Is there now a fee for checking in for your Ryanair flight?

There is currently uncertainty surrounding Ryanair, the largest budget airline in Europe, potentially implementing a new policy that would require certain passengers to either obtain a paper boarding pass at the airport or pay for seat selection. Many travelers have voiced their concerns about the airline’s motives, claiming that this change is simply a way for them to make more money during the busy holiday season.

The airline representative stated that there is currently no new procedure in effect.

However, a few travelers have reported to The Independent that they were not given the choice to display a mobile boarding pass on their smartphone as an option.

The matter remains ambiguous at this time. However, we have gathered the main inquiries and responses concerning Ryanair’s check-in and boarding regulations to the best of our knowledge.

In 2008, Ryanair became the first airline globally to require passengers to check-in online prior to arriving at the airport. This was done in order to decrease expenses by significantly reducing the number of travelers who needed to check-in with an agent at a counter, thereby allowing Ryanair to save on airport space costs.

The choice to check in at the airport is still an option, but it comes with a steep price. The initial fee was £10, but it has since risen to £40 within a year. Currently, it costs £55 for every passenger on a booking.

At first, travelers had to physically print their boarding passes to avoid a fee. This was inconvenient and challenging for those on vacation in another country.

However, Ryanair eventually joined other airlines in permitting mobile boarding passes to be used at the airport and presented while passing through security and at the boarding gate.

According to Ryanair, they allow the use of mobile boarding passes for most airports on their network, but there are some exceptions where this is not yet possible.

Rewording not possible.

Ryanair requires customers flying from these airports to complete online check-in and obtain a printed boarding pass for their flight.

In August, Ryanair faced strong backlash for charging a fee of £110 to two senior passengers at London Stansted airport. The couple had mistakenly checked in for their flight back to France instead of their flight to France.

The airline’s spokesperson stated that the passengers had not checked in online before arriving at Stansted airport (on Aug 11), despite receiving an email reminder the day before (Aug 10). According to Ryanair’s terms and conditions, which the passengers had agreed to when booking, they were charged the airport check-in fee.

By simply rejecting any offers for additional services and adhering to the regulations for carry-on luggage (limiting to one small item with dimensions no larger than 40 x 20 x 25cm).

On 11 December, the one-way trip from Edinburgh to Shannon costs £15 (accurate at the time of investigation). Available choices include:

If all of these additional items are selected, the cost would go up by £55 – nearly five times the original amount. However, passengers do have the option to decline all of the additional items.

There are passengers who choose not to reserve a specific seat beforehand and opt for a random seat assignment. They have reported being unable to use an online boarding pass.

According to them, they were given the option to either pay for a designated seat and use their smartphone or wait in line at a Ryanair counter for a paper boarding pass.

“The Independent” interviewed a passenger named Andrew Brown who shared that according to Ryanair, passengers have the option to check in but can also pay for a designated seat to avoid queuing for a free printed boarding card. This allows them to have their boarding card accessible on their phone as they did before.

He proposed a theory that the intention is to dissuade individuals from choosing a free seat at random. The change was implemented abruptly and there is no mention of it on their website.

This puts an end to my habit of only bringing carry-on luggage and not having a designated seat or any additional perks, just the basic fare.

Neil Gregory, a fellow passenger, informed the BBC that the application instructed him to visit the check-in counter for a paper boarding pass if he chose a complimentary random seat, which was a new experience for him. The app also stated that a reserved seat must be purchased for a digital boarding pass.

According to the BBC, an individual was informed by airport staff at the check-in counter that the updated regulation only applies to the final 20 passengers checking in for every flight.

When booking a flight from London Stansted to Italy on December 5th with a “random seat assignment,” The Independent did not encounter any issues with checking in online and obtaining a digital boarding pass on a smartphone.

The Independent has been attempting to determine the precise policy of the airline.

A representative for the airline stated that all passengers flying with Ryanair have the option to pay for a reserved seat. Alternatively, passengers can choose to avoid the seat fee by selecting a randomly assigned seat at no cost.

Although accurate, this does not clarify the present problem.

The Independent inquired: “As a frequent flyer with Ryanair, I usually accept random seat assignments. Can I always use my mobile boarding pass to check in, except for at certain airports like those in Morocco?”

At this point, there has been no reply to this inquiry.

Background: Ryanair has been running a campaign to convince customers not to purchase tickets for their flights through online travel agencies (OTAs). As part of this effort, certain passengers who do use an OTA to book their tickets may be required to undergo a series of verification processes before being able to check in.

Passengers are informed: “Your reservation cannot be completed as it appears to have been made through an online travel agency that does not have a partnership with us to sell our flights.”

“Online travel agents often do not provide us with your correct email address and payment details, so we need to verify your identity. We also need to carry out this process in order to ensure we can comply with safety and security requirements.”

Unfortunately, this procedure incurs expenses for Ryanair. It would also mean that certain passengers would have to physically check in at a designated desk at the airport.

A possible explanation is that the airline now requires certain passengers who choose not to select a seat to line up for a physical boarding pass, with the goal of encouraging more people to choose and pay for a designated seat.

Andrew Brown, a frequent passenger, stated that he thinks Ryanair is a great airline, but he considers this additional charge to be sneaky.

The Independent has not found any evidence to support the claims.

According to the airline representative, there is never a fee for a digital boarding pass from Ryanair.

Source: independent.co.uk