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thimabitoday at 12:14 PM5 repliesview on HN

That “Don’t Insure Me” option hidden in the middle of a country list is pure evil. I’m used to seeing dark patterns everywhere but that’s a first for me.

From where I stand, it’s not fair to charge the hell out of people who fall for these tricks while giving steep discounts to the ones who don’t. Maybe there’s a “fool me once” aspect to Ryanair’s shenanigans, so at least their impact might be limited somehow.


Replies

wongarsutoday at 12:36 PM

To be fair, that is described as an 8 year old example. Their current UX is much more clear.

Their current pattern is more about playing into the fear of what happens without insurance, without selecting your seat, when you don't pay for early check in and forget to do it online on the day before the flight, or what happens if you show up with more or larger luggage than what you booked. Fears they themselves create with high fees for showing up with too much luggage or for checking in at the airport

There is still a bit of praying on people who are in a hurry or are impatient, don't read the screens and just click the most prominent button. The most obvious is the seat selection. But it's no longer the most prominent way they get you

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rsynnotttoday at 1:01 PM

> That “Don’t Insure Me” option hidden in the middle of a country list is pure evil.

I think they may actually have gotten in trouble for that one; they've stopped doing it (as noted in the article it was from eight years ago).

whizztertoday at 12:43 PM

If Ryanair was in the computing world, Oracle's audit department would look like nice guys.

robofanatictoday at 12:52 PM

I always think these airline people see passengers as fish and put baits all over the places.

throwawaysleeptoday at 12:22 PM

Eh, we might be all better off if a lack of curiosity was more regularly financially excruciating.

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