Milan, November 14 – Italy’s antitrust authority, AGCM, announced on Thursday that it has closed a case against Ryanair. The low-cost airline agreed to refund over 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) to customers who faced additional check-in fees.
Ryanair Italy did not respond right away to a request for comment. The National Union of Consumers praised AGCM’s decision but argued that the regulator should have imposed a fine on the airline as well.
In 2023, the authority opened an investigation into possible unfair commercial practices following complaints that Ryanair misled passengers regarding its online check-in policy.
The AGCM stated that passengers were not properly informed about a 55-euro fee for checking in at the airport if they missed the online check-in deadline.
Additionally, the investigation revealed that customers who paid for priority boarding and hand luggage on their outbound flight were automatically charged for these services on their return flight.
To resolve the issue, the AGCM stated that Ryanair agreed to refund all customers who complained about the 55-euro surcharge between 2021 and 2023. Additionally, the airline will reimburse 15 euros or offer a 20-euro voucher to all passengers who paid this fee during the specified period.
Furthermore, Ryanair committed to providing clearer information regarding online check-in deadlines. They will also stop automatically applying outbound charges to return flights and will refund passengers who raised complaints about these charges.
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