Hold the phone – airlines charge more when booking over the phone

Airlines are charging customers up to £20 more just to book via the telephone, according to new research from Which? Travel.

Next time you pick up the phone to book a flight or holiday, you might want to think twice as it could cost you more.

An investigation by Which? Travel found four out of five of the most popular airlines charged a higher fare when passengers booked over the phone.

Ryanair and Tui are the worst culprits, charging their customers an additional £20 when booking over the phone.

Easyjet also slapped on an extra £15, whilst British Airways increased fares by £10 when customers called in to book.

Jet2, a Which? Recommended Provider, was the only airline in the investigation that did not charge their customers extra for booking via the phone.

Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said:

“Not all customers are comfortable booking online, and they should not be penalised for booking over the phone.

“Airlines that are charging customers more must be clear and transparent about these additional fees.”

Notes to editor:

Which? investigated five airlines most used by Which? members.

Easyjet said, ‘We encourage passengers to book online. Those using our telephone service are informed of the online discount at the beginning of the call’. It also said that passengers needing special assistance can still receive the online price by phone.

Ryanair said, ‘Less than 0.5% of our customers choose to book over the phone’.

BA and Tui both claimed phone bookings add an additional admin cost.

Press Release