Munster fury at Ryanair price hikes

Prices for flights to the cities closest to Cardiff on the weekend of the Heineken Cup final have increased by as much as 1000 per cent since Munster secured their qualification last Saturday leaving some fans furious at having to pay what they believe to be rip-off prices.

The total cost of flying with Ryanair from Dublin to Bristol early on the morning of the cup final between Munster and Toulouse and returning late the following evening was €454.25 yesterday morning. Flights with the airline to the same airport on the Friday evening, returning on Sunday cost just under €400

The cost of Ryanair flights to Bristol on the following weekend, however, are just €53.31, with the airline charging nothing at all for the Saturday flight save for taxes and charges of €9.99. Flights from Shannon to Bristol on the weekend of the final will set Munster fans back €553 while the same flights a week later are currently available for €126.

For its part, Aer Lingus has arranged for special flights from Shannon to Cardiff on the morning of the match, returning a day later and yesterday afternoon return tickets were available for €431.

Dermott Jewell, the chief executive of the Consumer Association of Ireland said that Irish consumers had grown accustomed to sharp price increases associated with many major events. "It's not just happening with the airlines but with hotels as well. It is business at its highest, most profit taking level. It's not at all pleasant for consumers and I believe it shows great disrespect and a complete lack of loyalty to customers who once again are being bled dry."

Ryanair spokesman Peter Sherrard denied that the airline was ripping passengers off and said that demand had driven up the price of "the last few seats" on many flights into the airports close to the Millennium stadium where the match is being played. "You won't find better deals elsewhere," he said.

"Obviously people who left it late are going to pay more but there were a lot of Munster fans who had the faith and made bookings a long time before they team had qualified for the final and they got the lowest fares."

He said the majority of bookings had come in the days since Munster had qualified for the final and said the airline had also seen a uptake in bookings to airports long distances from Cardiff. "If people are prepared to travel from London or from the other airports we serve then we do still have a lot of capacity on some flights."