Spanish Airport Tax Increases

Anybody else got this from their airline??

Dear Customer

In relation to your flight reference VKI

Ryanair has been advised by the Spanish Government of a budgetary proposal to increase airport charges later this month.

In accordance with our General Terms and Conditions of Travel* we are advising customers with a reservation that includes a flight departing from a Spanish airport that we may be forced to debit passengers for any government imposed increases in airport charges prior to your travel date.

Once the Spanish government budget is published Ryanair will advise affected passengers by email of any additional airport charges that may apply to your reservation before any charges are made.

Please see our website for updates regarding increases in Spanish airport charges.

Yours sincerely

Ryanair Customer Service

• 4.2.2 Taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date that your reservation has been made. If any such tax, fee or charge is introduced or increased after your reservation has been made you will be obliged to pay it (or any increase) prior to departure. Similarly, if any such tax, fee or charge is abolished or reduced such that it no longer applies to you, or a lesser amount is due, you will be entitled to claim a refund of the difference from us.

Yes I received the same email yesterday, good old Ryanair.

From my read it seems that they will take any new charges by processing an extra payment against your card.

But interesting to note it says you will be entitled to claim a difference if it goes the other way...rather than them automatically refunding it.  Probably after deducting a €25 admin fee.

I'll be interested  to see how they take money automatically, as I used the Ryanair cashpassport to pay. There is only a few pounds on it!! Ihave received 2 e-mails today from them...

That's a really good point about the Cash Passport, mine too has no cash left on it. I bet anything that Ryanair will then levy a charge for being over drawn against card holders in these circumstances - and that would be worth a challenge as i am sure any debit from a pre paid card has to be approved by the holder first.

Whilst on the subject of Ryan Air, are other people experiencing difficulties in getting flights out to Spain later in the year. I can't find a slot with Ryan air at all in November; Jet 2 is similar. The only two airlines that i can find are either Monarch who are expensive or Easyjet that i have just booked with. November is not the cheapest month in the year to travel as the weather is still reasonable but the prices doo seem high this year.

I am familiar with the games Ryan air are playing in relation to contracts and charges with Spainish airport authorities, but I don't understand the apparent reduction in available routes as that can only hurt the airline and passengers. There are are hardly any flights to Almeria during the winter months, so if you had a place down that end you would be completely stuffed.

Hopefull 2013 and Corvera will resolve this issue. Jon Faulkner

The Ryanair branded Cashpassport card is run by cashpassport dot com (nothing to do with Ryanair) and they have many other branded prepayment cards in the UK and worldwide.

When you call their 0800 number  you first of all get an American accent with a number of options to press and eventually you get to someone who is real, alive, speaks proper English and is based in Peterborough !

Regarding the recent emails I too have received 2 emailsalbeit  relating to the same booking (!) telling me that Ryanair may take extra fees from the account/card I paid for the flights in the first place  namely the Cashpassport account. 

Although I dont want to pay the extra taxes I have no choice, if I dont pay Ryanair T&C's clearly state you dont fly if there are outstanding taxes/fees/surcharges.

If I dont have enough money in my Passport account they will 'take' the money anyway and if I get a debit value Cashpassport will add a penalty fee of £10 for going 'overdrawn'.

However, as Ryanair will have given me notice I could have put money in to not incur the £10 charge. If I take the £10 charge and use it again whatever money I put on it will have a balance less the charges ! I could of course not use it and try and get another one.

From what we see the costs are probably and Im no expert, be around 1-2 euros per person/flight.

The Ryanair Winter 2012/13  schedule  isnt published yet. Last year their 2011/12 winter schedule was out on 19 April 2011 - maybe not too long to wait !

It's very well for Ryanir to want more money,, but as I understand it, the cash passport has to be loaded with a MINIMUM of £150!!. I'm afarid Im not prepared to do that for a possible 1 - 2 Euro bill...

 We received a similar  message from vueling the day Ryan Air reported a profit of 25% and an increase in fares of 16%

I know this latest increase in airport tax is a little bit annoying, but just wait until the Spanish government decide to either ramp up the wealth tax for non-residents or introduce a new tax they feel is acceptable for people rich enough to own two properties..............

Watch this space.

ww