Ryanair’s latest fee is criticised as being ‘completely against consumer interest’ just as a slew of negative statistics are released on domestic aviation worldwide

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to examine a complaint from the air passenger watchdog about Ryanair check-in charges, as airlines fight to raise revenues and slash costs amid deteriorating traffic numbers.

The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) plans to lodge concerns with the OFT about Ryanair’s new pricing regime, which will charge customers £10 when they check in online for a return flight – regardless of whether they have bags. The AUC said it would refer the fee, which may breach consumer protection regulations, to the OFT.

“If a charge is optional and transparent, like bag check-in charges, it is not necessarily to the detriment of consumers. Our concern is when charges are non-optional. This move is completely against the consumer interest,” said James Fremantle, AUC industry affairs manager. A spokesman for the OFT said the watchdog would take the complaint “seriously”.

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