Ryanair extends fee waiver in bid to lure back travellers

Budget carrier Ryanair said it was extending its waiver on fees for flight changes as it fee as it tried to lure back wary passengers to kick-start its business after sales collapsed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The airline on Friday said it would extend the waiver for all customers who book to travel in September. Ryanair, which has developed a ruthless reputation for levying extra charges, normally slaps a minimum fee of £35 per person per journey on passengers who change their plans.

Airlines and package holiday firms have borne the brunt of global lockdowns as governments banned flights to stymie the spread of the virus. However, the travel industry has also faced a severe backlash after refusing to refund passengers and offer vouchers instead in an effort to keep customers' cash.

As a result, airlines have lost the trust of customers, who are also reluctant to book new holidays fearing a second outbreak could see them lose their cash.

Ryanair said that from Friday, customers who book to travel in Sept would be able to move their flights with zero change fee to travel until the December 31, 2020.