Senator Mark Duffy slams ‘predatory’ dynamic pricing as Ryanair CEO rejects claims of exploiting Irish fans
Irish soccer fans hoping to travel to Prague for Ireland's World Cup play-off match next March have been hit with sky-high air fares, with some return flights now pushing past €900.
Within hours of yesterday's draw, which confirmed that Ireland will face Czechia on March 25, airline prices surged.
Many fans quickly began planning a trip to Prague to cheer on the Boys in Green, but what they didn't plan for was that a one-way ticket from Dublin the day before the match would cost more than €400.
The sudden price increase has prompted anger among fans and public representatives, who claim airlines are "taking advantage of loyal Irish fans" through dynamic pricing.
Senator Mark Duffy has called on the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to investigate the increases.
Although rising fares reflect supply and demand, Senator Duffy has branded the scale of the increases as "price gouging" and questioned what consumer protections are in place.
Speaking on Newstalk this morning, the Mayo-based Senator said, "This kind of cynical dynamic pricing that is used by airlines is unfair and it is taking advantage of loyal Irish fans."
Some fans have reported websites crashing mid-booking, only for prices to rise again when they try to rebook - a story that is well known to music fans from previous Ticketmaster controversies.
While dynamic pricing is not illegal, Senator Duffy insists "there needs to be a full review on it", particularly where customers are being "bumped off" booking sites and then charged more.
Looking ahead, the Seanad Spokesperson on Transport warned that if Ireland qualifies for the 2027 World Cup, the situation must become "fair, affordable and accessible."
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has strongly refuted Senator Duffy's comments, saying that he "couldn't be more wrong".
"I nearly crashed the car on the M4 listening to that interview this morning," he said on the Breakfast Show.
Mr O'Leary explained that the daily flights to Prague on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week, had sold out before the draw took place.
"We added an extra 15 flights going out to and returning from Prague that week. The reality of those flights is that the returns are empty,
"While the prices are more expensive than we would normally charge, if we really wanted to price gouge people, we would have added one or two extra flights. We added 15,
"Fares are available on those flights for around €300, €400 one way, the return fare is between €600, €700, but that has to cover the cost of the empty flights coming the other way,
"Yes, we will make a profit, it will be reasonably modest, but we wouldn't do it otherwise," he stated.
Senator Duffy has warned that fans will be priced out of the market, but Mr O'Leary disagreed, insisting the flights will sell out regardless. He said Ryanair could add up to five more flights to its schedule.
"These are reasonably low fares bearing in mind that for every extra flight we add both ways, there's two empty legs going the other way," Mr O'Leary said.
He added that fans have other options, such as flying to cities like Berlin and then taking "trains or buses" to Prague - as "Irish fans have done over many years."
Speaking after the interview, Senator Duffy reiterated that the CCPC must conduct a full review.
"The irony of Michael O'Leary coming on the radio defending the price of flights when they are €900 this morning from Dublin to Prague is astounding," he said.
He stressed that while the free market has its place, consumers deserve protection "in cases of exploitation, and that's what I'm asking for."
Senator Duffy questioned the starting price of the 15 extra flights, adding that Mr O'Leary did not clarify this.
"He's on about having low fares on lots of routes, but that demand would increase the price of flights when they are booked up. From what I've been told, there was no return fare under €600 [as a] starting price from Dublin to Prague,
"I'm sure many people's computers would have crashed when they saw the prices that Ryanair have been charging."
Senator Duffy argued that Ryanair heavily benefits from sports tourism, with soccer fans flying out from Knock, Dublin and Shannon for Premier League and Scottish football fixtures.
Calling dynamic pricing "predatory" and arguing that it takes advantage of Irish fans travelling to support their team, he said consumers need stronger protection and that the CCPC should be looking into the issue.
"It is completely ironic that he talks about being astounded by my comments, and [he's] standing over the cost of flights of €900 to and from Prague. You'd get halfway around the world for an airfare like that,
"His argument does not stand up, and we need to be stronger with large corporations who are taking advantage of loyal Irish soccer fans," he said.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.