Ryanair confirms why flight and baggage prices can suddenly rise while booking

Taxes, fees, optional services, and even the currency of the country of your departure airport all play a factor in the final price of your flight booking.

If you are a frequent flyer, you probably tend to scour flight comparison websites like Skyscanner and Google Flights to ensure the best deal, and have probably seen how much the same flights can fluctuate in price.

Known as a budget airline, Ryanair is popular with flyers planning cost-friendly flights. However, it acknowledges that the prices may change, quite instantly, depending on a few factors including the route and when you’re travelling.

The airline states in its terms and conditions that: “Our prices are dynamic and adjusted according to demand and they may vary according to the route and travel date selected. Due to the high volume of bookings being made in real time, fares and prices for optional services such as baggage and reserved seats may change between the time you start searching for your ticket and the time you decide to make a purchase.”

Under the taxes, fees & charges section of its policies, Ryanair also says that passengers must pay any government taxes (including but not limited to air passenger duty) and that it may be included in your ticket price.

The airlines states: “Our higher ticket prices generally include government taxes, while our lower ticket prices do not. If your ticket price includes government taxes, they will be displayed in the price break-down at the time you make your booking.”

Ryanair also explains what impact booking on a third-party site may have on your booking cost. “Our ticket prices do not include any other third party fees and charges for costs we incur to provide our services (such as airport and security charges, maintenance fees etc.). We bear the costs for these services,” confirms the airline.

Another factor that affects your final booking price is the currency in which you complete your transaction. According to Ryanair’s policies: “You must pay fares, taxes, fees and charges in the currency of the country of your airport of departure, unless we specify another currency when (or before) you make your payment (for example, because the local currency cannot be converted). We may agree to accept payment in another currency.”

The airline does confirm that, at the time of booking, it guarantees the currency exchange rate. “We guarantee the currency exchange rate for your payment at the time you book your ticket. This exchange rate will not change," it added.

The airline continues: “If you do not accept our currency exchange rate you may be affected by any increase in exchange rates between the time you make your booking and the time your card provider converts the currency. This is because the currency is usually converted a number of days after the date the booking is made.”

If you are interested in saving money on your travel, then there are a few hacks to secure a cheaper price for your flight. Flight prices tend to vary based on time and day, but there are certain times during the week when prices are likely to be at their lowest.

Paul Stringer, director of Norton Finance, suggests booking your flight on a Sunday, as this could save travellers up to 13 percent on their holiday. Contrastingly, Friday is typically the most expensive day to book a flight, reports the Express. Setting up price alerts on a flight comparison website can also help you save on your booking.