Ryanair "no show": taxes paid

Hi,

I have purchased a return ticket to France for a trip in three weeks' time
with Ryanair. However, I am now willing to cancel (or rather change the
dates). I only paid the various taxes on the ticket, because of their
promotion during the week-end (free tickets, only taxes paid).

I paid £35 for the return-ticket, while their ticket amendments cost £15 on
each leg of the trip, so there is little point amending the ticket, as they
also charge the difference in price for the ticket itself.

However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I notify
them in advance, by mail...

Surely, if you are not travelling on the flight, they are not paying any
taxes for the passenger, so I wonder if their integral "no refund" policy is
actually legal, in particular for the taxes...

thanks,
Seb

I have purchased a return ticket to France for a trip in three weeks' time
with Ryanair. However, I am now willing to cancel (or rather change the
dates). I only paid the various taxes on the ticket, because of their
promotion during the week-end (free tickets, only taxes paid).

I paid £35 for the return-ticket, while their ticket amendments cost £15
on
each leg of the trip, so there is little point amending the ticket, as
they
also charge the difference in price for the ticket itself.

However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I notify
them in advance, by mail...

Surely, if you are not travelling on the flight, they are not paying any
taxes for the passenger, so I wonder if their integral "no refund" policy
is
actually legal, in particular for the taxes...


I have just tried to get taxes refunded on some FLybe tickets. They will do
it but will charge me an 'admin' fee of 25 GBP, more than the taxes.

"Seb" wrote
| However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
| various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I notify
| them in advance, by mail...
| Surely, if you are not travelling on the flight, they are not paying any
| taxes for the passenger, so I wonder if their integral "no refund" policy
is
| actually legal, in particular for the taxes...

The most useful information is probably on the Air Transport User Council
site:

Most airlines list certain taxes and other charges separately from the basic
fare on their tickets or internet booking confirmations. In many cases they
will refund any taxes, fees or charges listed separately in this way if you
do not use your ticket - even if your ticket is otherwise non-refundable.
Unfortunately, however, there is no specific law under which they are
required to refund these charges. Nor is there any law that prevents them
from charging an adminstration charge for processing the refund. We have
seen cases where the adminstration charge exactly equals the amount of tax
being refunded! In any event, airlines do not routinely refund taxes, fees
and charges to passengers who do not travel. You have to ask.
The UK's Air Passenger Duty (APD) (usually listed in a box labelled ''UK''
on the ticket or comfirmation) is payable on all sectors of a journey
originating from a UK airport, with certain exemptions for connecting
journeys and for the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The legislation that
brought in the Duty does not deal with the issue of refunds when passengers
do not use their tickets. But the AUC has long argued that, as an airline is
required to pay the money over to the Government only for passengers who
actually travel, passengers who do not travel should get their duty back.
Most airlines now refund the duty on request.
http://www.caa.co.uk/auc/default.asp?page=2266


They also say:
If you have already made a written complaint to an airline or airport, and
you are not satisfied with the outcome, we may be able to help, though we
have no powers to compel service providers to accept our views.
http://www.caa.co.uk/auc/default.asp?page=2186

and they have a consumer advice line 020 7240 6061 (consumer advice 9.30am
to 4.30pm Monday-Friday)

Owain

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 23:10:07 +0100 Seb said...

However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I notify
them in advance, by mail...

Read the terms & conditions which came with your booking confirmation and
you'll clearly see it reads:

"All monies paid (including taxes, fees and charges) are Non-refundable-
except in circumstances where Ryanair cancels a flight."

--
Phil Richards
London, N4

RYANAIR WILL NOT REFUND TAXES

31 January 2003 Source: RTE

Ryanair has admitted it keeps the airport charges and taxes of
passengers who miss their flights.



Aer Rianta chairman Noel Hanlon accused the airline of keeping the
charges levied on 900,000 passengers who have missed flights, worth up
to €27m.



In a statement, Ryanair says Hanlon's claims are untrue, but does
concede that taxes and charges are not refunded. Ryanair says it is
made very clear to passengers when they book that fares are
non-refundable.



The airline argues that customers need not lose any money on a ticket
because it can be changed up to three hours before a flight. Aer
Lingus recently agreed to refund the tax and charges to passengers who
missed flights.

"Phil Richards" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 23:10:07 +0100 Seb said...

However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I notify
them in advance, by mail...

Read the terms & conditions which came with your booking confirmation and
you'll clearly see it reads:

"All monies paid (including taxes, fees and charges) are Non-refundable-
except in circumstances where Ryanair cancels a flight."

However, such a clause is subject to the "Unfair Terms in Consumer
Contracts Regulations 1994". The OFT have told airlines that this act
does apply to them and that they need to change their contracts in
certain areas to comply. One of these areas is the refund of Taxes.
The airlines are reluctantly making these changes. The can though,
charge an admin fee for the cost of processing the refund and whilst
the taxes remain at the level that they are (about 25 quid) RA policy is
probably just OK, but should taxes and user fees rise (as seems to be the
preferred option of some) you can expect OFT intervention to get this
clause changed.

Tim



--
Phil Richards
London, N4

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 03:17:54 +0100, Hilary
wrote:

Unfortunately, however, there is no specific law under which they are
required to refund these charges. Nor is there any law that prevents them
from charging an adminstration charge for processing the refund. We have
seen cases where the adminstration charge exactly equals the amount of tax
being refunded! In any event, airlines do not routinely refund taxes, fees
and charges to passengers who do not travel. You have to ask.

I've never had a problem getting the full airport tax refunded for a
passenger who cancelled in advance. (Note: it has to be a full
cancellation of the whole ticket, not a partial cancellation, to
qualify. You have to cancel the seat before travel and return the ticket
to the airline.)

Ryanair has tickets?


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Seb" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

I have purchased a return ticket to France for a trip in three weeks' time
with Ryanair. However, I am now willing to cancel (or rather change the
dates). I only paid the various taxes on the ticket, because of their
promotion during the week-end (free tickets, only taxes paid).

I paid £35 for the return-ticket, while their ticket amendments cost £15
on
each leg of the trip, so there is little point amending the ticket, as
they
also charge the difference in price for the ticket itself.

However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I notify
them in advance, by mail...

Surely, if you are not travelling on the flight, they are not paying any
taxes for the passenger, so I wonder if their integral "no refund" policy
is
actually legal, in particular for the taxes...

thanks,
Seb

from what I understand, ryanair have a very strict 'No refunds' policy. I
have heard that people have been unable to get any refund from them at all.
Try and see. It would be interesting to see the result

"ramraideruk" wrote in message
...

"Seb" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

I have purchased a return ticket to France for a trip in three weeks'
time
with Ryanair. However, I am now willing to cancel (or rather change the
dates). I only paid the various taxes on the ticket, because of their
promotion during the week-end (free tickets, only taxes paid).

I paid £35 for the return-ticket, while their ticket amendments cost £15
on
each leg of the trip, so there is little point amending the ticket, as
they
also charge the difference in price for the ticket itself.

However, I was wondering if it is legal for them to still charge me the
various airport charges if I don't turn up at the airport, and if I
notify
them in advance, by mail...

Surely, if you are not travelling on the flight, they are not paying any
taxes for the passenger, so I wonder if their integral "no refund"
policy
is
actually legal, in particular for the taxes...

thanks,
Seb

from what I understand, ryanair have a very strict 'No refunds' policy. I
have heard that people have been unable to get any refund from them at
all.
Try and see. It would be interesting to see the result

Whilst I have no problem with airlines such as Ryanair, EJ etc having a no
refunds policy, the taxes collected are on behalf of HMG, they would have
been paid to the treasury had the person actually travelled, and therefore
were never going to belong to the airline anyway.

I would be interested to learn on what basis they claim it as their money.

Rob

In message , Rob
writes
I would be interested to learn on what basis they claim it as their money.

I would be interested to learn where they claim it's their money?

Ryanair flights are from 1p + taxes and charges. What business can
afford to do all the admin. at no cost, in order to refund the tax, and
be left with the 1p you paid for the ticket to cover expenses? You want
to be able to get the taxes back on a flight you didn't take? Pay the
BA ticket price and let them keep the x pounds seat price in return for
your getting the tax back.
--
Malcolm