Ryanair welcomes CAA’s confirmation of discriminatory charges at London Gatwick
31-May-2011 Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline, today (31 May) welcomed the UK CAA ruling that Gatwick Airport has applied discriminatory charges for check-in facilities, following its 2009 complaint into passenger charges at Gatwick airport.
Under Gatwick's discriminatory charging regime, all passengers are charged for check-in facilities, even though all Ryanair passengers check-in online and the majority travel with only hand luggage. Ryanair passengers have therefore been subsidising the check-in costs of airlines that do require passengers to use these inefficient, expensive, facilities.
Ryanair also welcomed the CAA's confirmation that Gatwick's check-in charges were not transparent and its instruction that the airport implement transparent and non-discriminatory charges by April 2012.
Ryanair's Stephen McNamara, said:
"Ryanair welcomes the CAA's confirmation of discriminatory pricing at Gatwick Airport. Passengers and airlines should not be forced to pay for facilities and infrastructure they do not use. All Ryanair passengers check-in online and the majority travel with only hand luggage yet Gatwick Airport has been charging check-in desk fees on all Ryanair passengers.
The CAA's findings have far-reaching implications. Ryanair is determined to enforce the principle of non-discrimination, affirmed today by the UK CAA, and will now undertake a review of charging structures at monopoly airports throughout Europe to ensure that Ryanair passengers are not forced to pay for services or facilities they do not use."