Ryanair accused of ripping off passengers with out of date currency converter
Reports suggest the airline is using a currency conversion rate which is higher than exchange rates available elsewhere
RYANAIR passengers booking flights from the UK to Europe may be paying far more than they should be.
Reports suggest the airline is using a currency conversion rate that is higher than exchange rates available elsewhere.
The budget carrier's booking system offers passengers with European cards an exchange rate which has not changed since the UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016.
According to the , customers booking two return flights for £400 from the UK with a euro-denominated card would have been charged €448 if using widely available bank rates, compared to €480 with Ryanair’s conversion option.
On its website, Ryanair states that: "Fares, taxes, fees and charges are payable in the currency of the country of origin of travel unless another currency is indicated by us at or before the time payment is made, for example, because of the non-convertibility of the local currency.
"We may at our discretion, accept payment in another currency.";
They continue: "Ryanair guarantees the currency exchange rate at the time of booking the ticket. This exchange rate will not change.
"If you do not choose Ryanair's currency exchange rate you may be exposed to negative currency fluctuations between the time you make your booking and when your card issuing bank converts the transaction, as in most cases the currency conversion occurs a number of days after the date of booking the booking."
So while it is possible to opt out of the exchange rate Ryanair imposes, some passengers may not be aware of the savings - and the airline even warns them against choosing different rates.
Thanks to millions of Brits continuing to book flights into the eurozone post-Brexit, the airline will have benefited financially from this.
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A spokesperson told Sun Online Travel: "All Ryanair fares are quoted in the currency of the departure country, and our booking system automatically identifies the currency of the card during the booking process.
"Customers have the option of paying in the currency of the card with absolute certainty of what the final payment will be at the time of booking.
"Alternatively, they have the option of taking the, yet unknown, exchange rate applied by their bank/card provider.
"This is presented transparently, and no one is being “ripped off”. All customers are advised of the dynamic currency conversion rate applied and have the option to avail of this rate or not."