“Deception, lack of transparency and, in some cases, even lack of information on ticket prices”. For these reasons, the Antitrust has fined Ryanair, world leader in low-cost air transport, for over 500 thousand euros. The provision adds to a series of investigations already launched against large and small European companies. In recent months, Alitalia (105 thousand euros), Blu express (75 thousand euros), Air Italy (55 thousand euros), Germanwings (50 thousand euros), Wizz Air (55 thousand euros) and Easyjet (120 thousand euros) had been fined. A total of 962.050 euros in fines.
According to the Authority, Ryanair is guilty of not having indicated during the transactions some additional costs that were charged only during the payment by credit card. Five, in particular, the practices contested against Ryanair. In the first place, the "deceptiveness of the advertising messages circulated in the press or on the web - reads a statement from the Authority - which present offers that have been found 'untraceable' by users (fine of 110 thousand euros)". Then there is the "failure to indicate in the fare offered costs such as the web check-in fee, the credit card surcharge and VAT on domestic flights, which are automatically added during the online booking process and significantly increase the price of the ticket (penalty of 220 thousand euros)”.
Many consumers have reported "difficulty or even impossibility in obtaining after-sales assistance for reimbursement of tickets (or part of them) in the event of non-use of the flight, both for reasons attributable to the company and for the passenger's choice: this in particular , due to the need to contact a paid number or for the application of a high fee (fine of 90 thousand euros)”. The comrade also published "the general conditions of transport and the information addressed to Italian consumers in English (penalty of 27.500 euros)". Finally, "unjustified additional costs were found in the case of requests for changes in dates, times, names of passengers and flight routes or for reissue of the boarding pass at the airport (fine of 55.000 euros)".
