MSE News: Ryanair to charge for Visa Electron bookings

A question about : MSE News: Ryanair to charge for Visa Electron bookings

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

Ryanair will charge passengers to book flights using a Visa Electron card from next year...

Read the full story:
Ryanair to charge for Visa Electron bookings

The two threads have been merged to avoid duplication. Thanks to hsbcarter for the original post.

Best answers:

• Something to bring up in the weekly email?
  Basically, we're all going to have to get a Mastercard Prepaid card to purchase flights instead of electron!
  Basically there is an article on Marketing Magazine that I am not allowed to link to as a new user.
• All Mastercard prepaid cards (that are priced in Ј) cost at least Ј7.50. Hmmmm. I think we're all going to get swizzed!
• There was a very shifty Ryanair spokesman on Moneybox last Saturday who claimed first of all that Ryanair had a promotional deal with Visa on Electron, then when told Visa UK denied it switched tack to Visa Europe. Moneybox then stated that Visa Europe knew nothing of it either.
  Given the charges some of those prepaid cards make it's going to be cheaper to pay Ryanair's normal fees if you only do the odd trip. Maybe that's the idea. The only reason they have a fee free route is so that their adverts can show lower fares. Push a few more people into paying 'normally' and they get more revenue but can still advertise the same 'from' fares.
• https://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/N...ayment-method/
  https://www.what-prepaid-card.co.uk/f...s-prepaid.html
• Oh pants, my new Electron card has just come through!
  The Mastercard prepaid cards vary in value according to how much you'll be using it. Not really good value for those that might only travel once a year, but we will still be able to make savings by this method (we have a pool card - booking at least 60 flights a year).
• So how do I get hold of a Mastercard accepted by Ryanair?
  Edit: Not seen any official announcement on the Ryanair website, so is this actually confirmed by them yet?
• So I book about 25 return flights a year with Ryanair, and researching these horrible prepaid cards, it appears they have a fee for everything. From signing up to actually putting money onto it.
  Has anyone found a good value one at all yet?
• https://www.moneysupermarket.com/prep...20091130120717
  Looks pretty official to me, I think that O'Leary is thinking what type of spin to put on it on the news item. It'll be probably something along the lines of 'committed to continually delivering low fares for customers'.
• Oh dear - Looks like we'll have PBS foaming at the mouth!
  Got to say it's a blooming shame. Like dmg24 my new one had just arrived.
• The Sun card is Ј6.49 application, no mnthly fee, re-load via BACS for free, max Ј1.50 fee for use (3%)
  https://www.what-prepaid-card.co.uk/f...s-prepaid.html
• Egg on face.
  (Ryanair, you can't justify this, Mastercard Prepaid IS obscure - it's almost unavailable in Poland, despite what they say).
  I think this is undefendable - and I suspect Ryanair might end up being forced to accept bank transfers, like in Germany.
• I think the Sun one is going to be the best of a very bad lot. How can they make you take out an account with these prepaid cards that aren't even proper bank accounts to pay? I wish it was prepaid Visa, then I could get one of those o2 cash manager cards instead! Might be worth a try putting it through though....
• Apparently Ryanair have launched their own prepaid card, but I'm not sure of how much it costs and it doesn't look like you can apply yet.
  I have a Cashplus prepaid card, which I use for online shopping so no doubt will use this.
  Pity that 02 is a visa card, so you won't be able to book with this. For prepaid mastercards I suggest you check out the what prepaid card site.
• I'm wondering whether the
  Caxton fx Global Traveller Card
  Is the best card... it seems to be free with no charge to load or to acquire and costs Ј1.50 every time you spend on it.
  You have to load up Ј200 on it but hey, my flights cost more than that!