• Hungarian forint
  • Budapest
  • Police news
  • HelloMagyar
This is why Ryanair received a huge fine from the Hungarian governmentThis is why Ryanair received a huge fine from the Hungarian governmentThis is why Ryanair received a huge fine from the Hungarian governmentThis is why Ryanair received a huge fine from the Hungarian government
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Society
  • Sport
  • Culture
  • Special Hungary
  • News To Go
  • World
  • Contact Us
  • About us
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
✕
Important
  • Forint on a slope again, and the worst may come next week

  • Budapest Airport offers 107 destinations, plans to launch these Transatlantic flights

Support us
András Balogh András Balogh · 15/08/2022
· Society

This is why Ryanair received a huge fine from the Hungarian government

It turned out why Ryanair was fined. Contrary to earlier rumours, Ryanair was not fined by the Hungarian consumer protection agency for passing on the departure tax. It was because the airline claimed to be subject to the new special tax, according to a decision by the Consumer Protection Department of the Budapest government office.

Special tax for Ryanair

The Hungarian government decided in early June to introduce new taxes in seven different sectors. Ruling party Fidesz called this an extra-profit tax. One of the seven sectors was air transport. Under the new tax, airlines had to pay HUF 3,900 (EUR 9.88) per ticket for travel after 1 July. Airlines had to pay this amount even if the ticket was sold before the tax was introduced.

Ryanair called the tax nonsense. It then passed the amount on to passengers in an official statement. The airline’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, and the entire airline have been locked in a communications war with the Hungarian government. O’Leary called the Minister for Economic Development, Márton Nagy, an idiot, a fool and a madman. Justice Minister Judit Varga said that “Ryanair’s attitude will have consequences.”

The Metropolitan Government Office has launched a consumer protection procedure against Ryanair. Varga announced on Monday that the investigation had resulted in a fine of HUF 300 million (EUR 765,000) being imposed on Ryanair. In response, Ryanair is appealing against what it says is an unfounded fine.

Ryanair Hungary
Read alsoRyanair’s latest announcement: they cut frequency on 7 Hungary routes!

Turnaround on the fine

My Late Machine wrote that the basis for the fine was not that the airline passed the tax on to its passengers. According to the decision of the Consumer Protection Department of the Metropolitan Government Office, the airline was fined for claiming to be subject to the new special tax, reports kesettagepem.hu.

Ryanair was found to have misled consumers. Not only in its public communications, but also in its General Terms and Conditions, the company passed on the tax to passengers on this basis. According to Ryanair, the transfer itself was not challenged by the Government Office, Telex.hu writes.

“The Company’s commercial practice of including the amount of the departure tax in its fares is not unfair: it is not a blacklisting practice, nor is it misleading or an aggressive commercial practice.”

wizz air plane
Read alsoNo stopping — Wizz Air may raise fares even further, says president

Source: telex.hu, kesettagepem.hu

If you would like to support the work of the Daily News Hungary staff and independent journalism,
please make a donation here
air Fidesz Hungary Ryanair tax/VAT tourism travel
Share

Hot news

  • Will the ban on Ukrainian grain imports return?

  • Govt ‘protecting car industry’ with backing for EURO7 regulations

  • Hungarian state bus company Volánbusz on the verge of collapse?

  • Government: EU siding with human smugglers, no rush to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid

  • Government to extend mandatory discounts, deposit rate caps

  • What happened today in Hungary? – 25 September, 2023

4 Comments

  1. Jet says:
    15/08/2022 at 14:38

    For a clearer picture of the situation, here is the link. It is noteworthy that “No notice of any such fine has yet been received by Ryanair. If necessary, Ryanair will appeal this matter to the EU courts.”
    https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/hungary-fines-ryanair-779464-consumer-protection-probe-minister-2022-08-08/

  2. Jet says:
    15/08/2022 at 14:47

    “Under the new tax, airlines had to pay HUF 3,900 (EUR 9.88) per ticket for travel after 1 July. Airlines had to pay this amount even if the ticket was sold before the tax was introduced.”

    So the special tax, whatever name you want to give it WAS levied. Then…..

    “According to the decision of the Consumer Protection Department of the Metropolitan Government Office, the airline was fined for claiming to be subject to the new special tax”.

    That does not make sense. The tax was levied, Ryanair explained that to passengers and has been fined for telling passengers that there is a new tax hence the ticket price increases? Hardly ‘claiming’, it was statement of fact.

  3. Jet says:
    15/08/2022 at 14:58

    Another take on the same subject This part is especially noteworthy ” It (Ryanair) pointed to European Union law allowing airlines to set fares for flights within the 27-nation bloc without interference from national governments” and “Ryanair, British low-cost airline easyJet and Hungary-based budget carrier Wizz Air, have said they would add around 10 euros (dollars) to each ticket to cover the costs of the new tax.”

    https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/hungary-fines-ryanair-raising-prices-cope-tax-88091465

  4. Foreseeable : says:
    16/08/2022 at 14:20

    “Ryanair will appeal this matter to the EU courts.”
    This will factually rightfully HAPPEN, if Hungary – press on, with this Matter.
    Democracy is Dialogue.
    This is another situation, the “bully” and “dictatorial” agenda – tried on, by the Fidesz led Government of Hungary, under the Party leader and current Prime Minister of Hungary – Victor Orban – that adds to the list, that has DESTROYED – another “trading” PARTNERSHIP.
    Hungary – lost out AGAIN – that sees on-going “shaming” and the “damaging” – to the brand name Hungary.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

SUPPORT US
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Must read

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive daily updates, news & stories about Hungary!

Select your location below or enter your country so we can deliver our morning newsletters to you in time.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Contact us

About us

Copyright rules

Privacy policy

Advertise with us

© 2023 DailyNewsHungary. All rights reserved! | Server and development by Svigelj Levente E.V
Will the ban on Ukrainian grain imports return?

Will the ban on Ukrainian grain imports return?

Read More
Govt ‘protecting car industry’ with backing for EURO7 regulations

Govt ‘protecting car industry’ with backing for EURO7 regulations

Read More
Hungarian state bus company Volánbusz on the verge of collapse?

Hungarian state bus company Volánbusz on the verge of collapse?

Read More
Government: EU siding with human smugglers, no rush to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid

Government: EU siding with human smugglers, no rush to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid

Read More
Government to extend mandatory discounts, deposit rate caps

Government to extend mandatory discounts, deposit rate caps

Read More
<b> What happened today in Hungary? – 25 September, 2023 </b>

What happened today in Hungary? – 25 September, 2023

Read More
PHOTO: President Novák meets Elon Musk in Texas

PHOTO: President Novák meets Elon Musk in Texas

Read More
Here is the third-way alternative in Hungarian politics

Here is the third-way alternative in Hungarian politics

Read More
The victory of Pákozd – a symbol of Hungary’s independence war

The victory of Pákozd – a symbol of Hungary’s independence war

Read More
Hungarian minister shared how the EU’s competitiveness can be improved

Hungarian minister shared how the EU’s competitiveness can be improved

Read More
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Have you read it?