 Poster: A snowHead
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I recently booked an EasyJet return flight for 2 people from Brisol to Geneva but then realised that due to work commitments I could not go on the date booked
No problem I thought as they do have a 24 hour cancellation policy
The policy stated that there was a pds 22.50 cancellation fee which I thought was fair enough
The total costs of the flights for 2 people came to pds 202-20 which included speedy boarding etc
I was unable to cancel on line so I rang their call centre
To my astonishment they stated that the cancellation fee was per person for each flight, (they class each flight as a single flight even though I had booked return flights)
So instead of charging pds 22.50 cancellation fee they actually charged pds 90-00 which they advised was for
4 x single flights.
On top of this they would not return the sums paid for speedy boarding, taking sports equipment and excess baggage
They also advised that on check in there would have been an extra pds 16 to pay per bag and that baggage would be checked in using a self service machine and then left in a baggage drop for loading onto the aircraft (would it ever have reached its destination)??
So, out of a total inclusive price of pds 202-20 I ended up with a refund of pds 40-20
PS They also charged a further fee for ringing the call centre to cancel the flight
EASY JET = EASY MONEY - No wonder Stavros is a multi millionaire
I had watched the Airline programmes and been amused by the way they treated their customers but there is no better experience than trying to use their services to see that they don't know what customer service is
It has certainly been a sobering experience and once that I will never repeat
I would be interested to hear if others have experienced problems with low cost airlines
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| valleyboy wrote: |
...So instead of charging pds 22.50 cancellation fee they actually charged pds 90-00 which they advised was for
4 x single flights. |
Sounds reasonable to me. Each EJ flight is just that - and the cost builds up separately in the checkout basket.
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| On top of this they would not return the sums paid for speedy boarding, taking sports equipment and excess baggage |
Given that they have refund policy, that does surprise me a little.
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| ..... and then left in a baggage drop for loading onto the aircraft (would it ever have reached its destination)?? |
Never had a problem.
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[b]So, out of a total inclusive price of pds 202-20 I ended up with a refund of pds 40-20
PS They also charged a further fee for ringing the call centre to cancel the flight
EASY JET = EASY MONEY - No wonder Stavros is a multi millionaire |
Sure beats running at a loss. 
PS. What on earth has this to do with The Piste?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Achilles, thanks for your reply. It sounds like you have used low cost carriers frequently. I would be interested to hear if others share your positive experiences or otherwise.
Apologies for posting this in 'The Piste' I could not see where else to post, perhaps you could advise
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Easy jet best airline after PalmAir
Just don't expect your money back once you have made a purchase
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I fly regularly with Ryanair and have never had any trouble. I've never even been delayed and I've flown with them at least 50 times - usually I have to listen to that annoying trumpet sound that announces their flight has arrived early. I follow their rules, have my Electron card so don't pay the payment charges and mostly only book bargain flights that include all taxes and charges. It all about learning the rules. They certainly don't suit everybody and can be more expensive than, say, BA at peak times, with ski carriage etc. but they suit me and my budget . I've made a couple of mistakes with names during the booking process but have even found their call centre people very helpful and been amazed when they haven't tried to slap a charge on me. I did ring soon after making the mistakes so that probably made a difference. I'm sounding like an advert .... I don't mean to and I do appreciate that some people have had terrible problems on low-cost airlines and I'm sure my time will come in due course .. but in the meantime - long may they fly on the route I use.
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Like Tillywhim, I fly regularly with Ryanair. As long as you adhere to their rules, get to the airport on time, are not over your luggage allowance and, most imporantly, do not pay a lot of money for them, they are fine.
I went skiing for a week in February with them and managed to fit my ski boots, ski clothes (including thermals, etc) and my normal clothes for just under their 15kg.
Ryanair are not too bad - you are not on the plane for very long anyway!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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valleyboy, sorry to hear that you were disappointed, but as the posts on here show, no-one is very surprised. That's how these outfits operate, take it or leave it. With BA and at least some other more established airlines, the cheapest fares are not refundable at all (as is made abundantly clear when you book), so you could be worse off. What irritates me is not the deal but the obvious attempts to mislead potential customers. At the times I want to travel, budget airlines are rarely cheaper, and then only by a few quid, than BA, Lufthansa and so on, and thier websites give much clearer pricing info.
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Thanks for all your replies, perhaps I was being naive having only previously booked flights as part of a holiday package through a tour operator. I am still not convinced that they are worth using but I would be interested in replies to the below.
What would the carriers obligations be if your flight was diverted to a different airport for whatever reasons ie would they make arrangements to ensure that you get back or to your original destination.
How does the self service check in and baggage drop at the airport work and has anyone had any problems with this?
How strict are they on the luggage weight allowance and size of hand baggage?
Would you prefer it if all charges were included in the advertised price of the flight?
PS I do not work for an airline 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Surely if the cancellation is for a genuine reason, such as illness, you can claim on your travel insurance?
Oh, just spotted it was for work reasons. Not sure how that works. I quite frequently have to cancel planned leave from work if workloads dictate, but it doesn't get asked if I have a holiday booked and paid for.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Surely if the cancellation is for a genuine reason, such as illness, you can claim on your travel insurance? |
Yes, that is true but in this case I had to cancel because of work committments which I don't think would be covered by travel insurance
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You know it makes sense.
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Low cost airline have all realised that they can make extra ££££ by add-ons. Lugguage, speedy boarding etc Things we took for granted when using national carriers. I would suggest you amend your dates and go another time. Cancellations are often uneconomical even with big airlines and even tour operators. I always travel with Easy Jet if I can help it but never to Sofia, as I use Wizz from Luton. Wizz is great and cheap but again they charge add-ons. I have flown with BMI, flybe, Ryanair, Atlas Blue and of course EJ and they all offer the same service. I swore I would never fly with Ryanair again as they charged me £27 for extra weight even though it was 19kg, underweight for every other carrier. Theres is 15kgs MOFOS!! Easyjet for me has been the hands down winner over the years. Never once had a problem apart from 1 cancellation due to heavy snow in AMS. They gave us new flights for July plus I met Stel a few times to!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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When I fly with Jet2 I check in online, only have hand baggage & don't care where I sit. As I don't use the check in desks or baggage handling (services the airline get charged for) I think it's very reasonable that the airline doesn't use my ticket money to pay for others to do so (ie I pay less than them). It does bug me that even when two or more of us are on one ticket the system seems to deliberately sit us apart at online check in, as this feels like a ploy to 'force' paid seat selection. On average last season a one way flight was costing £25 so with a detail change charge of £20 it was a case of book it and then either go or throw it away.
My current ticket (to get to California) gave me 46kg of checked luggage per person, free seat selection, meals included & with AA a lot more legroom but it did cost £350ish. When you book a low cost euro flight and knock the taxes off the price (as the airline don't get these) then the fares are incredibly low, so what can we expect for that?
PS called in at Mammoth on wednesday, still snow to the base of the main lodge gondola and skiing planned for this weekend.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
How does the self service check in and baggage drop at the airport work and has anyone had any problems with this?
How strict are they on the luggage weight allowance and size of hand baggage?
Would you prefer it if all charges were included in the advertised price of the flight?
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The self service check in and baggage drop works very well. The strictness on luggage is a bit variable - but I would much prefer to fly with an airline which is EXTREMELY STRICT on hand baggage. It really pppps me off to have to stuff myself in between a load of clobber carried by people who expect to get the kitchen sink on the plane with them. For nothing.
And I would certainly NOT prefer it if all charges were included. Why should I pay for luggage I don't want to carry? And as for people who are prepared to pay extra money to book their seat in advance, or sit on the plane longer to get to the same place, words fail me.
I am a big easyJet fan. You try getting any money back from British Air cheap flights.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
| It really pppps me off to have to stuff myself in between a load of clobber carried by people who expect to get the kitchen sink on the plane with them. For nothing. |
There is no single thing in travelling that annoys me more than this - give me a three hour delay over trying to get my one small rucksack into the sizeable overhead lockers. What is even more annoying is that I rarely fly with anyone other than BA - these people could have put their medium sized suitcases in the bloody hold for nothing! 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I did once sit next to a very large woman who was carrying BOTH a 7 year old girl and a big basket of mangoes on her ample lap. But that was not on British Airways. Or easyJet!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for your further replies, they make very interesting reading.
I am getting the impression that if you are travelling with hand luggage only and don't mind where you sit then low cost carriers might seem a fair option, though I still don't think it would persuade me to book with them
I also understand that Ryanair will soon start charging to use the toilet on board their aircraft, I wonder how this will work in practice ie will they charge for activities undertaken (number 1 or 2), will you be timed etc??
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
I am getting the impression that if you are travelling with hand luggage only and don't mind where you sit then low cost carriers might seem a fair option
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It's fine to take luggage - you just have to pay for it, which seems reasonable enough. And no, I don't mind where I sit on a flight lasting all of 90 minutes. I just read my book. The people who do mind, or who are determined to rush onto the flight as soon as possible, can pay extra for the privelege. I just sit and read my book till they've all rushed on, then walk on at the end, sit down and start reading again. If I have a good book I find I can even cope with the emotional stress of being separated from my SO for the entire flight. . The most important factor is convenient departures from a local airport - and often that means that only one carrier, whether low cost or not, will really suit your plans.
Are there ANY airlines which will refund full costs on cancelled cheap tickets? easyJet is easier on flight changes than BA, or will give you a credit against a future flight.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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spyderjon, xxx
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valleyboy, If the cancellation is for work reasons, then I would be expecting work to pay any costs incurred.
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HA d no probs with Easyjet although I got stung when I had to change tickets..But that's the price to pay for low cost business model.
That said I alway thought the first 24hrs you could cancel without cost... Glad someone else found out for me this isn't true..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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valleyboy et al
In circumstances where you can't go with easyjet as booked, it can work out cheaper to pay their amendment fee of £22.50 per flight and swap your travel dates. Baggage charges are automatically transferred to the new flights (presumably speedy boarding too, though I've never used it) so you're not left out of pocket there as it would seem you are with cancellation. You can swap to any destination so there's plenty of scope for flexibility.
The critical thing though - as amendment requires you to pay any difference in fare - to make sure that the flights you are swapping to are no dearer than, or similar price to, the ones you originally booked - otherwise you can be clobbered by paying a hefty difference.
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FAQ
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