad thing.

Ryanair are not bad. They have made flying cheap. The don't try to trick you into anything. You choose to fly with them.

What is the problem?

sceptre

dublindude wrote:

Ryanair are not bad. They have made flying cheap. The don't try to trick you into anything. You choose to fly with them.

No, that's not true. They're tricksters, y'see. Why, only the other day I was casually walking through Shannon airport as I like to do on my coffee break from my job thirty miles away. This geezer, he comes up to me, right and says "hello, would you like to come with me?" So I think OK, why not and follow him out to this plane on the tarmac where these seven air hostesses push me into a chair along with some other scared people. I know what you're thinking but no, then the plane took off and went all the way to Brussels where they asked me for my credit card details before leaving me get to my provided wheelchair so I could see the sights. The guy next to me said someone had told him that there was a guy having a heart attack on the plane and asked him if he'd ever seen an episode of Scrubs so that he could help the poor heartattackee. I'm going to be careful in airports in future as you never know when those Ryanair bastards will be around to force you on one of their flying machines. Evil. Truly evil. I kept the wheelchair though.

amacachi

can you not do somethin to try and get your money back? they shouldnt be allowwed to do that to people.

Hydroquinone

Every month when you get your wages, you'll spot that you pay tax. Does the governemnt itemize what it spends your tax on? No
Look at me never, I've never been to Crok Park in my life,yet I'm not complaining that the government gave the GAA whatever million it was to redevelop it.
Some of that money is spent in the army, the Gards and then some of it spent on heritige and culture and gaetactht and paying TDs and for the dole and all manner of other things.
You can't complain about that. (well, you can, but you'd need to get over yourself!) Same idea. Except that in the case of Ryaniar, you do have a choice - you can fly with someone else. If you work in Ireland you can't choose to pay your taxes anywhere else.

But if you object to Ryanair chargning you for wheelchair you don't use, then use another airline. Their charges don't itemise that you are paying for a wheelchair or your dinner or your drinks onthe flight, but you're still paying for them, just the same.
Yous hould just be glad you don't actually need a wheelchair.

samo

BuffyBot wrote:

So would you rather they just added it on to your fares without telling you?

Where did I say it was OK for them to build it in without telling me

What the question was asking?....are ryanair the only ones that show the levy in the costs breakdown or do the others show it also as a seperate charge - as they obviously have to pay it as well!

therecklessone

samo wrote:

are ryanair the only ones that show the levy in the costs breakdown or do the others show it also as a seperate charge - as they obviously have to pay it as well!

AFAIK, Ryanair are the only ones who include it in their breakdown.

However, in Ryanair's own words, this is consistent with a consultation paper issued by the EU Commission:

Making a Reservation

What is covered by Taxes, Fees and Charges in my reservation? < BACK
Taxes, Fees and Charges refers to that portion of the total air fare payable by each passenger. It is calculated by reference to the Government taxes and airport charges payable by Ryanair in respect of passengers travelling on a particular route on that particular itinerary. These may include Government taxes, airport taxes, passenger service charges, insurance surcharges and in some cases passenger security charges as well.

<snip

Wheelchair Levy - This charge apportions the cost of airport assistance for reduced mobility passengers across all travelling passengers. This charge is 35p/50cent per passenger/per flight.

This fee reflects the recommendations of a consultation paper issued by the EU Commission, regarding the provision of reduced mobility assistance in European airports.

Extract from the EU Staff Working Paper - Issued January 2004.

The solution suggested would mean the charge levied on each airline would be proportional to the total quantity of passengers that it embarked and disembarked at an airport. In this way, it would be independent of the number of passengers with reduced mobility carried. Such a scheme would not impose additional costs on the airline sector, but would change the way assistance at airports was organised and financed: certain responsibilities would be transferred from air carriers to the managing bodies of airports. However, the latter would not bear the cost themselves but rather charge it to the airlines using their airports. Airlines would then pass on the charge to their passengers as a whole, so that it would be a cost shared among a large number of citizens. And persons with reduced mobility would not be seen as an extra cost but welcomed as a passenger, at all stages from booking a ticket to arrival at destination.

As such Ryanair are acting in accordance with the general view held by the EU, with regard to the financing of reduced mobility access to airports.

Not all airlines make use of a third party to provide wheelchair assistance (its a while since I work in DUB, but Aer Lingus used to have thier own porters), but you can be sure that even when the staff are in-house that you are paying their wages. So yes, we're all paying the cost of assisting those with reduced mobility.

When will people accept the fact that Ryanair always highlight that portion of their overall ticket price that pays third party charges?

LegacyUser

but what about the £9m, sterling, that they make each year from this?

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18409-1410388,00.html

nice little earner wouldn't you say.

KTRIC

You're lucky they didn't add the old "Petrol Money" tax

LegacyUser

they dont need to with £9 extra a year.

K-TRIC wrote:

You're lucky they didn't add the old "Petrol Money" tax

therecklessone

paperclip wrote:

but what about the £9m, sterling, that they make each year from this?

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18409-1410388,00.html

nice little earner wouldn't you say.

I would.

Thats why I posted the link two pages ago.

It doesn't negate my point though. You're paying that and more with other airlines, but its included in the price of your flight, or in the taxes and charges (but without the breakdown)

If Ryanair dropped this levy tomorrow but increased all of their prices by 75c, would that make you happy? They'll still make £9 million a year...

Urban Weigl

paperclip wrote:

but what about the £9m, sterling, that they make each year from this?

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18409-1410388,00.html

nice little earner wouldn't you say.

They spend the £9m sterling again on providing the wheelchair service, so they don't make anything. By the way, with other airlines like Aerlingus, you pay it as well! They just don't spell it out for you, but instead "hide" it from their customers.

Sleepy

You get what you pay for. Ryanair have never hidden the fact that they don't provide a high service level. Though tbh, I've usually found them better than Aer Lingus who seem to hire the bitchiest cabin crew on earth.

Ryanair are the greyhound's of the sky. Without them, Easyjet and the other South Western clones in Europe you'd still be paying exhorbitant prices for air travel. If you don't like them, fly with someone else. Personally, I'll take the Ryanair flight as first preference and will only go with someone else if they can offer the same flight cheaper. Without them, I wouldn't have seen half as much of Europe and wouldn't have seen my friends that live abroad half as much as I have.

If you want your newspaper & cup of tea on your twenty minute flight and like the reassurance of knowing that the airline will put you up in a hotel if there's a delay fly BA and pay the extra couple of hundred euros for it.

pred racer

Yes alot of people seem to forget what flying was like in the pre ryan air days, 200-300 quid to get to london and that rose exponentially if you went any further than france, I fly ryan air alot and you can stick your cup of tea, get me there cheap and on time!!!

Binomate

seamus wrote:

Lol?

So, if there's a disabled person on the flight, you have to pay extra? Will they tell you there's a disabled person on the flight so you can choose not to get it, or can the others passengers vote the disabled person off the flight?*

I'm guessing that this is now a standard levy added to every single fare?

*Don't take offence, it's all tongue-in-cheek

If that were the situation imagine how big the charge be if you were on a flight with a special olympics team!

therecklessone

Binomate wrote:

If that were the situation imagine how big the charge be if you were on a flight with a special olympics team!

Not too much, Ryanair only allow 4 reduced mobility passenegers per flight!