Ryanair desks to go this year
12th March 2009
Ryanair has announced that it intends to get rid of all check-in desks and staff by the end of the year. Following its announcement that it’s scrapping airport check-in completely, the airline has confirmed when the desks will be phased out and announced increased check-in fees in the meantime.
From 19 March the fee to check-in luggage at airport desks will double to £20 per passenger per flight. Passengers who book their tickets by 1 May will still be allowed to check in at the airport, but by 1 October, there will be no check-in desks at any of its airports and passengers will only be able to check in online.
Passengers will be charged an online check-in fee of £5 per person per flight for reservations made on or after 19 March, regardless of whether they check-in hold luggage at the airport or not.
As well as paying this fee, passengers booking flights on or after 1 May will have to use online check-in.
Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of the Irish airline, told The Daily Telegraph: “All we will have is a bag drop where passengers can drop off their luggage, otherwise everything will be done online. Ultimately, we want just one in five people to check in luggage.”
By terminating its contracts with check-in services at European airports Ryanair says it will save millions of pounds. O’Leary says that passengers will benefit from these savings in the form of lower fares.
Currently, hold baggage fees are £19 for a return flight but the airline has hinted these may be reduced when online check-in has replaced desks.
The new check-in system will also see around 100 jobs lost at Irish airports.