Ryanair look set to become the first airline to get rid of the check-in desks in favour of online booking and check-in.
The no-frills airline currently charge a £10 check-in fee, but this is to be replaced by a £5 online check-in fee as it looks to strip out of its check-in desks at 146 airports throughout Europe. However, if you forget your home printed boarding card, it will cost you £40 at the airport to have it ‘reissued’.
Strange to assume that all potential airline passengers have a computer at home! Most probably do these days, or have access to one, but it certainly can’t be everyone.
Currently, around 35% of passengers on Ryanair still pay the £10 airport checking-in fee.
- The actual ticket price may, or may not be in some cases, cheap, but the extras can mount up.
- £100 to change the name, online, of a booking or £150 via a call centre.
- £55 to change a flight by telephone or £25 if you do it online.
- Up to £40 to transport a musical instrument or sports equipment.
- Up to £20 to transport an infant car seat.
And, of course, if you want to take any baggage on your holiday, like a change of clothes maybe, you get charged for that, too.
There’s talk of charging to go to the loo, so I wonder what the next ‘frill’ to be removed will be? Maybe a charge if you actually turn up for your flight, plus a small fee for transport to the plane, which will be parked at the other side of the airport, and a nominal charge for wear and tear on the seat.