Ryanair is narrowing the window for free check-in... unless punters pay for allocated seats
The new rules from the budget airline come into effect next month.
RYANAIR HAS EMAILED its millions of travellers advising them of changes to its existing check-in policy.
For all flights from 13 June, free online check-in will only be available from 48 hours to two hours before departure. Previously passengers had a seven day period to check-in.
If you decide to choose a seat – which costs roughly €5 per journey – then you will be able to check-in up to two months in advance.
Emails sent to passengers this morning included terms and conditions which allow customers to cancel flights and receive a full refund if they do not wish to agree to the new policy.
“Customers who choose not to reserve their preferred seat, can check in online or on the mobile app free of charge from 48 hours to two hours pre-departure and will be randomly allocated a seat,” the notice stated.
“All Ryanair customers may buy a reserved seat online, both on the Ryanair.com website and mobile app from the time of booking up to two hours pre-departure and these customers can check-in online anytime they so wish between 60 days to two hours before the scheduled departure time of their flight.
The statement added that those customers affected who do not wish to accept the new policy change have a five-day window from this 14 May announcement to request a full refund.
Last year, the Irish budget airline introduced new rules which meant passengers could not take a large cabin bag on board unless they bought priority boarding.
Previously, Ryanair allowed passengers to carry one cabin bag along with an additional small bag, such as a backpack or shopping bag for free.
However, the airline axed the scheme as “too many customers are availing of Ryanair’s two free carry-on bags service, and with high load factors, there is not enough overhead cabin space for this volume of carry-on bags”.
Written by Garreth MacNamee and posted on TheJournal.ie
