Ryanair faces mutiny following unexpected fee hits travelers

Ryanair is a low-cost European air carrier that ends up in the headlines relatively regularly. One of Ryanair's baggage costs caused over 100 students to riot and delay a flight. One of Ryanair's costs has been ruled unlawful in Spain.

Riot with the Ryanair

There were over a hundred travelers kicked off a flight on Ryanair. This was from the Canary Islands to Belgium. The “mutiny,” as one flight crew person called it, started when students were asked to pay an overweight luggage charge. The pupils reacted to this. They became “disruptive and refused to comply with crew directions.” Eventually, the police got a phone call. Then, a hundred of the 166 travelers on the flight were taken off and told they were not allowed back on. The remaining 66 individuals were apologized to for the three-hour delay and later sent on their way.

Rules Ryanair has about its luggage

Ryanair allows travelers to carry on a twenty-two pound bag within certain dimensions. An individual can carry on more than that although it costs an additional fee and has to be stored in the cargo hold. Without paying the charge, the luggage had to be left on the tarmac. The carriers would have to discover a way to get it back later. Much of the pupils were upset that Ryanair staff was trying to hold their luggage hostage or pay a charge.

Ryanair fees don't work very well

Anything on the flight will cost lots of money for Ryanair although the no-frill flights have very low costs. Ryanair suggested costs like pay-as-you-go lavatory uses. It was the first airline to suggest these. Ryanair charges a charge to everyone who shows up to the gate without a preprinted boarding pass. However, a judge in Spain decided this was illegal to do. The ruling is called "bizarre" by Ryanair that plans to challenge this. Ryanair doesn’t operate in the United States, however U.S. airlines are starting to restructure their fees to be more a la carte and less all-inclusive.

Articles cited

CNN

cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/02/07/ryanair.fee.flight.disrupted/index.html?npt=NP1