Ryanair – when every page is a dark pattern
Ryanair’s booking and check‑in flows are held up as an extreme case of “dark patterns”: hidden or confusing options, aggressive upsells, dynamic currency conversion markups and punitive fees that can easily double the advertised fare. Commenters note that similar tactics are now widespread across airlines, payment providers and e‑commerce, effectively acting as a regressive “tax” on less savvy or more distracted users, while others argue that ultra‑low fares and expanded access to air travel are the trade‑off for this hostile design. Many call for stronger consumer protection and better alternatives, while some say they simply treat low‑cost carriers as an adversarial game that can yield bargains if you know how to avoid the traps.
Dark patterns and currency conversion
- Many describe Ryanair’s old (and sometimes current) dynamic currency conversion: defaulting users into paying in their home currency at bad rates, with the cheaper “pay in local currency” buried behind small “more info” links.
- Similar complaints about PayPal, Booking.com, Amazon, ATMs (esp. Prague), POS terminals, and other sites doing DCC or hidden FX markups; users call it “legalized theft.”
Booking flow, upsells, and UI tricks
- Check‑in and booking flows are described as a gauntlet of upsells (seats, bags, insurance, priority, fast track, etc.), with:
- Preselected or misleading options.
- Small text links to decline extras.
- “From $X” pricing based on cheapest leg, not total.
- Changed wording/layout between visits and dynamic pricing.
- Some report having to say “no” a dozen times; others feel this behavior is now standard across airlines, car rentals, hotels, and subscription services.
Baggage, check‑in, and punitive fees
- Strict bag-size enforcement and under‑seat-only free luggage lead to surprise fees; sizing frames and overhead-bin charges are seen as traps.
- Online check‑in cutoff and high airport check‑in/boarding‑pass reprint fees are viewed as designed to catch first‑timers or inattentive travelers.
- One user was sold “fast track” in an airport that had none; support refused refund.
Third‑party bookings and ID verification
- Ryanair emails and extra verification steps target tickets bought via online travel agents; travelers report being forced into a paid, third‑party ID scanning app, sometimes even when booking direct (suspected VPN/bot filter).
Comparisons and broader ecosystem
- Other budget airlines (Wizz Air, EasyJet, Frontier, Spirit) and services (Kogan, Dropbox, utilities, medical, newspapers) are cited as similarly manipulative or worse.
- Some say Wizz Air has even more egregious fees and “administrative” charges for repeated searches.
Ethics, regulation, and “regressive tax”
- Dark patterns are framed as a regressive “tax” on the less tech‑savvy, tired, or neurodivergent; “internet/UX street smarts” become an economic advantage.
- Posters debate why regulators (EU/US) don’t crack down harder; suggestions include browser extensions to neutralize dark patterns.
Defenses of Ryanair and low‑cost flying
- Several argue Ryanair made intra‑EU flying vastly cheaper and more accessible, and that if you learn “the game” (travel light, read carefully, decline extras) it’s reliably cheap and technically well‑implemented.
- Others now pay large premiums to avoid the stress, calling the experience demeaning even if flights are safe and on time.