RYANAIR’S UNFARES..

Fliers stung by airline’s exchange rate

RYANAIR has been accused of duping customers by encouraging them to accept its dire exchange rate.

Most airlines, including the budget Irish firm, price fares to match the currency of departure airports, commonly in euros.

But consumer group Which? found when the carrier converts fares into pounds it is using a poor rate that costs passengers more.

Customers are told that to revert to euros to pay could cost “significantly more”. Rory Boland, of Which?, said: “Don’t accept Ryanair’s offer to convert payment. If you have to pay in euros, let your bank make the conversion to pounds.” Which? said it had written to the Civil Aviation Authority, adding that neither BA, easyJet or Jet2 “encourage clients to choose an almost certainly worse rate”. Ryanair denies it is a sharp practice and said it complies with consumer protection laws.