Fares scam - in my humble opinion

[captainbob]

Irish Ferries have confirmed to me that their flexibility option for £10 really is a scam. If I book a fare well in advance I get a cheaper fare which rises as the departure date gets closer. Classic Ryan air tactic. Difference is Ryan Air runs to capacity and Irish Ferries are usually comparatively empty.
So I book a return fare and pay £10 on the return portion to avoid the administration charge each time I make a change. That's £10 to push a button or two. Now after arriving on the scheduled booking I want to change the return booking so change the date and book a fare which is £30 cheaper than the original return fare. There is no discount for the cheaper fare I just have to accept that I can change the date and pay any fare difference upwards and do not get a discount if the fare is cheaper. If I didn't have the £10 flexible option I would have to pay £20 for the change and lose the £30 difference so that's £50 so far. That is in the T&C's so I can't legally complain.
Then later before I take the return trip I make another change which is the same fare as my original return booking so that's OK as I should have already covered that in my original payment and I paid the £10 for the flexible option.
Er, no you have to pay the extra £30 for the new return booking. Eh?? You cannot be serious as I already paid that amount. No, what happens is if your second booking is cheaper than your first you lose the benefit of the cheaper fare and it is nullified and your starting fare is now the last booking you made which is the cheap fare so now any higher fare up to your original paid fare is payable again!! ie. you are paying twice for the same fare. That cannot be legal and it is not in the T&C's and is morally corrupt.
Am I wrong ?

[PaddyL]

Irish Ferries have confirmed to me that their flexibility option for £10 really is a scam. If I book a fare well in advance I get a cheaper fare which rises as the departure date gets closer. Classic Ryan air tactic. Difference is Ryan Air runs to capacity and Irish Ferries are usually comparatively empty.
So I book a return fare and pay £10 on the return portion to avoid the administration charge each time I make a change. That's £10 to push a button or two. Now after arriving on the scheduled booking I want to change the return booking so change the date and book a fare which is £30 cheaper than the original return fare. There is no discount for the cheaper fare I just have to accept that I can change the date and pay any fare difference upwards and do not get a discount if the fare is cheaper. If I didn't have the £10 flexible option I would have to pay £20 for the change and lose the £30 difference so that's £50 so far. That is in the T&C's so I can't legally complain.
Then later before I take the return trip I make another change which is the same fare as my original return booking so that's OK as I should have already covered that in my original payment and I paid the £10 for the flexible option.
Er, no you have to pay the extra £30 for the new return booking. Eh?? You cannot be serious as I already paid that amount. No, what happens is if your second booking is cheaper than your first you lose the benefit of the cheaper fare and it is nullified and your starting fare is now the last booking you made which is the cheap fare so now any higher fare up to your original paid fare is payable again!! ie. you are paying twice for the same fare. That cannot be legal and it is not in the T&C's and is morally corrupt.
Am I wrong ?

Standard and legal travel conditions.

[Steven]

Irish Ferries have confirmed to me that their flexibility option for £10 really is a scam. If I book a fare well in advance I get a cheaper fare which rises as the departure date gets closer. Classic Ryan air tactic. Difference is Ryan Air runs to capacity and Irish Ferries are usually comparatively empty.
So I book a return fare and pay £10 on the return portion to avoid the administration charge each time I make a change. That's £10 to push a button or two. Now after arriving on the scheduled booking I want to change the return booking so change the date and book a fare which is £30 cheaper than the original return fare. There is no discount for the cheaper fare I just have to accept that I can change the date and pay any fare difference upwards and do not get a discount if the fare is cheaper. If I didn't have the £10 flexible option I would have to pay £20 for the change and lose the £30 difference so that's £50 so far. That is in the T&C's so I can't legally complain.
Then later before I take the return trip I make another change which is the same fare as my original return booking so that's OK as I should have already covered that in my original payment and I paid the £10 for the flexible option.
Er, no you have to pay the extra £30 for the new return booking. Eh?? You cannot be serious as I already paid that amount. No, what happens is if your second booking is cheaper than your first you lose the benefit of the cheaper fare and it is nullified and your starting fare is now the last booking you made which is the cheap fare so now any higher fare up to your original paid fare is payable again!! ie. you are paying twice for the same fare. That cannot be legal and it is not in the T&C's and is morally corrupt.
Am I wrong ?

Standard and legal travel conditions.

This.  Standard practice.

[trickyfeet]

Is it any wonder people fly these days rather than take the car and ferry option!

[NathanBrady]

Is it any wonder people fly these days rather than take the car and ferry option!

Airlines are the same

[captainbob]

Irish Ferries have confirmed to me that their flexibility option for £10 really is a scam. If I book a fare well in advance I get a cheaper fare which rises as the departure date gets closer. Classic Ryan air tactic. Difference is Ryan Air runs to capacity and Irish Ferries are usually comparatively empty.
So I book a return fare and pay £10 on the return portion to avoid the administration charge each time I make a change. That's £10 to push a button or two. Now after arriving on the scheduled booking I want to change the return booking so change the date and book a fare which is £30 cheaper than the original return fare. There is no discount for the cheaper fare I just have to accept that I can change the date and pay any fare difference upwards and do not get a discount if the fare is cheaper. If I didn't have the £10 flexible option I would have to pay £20 for the change and lose the £30 difference so that's £50 so far. That is in the T&C's so I can't legally complain.
Then later before I take the return trip I make another change which is the same fare as my original return booking so that's OK as I should have already covered that in my original payment and I paid the £10 for the flexible option.
Er, no you have to pay the extra £30 for the new return booking. Eh?? You cannot be serious as I already paid that amount. No, what happens is if your second booking is cheaper than your first you lose the benefit of the cheaper fare and it is nullified and your starting fare is now the last booking you made which is the cheap fare so now any higher fare up to your original paid fare is payable again!! ie. you are paying twice for the same fare. That cannot be legal and it is not in the T&C's and is morally corrupt.
Am I wrong ?

Standard and legal travel conditions.

Really? I didn't know it was legal to charge twice for the same journey which is exactly what this means. Even Ryan Air don't stoop that low.

[PaddyL]

Irish Ferries have confirmed to me that their flexibility option for £10 really is a scam. If I book a fare well in advance I get a cheaper fare which rises as the departure date gets closer. Classic Ryan air tactic. Difference is Ryan Air runs to capacity and Irish Ferries are usually comparatively empty.
So I book a return fare and pay £10 on the return portion to avoid the administration charge each time I make a change. That's £10 to push a button or two. Now after arriving on the scheduled booking I want to change the return booking so change the date and book a fare which is £30 cheaper than the original return fare. There is no discount for the cheaper fare I just have to accept that I can change the date and pay any fare difference upwards and do not get a discount if the fare is cheaper. If I didn't have the £10 flexible option I would have to pay £20 for the change and lose the £30 difference so that's £50 so far. That is in the T&C's so I can't legally complain.
Then later before I take the return trip I make another change which is the same fare as my original return booking so that's OK as I should have already covered that in my original payment and I paid the £10 for the flexible option.
Er, no you have to pay the extra £30 for the new return booking. Eh?? You cannot be serious as I already paid that amount. No, what happens is if your second booking is cheaper than your first you lose the benefit of the cheaper fare and it is nullified and your starting fare is now the last booking you made which is the cheap fare so now any higher fare up to your original paid fare is payable again!! ie. you are paying twice for the same fare. That cannot be legal and it is not in the T&C's and is morally corrupt.
Am I wrong ?

Standard and legal travel conditions.

Really? I didn't know it was legal to charge twice for the same journey which is exactly what this means. Even Ryan Air don't stoop that low.

If it's in their Terms and Conditions, it's legal.  It's your choice whether you wish to travel with them and give them your cash.

[trickyfeet]

Maybe legal but morally devoid wouldn't you say?

[loch garman]

If i was dealing with somebody that continually changed their mind like that i would do the exact same thing. ::)

[Steven]

Irish Ferries have confirmed to me that their flexibility option for £10 really is a scam. If I book a fare well in advance I get a cheaper fare which rises as the departure date gets closer. Classic Ryan air tactic. Difference is Ryan Air runs to capacity and Irish Ferries are usually comparatively empty.
So I book a return fare and pay £10 on the return portion to avoid the administration charge each time I make a change. That's £10 to push a button or two. Now after arriving on the scheduled booking I want to change the return booking so change the date and book a fare which is £30 cheaper than the original return fare. There is no discount for the cheaper fare I just have to accept that I can change the date and pay any fare difference upwards and do not get a discount if the fare is cheaper. If I didn't have the £10 flexible option I would have to pay £20 for the change and lose the £30 difference so that's £50 so far. That is in the T&C's so I can't legally complain.
Then later before I take the return trip I make another change which is the same fare as my original return booking so that's OK as I should have already covered that in my original payment and I paid the £10 for the flexible option.
Er, no you have to pay the extra £30 for the new return booking. Eh?? You cannot be serious as I already paid that amount. No, what happens is if your second booking is cheaper than your first you lose the benefit of the cheaper fare and it is nullified and your starting fare is now the last booking you made which is the cheap fare so now any higher fare up to your original paid fare is payable again!! ie. you are paying twice for the same fare. That cannot be legal and it is not in the T&C's and is morally corrupt.
Am I wrong ?

Standard and legal travel conditions.

Really? I didn't know it was legal to charge twice for the same journey which is exactly what this means. Even Ryan Air don't stoop that low.

Really?  Perhaps you should familiarise yourself with their fees, which for changes are charged per passenger, per one-way flight.  The lowest fee to change a flight is €30 (plus any difference in the fare of course) and can be as much as €90.  Want to change a name?  That'll be up to €160 please sir!
https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/fees

[PaddyL]

Maybe legal but morally devoid wouldn't you say?

Well that's my point that if you don't like it, don't travel with them.

[captainbob]

I would like it defined in the T&C's. which it isn't. I can change my plans as that is the nature of my job so saying I am being difficult is pretty crass. The option to have a flexible booking is what it is there for but it should not then penalise me for using the service.

[Steven]

I would like it defined in the T&C's. which it isn't. I can change my plans as that is the nature of my job so saying I am being difficult is pretty crass. The option to have a flexible booking is what it is there for but it should not then penalise me for using the service.

It is.  A change to your booking is still a change whatever way you change it.  The charge is for making a change after all - that you changed back to your original booking is irrelevant, you've still made another change.  Im pretty sure any travel company would treat the booking the same way, unless they waived the fee as a gesture of good will. 
You obviously missed this

Amendment fee costs

Motorist bookings - A £20/€25 fee applies every time a booking is changed. If the change applies to both the outward and return sailings then the fee is £40/€50. This fee is in addition to any increase in fare.
Sales fares may attract higher amendment fees - these will be shown in the fare rules when you make your booking online.

Foot-passenger bookings - A £8/€10 fee applies every time a booking is changed. If a change applies to both the outward and return sailings then the fee is £16/€20. This fee is in addition to any increase in fare.
Sales fares may attract higher amendment fees - these will be shown in the fare rules when you make your booking online.

Flexibility Option

Our Flexibility Option allows you to avoid paying booking amendment fees when changing a booking. Flexibility Option must be purchased at the time of booking. Please note that changes to bookings may still incur an increase in fare.

[Fast Ferry Fan]

I was never a fan of these "flexible" tickets.  Always seemed better to me to pay an extra tenner for the premium service over the flexible option (as with Stena, not sure if IF do it).  That way, you got into the Premium section at a reduced rate and if you changed your mind on the journey you got all your money back.

In your case, you could have cancelled and rebooked at the lower price (and then cancelled and rebooked at the higher price).

[captainbob]

I would like it defined in the T&C's. which it isn't. I can change my plans as that is the nature of my job so saying I am being difficult is pretty crass. The option to have a flexible booking is what it is there for but it should not then penalise me for using the service.

It is.  A change to your booking is still a change whatever way you change it.  The charge is for making a change after all - that you changed back to your original booking is irrelevant, you've still made another change.  Im pretty sure any travel company would treat the booking the same way, unless they waived the fee as a gesture of good will. 
You obviously missed this


Motorist bookings - A £20/€25 fee applies every time a booking is changed. If the change applies to both the outward and return sailings then the fee is £40/€50. This fee is in addition to any increase in fare.
Sales fares may attract higher amendment fees - these will be shown in the fare rules when you make your booking online.

Foot-passenger bookings - A £8/€10 fee applies every time a booking is changed. If a change applies to both the outward and return sailings then the fee is £16/€20. This fee is in addition to any increase in fare.
Sales fares may attract higher amendment fees - these will be shown in the fare rules when you make your booking online.

Flexibility Option

Our Flexibility Option allows you to avoid paying booking amendment fees when changing a booking. Flexibility Option must be purchased at the time of booking. Please note that changes to bookings may still incur an increase in fare.

[/quote]

No I did not miss anything?
1. I paid for a return trip at a fare which I paid upfront.
2. I paid an extra £10 on the return portion to avoid the fees which "would be charged for any changes"
3. I made a change and was not charged a fee to do so. The fare was lower then the original fare.(£30 cheaper)
4. I made a second change and was not charged a fee but this fare is the same fare as the original fare (already paid for) but was told I had to pay "that same fare again" ie. the difference between the original fare and the cheaper first change fare = £30.
5. So very simply this is NOT ABOUT THE FEES this is about me having paid the £30 fare difference already and within the same journey already booked being charged THAT £30 AGAIN. This is double charging for exactly the same journey. Irish Ferries pocket the difference between my first fare and my second fare. 
Then when I changed the second time I was a paying the same fare so therefore no additional fare is charged or any fee. BUT BECAUSE I TOOK A CHEAPER FARE IN THE MIDDLE IRISH FERRIES TAKE £30 OFF ME AND THEN CHARGE ME ANOTHER £30.
If you take a cheaper fare you will be double charged if you then go back to the original fare or any higher fare.
If you take a lower fare but insist on overpaying for the published fare ie. there is no change to the fare in fact, then you would not be double charged. By accepting to book a lower fare you are handing over the difference to Irish Ferries free gratis.
I really cannot make it any clearer?

Please show me where it allows that in the T&C's.