Be Careful Using Easy Jet!

Welcome to the new age of travel. I don't think EasyJet is any different from any other airline is this respect. When you are told of any fee, by any airline, multiply it by the number of tickets involved. Harsh? yes. Reality? Unfortunately, also yes. Also, realize that your original E27 fare was a screaming deal, even if it was intra-country. I can't fly from Seattle to Spokane for anywhere near that amount. Airlines clearly don't make money at rates like that, so they lure you in with a low fare. If that's where it ends, you win. But if you want additional services, itinerary changes, etc, that's where they make up the difference. If anyone else knows anyway around fees such as this, I'm sure Celeste (and I and many others) would like to know of them.

Celeste, it is easy to understand why you are upset by the financial loss you took by changing the tickets. I do not understand why you think Easy Jet should be ashamed of themselves. 1) Easy Jet is a no frills airline. 2) The rules and regulations were posted on the website for you to read, so I assume you read them. 3) You chose to change the tickets and were hit with the change penalty explained in the rules and regulations. What did Easy Jet do to you that was not clearly stated in the Rules and Regulations? Perhaps your unfortunate experience will remind others to be careful when making reservations and save them from a similar expense. I hope you are able to let go of this and enjoy your trip.

I hate change fees, but as compared to domestic US airline change fees, this is more modest. Feel fortunate you didn't get stuck with paying a difference in fare too. It sucks all the same.

Celeste, In my experience, EasyJet doesn't "nickel & dime" their passengers as badly as RyanAir does, and I prefer to fly with EJ whenever possible. With most of the budget airlines in Europe, the cheap prices come with some "caveats". As I've mentioned here in the past, tickets are usually non-refundable and non-changeable once booked, although this varies to some extent between airlines. The fact that you were at least able to change your booking (albeit with a charge) is a benefit, IMO. I'm not clear on some of the details. If I read your post correctly, you booked two tickets and were charged a total of €60 for change fees, in addition to €26.99 for each ticket? Therefore, is your total charge €113.98? I'm not sure why they would charge a change fee for both tickets, since they were only changing the original ticket to a morning departure. This sounds like a "clerical error" on their part. Based on my understanding of the circumstances, you should have been charged €26.99 for the ticket and €30 for the change fee, and nothing more. You could dispute any charges above that amount with your credit card firm. One point to note for future trips, is that travel from Venice to Rome is usually much easier by train. The current cost for ES / AV travel is €76 (second class), and trip is only 3H:46M. Travel by air is going to be longer, as it has to include time to and from airports at either end, check-in, security and waiting times and of course the flight time (in addition to the usual hassles with luggage limits). NOTE that you'll only be allowed ONE carry-on item! This doesn't mean "one plus a personal item such as a purse or Laptop case", it literally means ONE ONLY of the approved size and weight! They will check! Good luck!

Ken, yes, you're correct, when I changed the tickets from evening to morning of the same day, just three or four minutes after booking the two flights, they charged me 30 euros for each of the tickets for changing. The reply I did receive from Easy Jet said they were sorry they had to change 30 euros late fee per ticket when I changed them just a few minutes later, but that's their policy. I have taken the train from Venice to Rome but since I'm getting on a flight at FCO a few hours after this Easy Jet flight arrives, there wasn't much point in taking the train and then taking the Leonardo Express to the airport. Of course, when I bought the tickets. Easy Jet was cheaper, but now it's the same price as the Eurostar.

Celeste, don't take this personally, please, but I'd say EasyJet was not wrong on their procedures. EasyJet is my favorite low-cost airline, they don't even put a limit on the weight of carry-on luggage (though they enforce its size to the uttermost inch). You should have checked the price of new tickets before calling them to change yours (EasyJet was at no fault in you buying PM instead of AM). Now, a very important remark: it is borderline irresponsible, IMO, to buy separate air tickets for a "makeshift" connection like you did. If anything happens to your EasyJet flight, you stand losses on the thousands of dollars on your intercontinental flight out of Rome (assuming you are flying Rome - USA). Imagine the scenario: your EasyJet flights get cancelled or delayed several hours by fog, you miss your check-in time (2h advance) in Rome and lose your Rome-Miami (hypothetical) flight. Then you need to go back, and will be forced to buy hefty fares or pay large penalties to reschedule the flight you just missed.

Ugh - as far as the policy on changing your ticket (accidentally put in wrong date, misspelled name, etc.), most of the major airlines are going to charge you to change the ticket. It takes me FOREVER to hit 'Send'...I check, and recheck, and if my husband's home HE has to come and look at it, and then the cats...... I've seen your other post; I agree - things don't add up. It's 2x €26,99. Plus €25,00 baggage. Plus 2x €30,00 change fee. That's €138,98. At a €1,50/1.00 rate, that's $208.47; They've charged you $223.88. That's an exchange rate of €1,61/$1.00!!! OY! (confused, scratching head) There's something else - is there an 'online-ticketing fee'? Because they've charged you about €20,00 extra... When I tried to duplicate your tickets, I get a luggage charge of only €11,00; you said you paid €25,00...Also, at 'check-out', it would cost me €12,50 to use my VISA (My only choice as an American, unless I want to use my debit card online - NOT! - for a few Euro in savings). Sheesh. Sorry; I really tried to figure this out for you...(going for aspirin...). **I don't really understand this: "...but since I'm getting on a flight at FCO a few hours after this Easy Jet flight arrives, there wasn't much point in taking the train and then taking the Leonardo Express to the airport."

Sorry, I just don't see what you think EasyJet did wrong. You made the mistake with the booking, and you accepted the 30E change fee. You changed two tickets, so that's 60E, which is what you were charged for the changes. Pay closer attention to what you are buying before you push "submit".

Celeste, Thanks for the clarification, but some further questions. Did you ask to change the original ticket to a morning flight, or did you purchase a new ticket for that, and then ask for cancellation of the afternoon flight? This might be where the confusion is originating? If you booked two tickets and then asked for one of them to be cancelled, this could explain why two change fees were charged as they had to "adjust" two tickets. If you simply booked a new ticket for the morning flight, I'm not sure why they would apply a change fee for that? I have to agree with Andre's comments. If your flight from Venice is delayed for whatever reason, €30 change fees will be the least of your problems. I suspect you'll just have to "chalk this one up to experience" and pay the fees. I'll be using at least one EasyJet flight this year, and have no hesitation at all in booking with them. Cheers!

Easy Jet has replied to my inquiry and said they do have a grace period of sorts, and if I had called Customer Service instead of changing the flights online, I would not have been charged a change fee. They reviewed the purchase and saw the change was done a few minutes later and are going to see if they can credit at least one change fee to my card. Another weird thing is that the change fees were charged in GBP, not euros, which is why the dollar amount is even higher than it would be with euros, according to Easy Jet. At this point I'll more than appreciate anything they do for me - and I told them that - but I wish they had that "grace period" if you call Customer Service mentioned somewhere!

Celeste, EasyJet is a U.K.-based airline (with main office at London Luton), so that would explain why they charge in Pounds Sterling. I'm sure it's much easier to conduct business in one currency, given the number of countries they operate in. It sounds like they're willing to work with you to some extent, in order to provide a "win-win" outcome. That's encouraging, and another reason why I like dealing with EasyJet. Cheers!

Celeste, I agree it's kinda uncool to post everything on their site in Euro, but actually charge in British Pound...probably somewhere on the website it states this, but I haven't dug around that much. Therefore, the amount charged on your credit card is correct for British Pound. That's the good news ;-) Oh well, now you know LOTS more about easyJet - hopefully you'll feel comfortable using them again in the future if their flights meet your needs.

That's why before I hit "Purchase" for ANY flight I read the dates and times TEN TIMES to make sure every single detail is correct. Even if it was Delta, you'd probably be screwed....

"Celeste, I agree it's kinda uncool to post everything on their site in Euro, but actually charge in British Pound...probably somewhere on the website it states this, but I haven't dug around that much." Here is how it works: the website will convert into the currency of the origin country. So, if flying from UK, you get £, if from Italy, you get €, and so on. What is really nice is that to the right of the page which shows search results, can you choose from about 6 different European currencies. Promotional prices on their home page are in £. Despite the subject line of this thread, seems like EJ has actually performed reasonably well. They don't tell you anywhere, but if you call a US carrier (most allow 24 hours) and say you made a mistake, they will correct without a fee. Celeste, the bigger question is, where are you flying to after your EJ connection? If flying out of FCO on a US carrier, do you know about the extra time the security hoops require?

"EasyJet is a U.K.-based airline (with main office at London Luton), so that would explain why they charge in Pounds Sterling. I'm sure it's much easier to conduct business in one currency, given the number of countries they operate in." In planning our trip, and obtaining quotes for flights, cars, hotels, etc, I've found that sometimes the quotes are in USD, but when you get to the page to purchase, it states that the purchase would be charged in Euros. However, I booked flights from Italy to Frankfurt on Luthhansa and was quoted and charged in USD.

I've traveled Easyjet before and its fine. If you know the rules and restrictions of the airlines you are flying before you go in, this shouldn't be a problem. Easyjet is a lot less strict than say Ryanair when enforcing things like carry on or baggage limits. As for the currency used, Easyet offers you the option to pay in several currencies (on their site there is a box that says "Show in Currency" that allows you to pick the one you wish). Major international airlines often charge in USD for Americans but for airlines like Easyjet that operate entirely within Europe Euros are the norm. I've been charged both in Pounds (when flying out of London) and Euros (flying out of Italy) on Easyjet before so it depends on your start point.

Not to sound harsh, but what were you expecting when you buy a plane ticket for 27 EUR? IIRC, the "regular" carriers charge hundreds of dollars to change your tickets.