WARNING: RyanAir Online Check-in
13 November 2007 by poetloverrebelspy
Further passing on the costs of service directly to the consumer, RyanAir recently altered their check-in model. Whereas online check-in was formerly linked to priority boarding and was a privilege to be purchased for 6 euros, they have turned the tables and made online check-in the free standard, with anyone needing counter service (namely to check in a bag) charged an additional 3 euros per flight. I was surprised this didn’t happen sooner.
The problem here is that online check-in is only available to certain groups: most significantly, only passengers with EU/EEA passports. American? Australian? Indian? Out of luck. You have to pay to check in. Even more abhorrent is that the BLIND must pay to check in. Are these forms of discrimination even legal? It seems to me one thing to charge people if they choose to check in at a counter or are checking a bag, but if other people willing to check in online don’t have a choice simply because the system isn’t set up to handle them (and for no good reason; other European airlines allow foreign passengers to check in online) . . . that is me paying a tax on YOUR stupidity, RyanAir.
I asked RyanAir counter staff on my last flight how this was possibly fair. One said in theory I could request a refund from the main office. I’m guessing once the money is in their hands I’m never going to see it again.
But be aware: this is a change they are taking a hard line on. RyanAir denied boarding to at least 9 fliers at Stansted Saturday morning when those passengers presented online boarding passes but did not have EU passports. RyanAir claimed their tickets had been falsified and were therefore canceled.
My only advice here for those in the excluded categories is to go for web check-in when you purchase your tickets BUT DO NOT USE IT TO CHECK IN FOR YOUR FLIGHT. Arrive with a bit of extra time and check in at the counter. Make them extract the money from you there, if they must. To tell you the truth, I’ve never had RyanAir charge me for last-minute services — like checking an unexpected or overweight bag. This option is legitimate, will not cost you more (than perhaps a bit of hassle at the airport, but it’s the principle) and may in fact save you the fee altogether.
I would love to hear comments or stories from anyone affected by this change. Thanks to SS for the tip.
Update 11/19/07: SS later spotted this on the RyanAir website:
Where a passenger is unable to avail of Online Check-in by reason only of not being the holder of either a valid passport or a National Identity Card, issued by the government of an EU/EEA country, any Airport Check-In fee paid will be refunded upon application.
I called RyanAir to clarify where one should apply to for refunds. That address would be:
Ryanair Refunds Dept
Ryanair Head Office
Dublin Airport
Co Dublin, IRELAND
You can also fax refund requests to Ireland +353 1 812 2130
You must include the following: Confirmation Number (e.g. ABC123), Full Flight Details - date/routes, Passenger Names
(Update 4/27/08: Student Scrooge writes that RyanAir further requested a copy of the non-EU passport’s front page.)
They will reply to the email address associated with your original itinerary. Refunds are made directly to the card used for booking.
The customer service agent I spoke to said the method I described above would also work. She recommended calling RyanAir before the flight to have them change the booking from online to airport (no cost) to avoid complications at the counter. You can reach RyanAir at the following numbers, though I recommend figuring out the cheapest way to call Ireland and ringing them at the “rest of the world” number to avoid high fees.
Related Posts: RyanAir
Thanks for this article. I am flying to Spain from Germany and, as an American exchange student, this cleared up some fog that the ryanair website created and will probably save me a headache!
In regards to your comment: “To tell you the truth, I’ve never had RyanAir charge me for last-minute services — like checking an unexpected or overweight bag.” You must have been extremely lucky, or clue us in on which airport(s) you routinely take.
I’ve never seen Ryanair NOT charge for extra bags or the first kilo of overweight baggage. I recently flew from Frankfurt Hahn to London Stanstead. In both directions all passengers with any overweight luggage (and there was a steady stream) had to leave the line with their luggage to pay the overweight charge. Each were given the amount to pay at the ticket office, and the paid receipt had to be provided again at the check-in line prior to receiving boarding passes. At 8 euro or 5.50 GBP for each portion of kilo over 15, my 4 kilo overweight baggage fee cost more than the original flight.
Another important item to note - Ryanair now also asks if you want to pay for “priority boarding” for an additional fee. As nearly everyone now takes it, if you don’t, you are guaranteed to have that wonderful middle seat. It seems to be the standard now, and anyone who doesn’t have it will have to wait to board until the looong line of those who did purchase it have already boarded.
Thanks for your comment, Cindi. Let me clarify where I think the difference lies: I NEVER TRAVEL WITH CHECKED LUGGAGE. The times I can remember checking a bag unexpectedly were 1) at London Stansted, when security and not RyanAir wouldn’t let my carry-on bag through (when I had to cram everything, including my computer, into one bag); and 2) at Milan Bergamo, when security wouldn’t let a large (but safe) metal item go in hand luggage. So I have checked bags only after having already gone through the check-in process; perhaps because it was a security matter, I didn’t have to pay either time. To be honest, my carry-on is regularly over 10 kg (though regulation size) and RyanAir has *knock on wood* never cared about that either. [To everyone reading this, RyanAir's official policy is that they can deny you boarding if your carry-on is overweight, so I am officially not recommending that you follow my example.]
You are correct that if you are traveling with checked luggage and put that luggage on the scale and it’s overweight, they will charge you per kilo overage. All other airlines will do the same for an overweight bag (the only difference being their limits are higher). I avoid the whole hassle by traveling “lighter” with a smaller bag and carrying it on myself. You can avoid such overage fees by toting another (foldable) bag along just in case and carrying on the four kilos yourself if necessary. Heck, for your 22 pounds / 32 euros, you probably could have found a cute carry-on bag at Stansted to transfer stuff into! Better that money go to Overpriced Airport Luggage Store than RyanAir, I always say.
As for your comment on priority boarding, it can no longer be purchased and is now an automatic and exclusive perk of online check-in. So yes, everyone who qualifies, prints out a boarding pass at home and carries on their luggage will now board the plane before you (luggage checkers, Americans and BLIND PEOPLE) too. You can see that they really REALLY REALLY want you to carry on luggage and eliminate the need for on-the-ground airport staff and support. (An absolutely short-sighted policy, in my opinion, as it simply puts more stress on airport security personnel, but I digress . . .)
And to the point of the post — booking web check-in and then checking in at the airport — I can report I had no trouble on my flight from Venice Treviso to Malta, even though I didn’t call RyanAir to change the booking in advance. I’ll report back after the return trip Tuesday.
Malta-Venice check-in was also trouble-free. They don’t even note any sort of discrepancy between check-in types. Can anyone else provide anecdotal evidence?
Another nasty trick Ryan Air does is to add back in the travel insurance, it took me 4 tries to book my flight. Each time i unchecked the travel insurance and each time it was automatically added back in. Another thing I found out is checked baggage is a fee PER BAG, for what ever reason I took two small bags instead of one big back and on the way back I was told I had to pay an extra 10£ for the privilege.
But I really shouldn’t complain as the whole trip including extra charges cost less than parking for the weekend.
[...] you can apply for a refund, but the burden is on you, the traveler. Lovely, as always, Ryanair. See here for the [...]
i am an american and accidently said i’d check in online. is there any chance i will get screwed out of getting on the flight (i haven’t checked in yet or anything)? or can it DEFINATELY be changed if i call them or just show up? thanks!
Hi Dave. I just took another two flights (Berlin-Stockholm-Berlin) with RyanAir, booking online check-in then checking in at the airport. They have not tried to get money from me nor have they even mentioned that I signed up for the “wrong kind” of check-in. The trick here is not to check-in online AT ALL, but to show up at the airport and check in as usual. If you’re really worried you can call the numbers I linked to above for reassurance.
[...] January 2008 by poetloverrebelspy A recent comment to an older post on RyanAir’s online check-in policies has me mulling over the obvious benefits of carrying on vs. checking luggage when you travel. There [...]
Find this article featured as a “great read” at eyeflare.
Quote by poetloverrebelspy “As for your comment on priority boarding, it can no longer be purchased and is now an automatic and exclusive perk of online check-in. So yes, everyone who qualifies, prints out a boarding pass at home and carries on their luggage will now board the plane before youPriority”
This is not the case, Ryanair have always allowed passengers to purchase Priority Boarding. Those who use the check-in counter (with or without bags) can chose Priority Boarding at the time of reservation for £3 per sector.
More details on this link.
Tobias, you are absolutely correct. I went through the purchasing process and didn’t see it offered (it is hidden until you select one of the “airport check-in with bags” options, which I never use). It is included “free” with online check-in, which is what I advise travelers to select in this post.
That said, paying RyanAir for “priority boarding” is a total waste of money, in my opinion — and whatever elitist cache it once had is muted now that there are hoards of people who get it simply for checking in online.
Hi, I’m trying to book a flight from Dublin to Rome and Ryanair seems like the cheapest way to go, but I am worried about selecting the Online check-in and then just showing up at the airport. Are you an American or non-EU resident poetloverrebelspy? I’m an American and would love to save the airport check-in and ‘priority’ boarding prices, but I don’t want to show up and have my reservation called fraudulent and have to buy another set of tickets.
On another note, I want to bring a carry-on bag with me and avoid checking it. It seems like Ryanair has stricter hand-baggage requirements than other airlines. Has anyone been able to check in a bag over the 20cm / 7.87 inch height? This seems pretty restrictive.
Thanks, and I like your the writeup here!
Thanks for your comment, Devin. I have a U.S. passport and have successfully flown (as noted above) between Italy, Malta, Germany and Sweden by booking online check-in, then checking in at the airport. I also flew the Germany-Sweden itinerary with a non-EU passport-holding friend, and she faced no problems either. As I wrote, the ground staff have never noted a discrepancy, probably because we must check in at the counter as a matter of course.
Here’s another way to think about this: even if you were an EU citizen who booked online check-in, but then decided later to check a bag, you would be forced to check-in at the airport, and the “worst” that could happen to you would be having to pay fees on the spot. It is always okay to go from online to airport check-in.
The essence of the post is a warning that non-EU citizens who try to check in online will not be allowed to board their flights. As I mention above, the way around this is to book the online check-in but to NEVER EVER use it. YOU MUST ALWAYS CHECK IN AT THE AIRPORT. Booking online check-in simply keeps RyanAir from collecting the money they would eventually have to refund you anyway. The only thing you “lose” is any claim to priority boarding — which, as I wrote above, is hardly a loss anymore.
If you are still concerned, you can book the regular check-in and apply for a refund. This post also details how to follow that route, if you so choose.
As for luggage, please remember that RyanAir’s policy is that they can deny you boarding at the gate if your luggage is too large or overweight — so I am never going to advocate that you try to fly with luggage that is larger than the dimensions and weight they advertise. You can read a longer discussion of this issue in the post Pack Less, Carry On, Save Money.
Hope this helps.
Hi,
We’ve never flown with ryanair before and dont expect to check a bag so have opted for the online check in
ON the return journey what then? will we need to find a net cafe and do online check in the night before on an early morning flight?
The website isnt helpful there either, all selecting the online check in icon does is take me to the check in!
Thanks
Hi Jenny.
If you read this page, you’ll see that you can check-in online between 2 days and 4 hours before your flight. You will also have to print out your boarding passes to present for security and at the gate.
If you can’t get to an internet cafe before your flight, you may still show up to check in at the desk and will be charged the airport check-in fee at that time (as they state on that page, currently £3/€4 per person). Save yourself time in line by proceeding to the RyanAir ticket/service counter and paying the fee BEFORE you go to the check-in counters.
Hope this helps.
Find some more anecdotal evidence on this topic at the Assistants in France bulletin board.
THANK YOU!!! We are travelling in June from UK to France, hoping to use Ryanair, six (four children) of us with US passports. I’m the one in charge of purchasing and would have skipped airport check-in and done online check-in to save money. This posting has probably saved a load of hassle for me and my family!
my father in law lives in dublin and is terminally ill - my husband had a ticket booked to travel back to the uk on 15th march - we were advised not to travek back that day as he was expected to deteriorate - i rang ryan air and asked if i could change the ticket under the circumstances - they replied - who do you think we are? SOCIAL SERVICES?
charming!
Wow,
I thought this might be an error on the Ryanair site.
My wife and I booked on the same reservation. She holds an EU passport and I hold a Canadian one.
Do you think if we show up at the airport and check in there, we will get charged?
How early should we show up for our flight?
Laurence,
If you are checking bags, you most certainly will be charged. If you only need to check one bag, have your wife do so, because . . .
if and when they charge you at the airport, YOU can apply for a refund (as a non-EU citizen checking in, no luggage), but YOUR WIFE (a an EU citizen traveling on the same itinerary with someone who must check in at the counter) cannot.
The only way to have avoided these fees completely is to book separately, your wife checking in online, you booking online check-in then checking in at the airport. (Even then they have the right to charge you the fee at the airport, but you have the right to request a refund.) This doesn’t always work out cheaper, however, if you book a flight with a per-booking transaction fee, currently something around 7 euros.
RyanAir counters close 40 minutes before the flight. I as a rule am always there 1.5 hours before the flight, planning to ride no later that the second-to-last train/bus/whatever that will get me there in time. Your wait in line will depend on the airports you’re flying through and the popularity of your given flight, something I cannot assess from the information given.
I have a flight booked from Stansted next month. I selected online check-in, but as I am under 18 (17) and travelling without an adult, the conditions state that I am not qualified to do so. I got away with it on easyJet last December, but I suspect Ryanair might enforce this rule more tightly. Do you recommend that I go to airport check-in, or take a chance that they won’t look at my d.o.b. too closely?
tim, I am never going to recommend you break RyanAir’s rules. This post is about how to obey the rules, making sure people don’t make costly mistakes in order to save a few quid.
Use airport check-in like you’re supposed to. Being denied your flight over this (agreeably stupid) fee would be pennywise and pound-foolish.
[...] my previous posts on online check-in and carry-on limits, I have perhaps failed to make the following point clear: in many respects, [...]
OK I’m a bit confused by something, you state that online checking is available only for EU passport holders and all others much stand in line. But I’ve NEVER had anyone check my passport at security. My wife who is a frequent traveler has had only occasionally show her passport at security. On my last trip Spain Germany Spain I was even asked to show my passport.
So how do they know if your an EU passport holder if they never check ID.
Regarding luggage I’ve flown with Ryanair a few times and have always checked a bag, biggest mistake was checking two small bags rather than one large one, that cost me 10£. Also I rarely have had my carry on weighted.
If you use online check-in, you still must show your ID of choice (for all non-EU folks, this will be a passport) twice: first, before you enter the security area, a person checks to make sure the name on your ID and the name on your boarding pass match; second, before you board the plane (or enter the boarding area, depending on the airport), the airline again makes sure the name on your boarding pass and your ID match.
This is a RyanAir issue, not a security issue. Security could care less whether you’ve checked in online. The point of the post is that RyanAir is taking a hard line by denying boarding to any non-EU passengers who have used online check-in, claiming that the blank left on the boarding pass when they are unable to choose a country from the pull-down menu results in a falsification of the ticket. This the airline verifies when you go to board the plane (or enter the boarding area).
As for why you and your wife can’t remember these checks, I have 2 theories: 1) because you are EU citizens you don’t travel with a passport and therefore this is a semantics issue or 2) because these checks have become such an integral part of the system, you have failed to register them as such.
To be fair I’ve only flown Ryanair a few times then I’ve always checked a bag. Usually I fly Madrid to East Midlands and then it’s to visit family and shop so I always check a bag (bring back loads of English tea). I have had problems because at the time I didn’t have my residency permit for Spain sorted out. (My Wife is EU but I’m Canadian). First time was at UK immigration and second time was at Ryanair checkin.
What a great post poet!
Just to harp back to online check in, with regards to the return flight as the lady asked earlier, do you know how it will be possible to check in online if I have no net access whilst away? I have printed off boarding cards for the outward journey, spent almost 3 hours trying to phone ryanair (not much help), my return flight is 7 days after my outward flight so I can’t do it at home, will I have to pay to check in at the airport on the way back, there are 6 of us! Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks.
Thanks for your comment, Del.
As I mentioned to the poster above, the only way to avoid the airport check-in fee is to check in online, from 2 days to 4 hours before your flight. I am certain that any destination you are headed to will have an internet cafe where you can get online for the 15 minutes you’ll need to check in your group’s reservation and print the needed boarding passes. Even a net cafe or hotel business center charging something outrageous like 10 euros/hour will still save you money over the 24 euros you would pay to check in at the airport. If you’re at a loss for finding computer access, a good place to start is the city’s local library. Generally shops catering to foreigners selling cheap international calls will also have computers with internet access available. If you still haven’t found anything, ask the city’s tourist information office to point you in the right direction.
hi, i am a college student travelling from rome to barcelona this summer. i want to purchase tickets through ryanair, and have found this post helpful but…
on the ryanair website when selecting online check in it says: “Please confirm you will present a valid EEA/EU passport or valid EU/EEA Government issued National Identity Card at the airport? (Driving Licence not accepted)” and gives the option of yes or no. i am wondering if i would select yes to this if i want to book online check in and then just show up at the airport. any help would be appreciated thanks!
Kevin,
This is the only lie you must tell in this process — you must check “yes” in order to avoid being charged up front. If you are uncomfortable doing so, then I recommend you pay for airport check-in and request a refund, as I outline in the post.
If you do choose to book it, as a non-EU passport holder, DON’T USE IT!
Thanks poet, looks like i will have to hunt out a net cafe then!! It seems totally absurd of ryanair not to let you print your return boarding pass at the same time as your outward bound one if you travel for more then 5 days, just more hassle, I will have to bribe and drag my kids away from the pool or pay up.
Incidently, I read earlier (on another site) where ryanair changed someone elses flight times by more then 2 hours, we booked last october for this trip, then last month they changed the time by 10 hours so we will effectively loose a day away, and they weren’t the so called 1p flights either, I had to accept the flight changes as we have booked accomodation, they said I could cancel the flights if I was unhappy, but I would only get a refund voucher - They said there is no other flight that day, so totally nothing I could do, even though the villa’s owner is very unhappy about having to let us into the property at 11pm!
I have to say I have never had these issues with Monarch or even the orange one, last year we flew Carcassonne to Stanstead and Ryanair didn’t even have sick bags, I had to use my handbag and a tissue as the pilot would not take the seatbelt sign off due to turbulence!
Monarch have a policy of getting those with kids on first and don’t charge you, they even lay on newspapers and earphones for the in flight tv which my children love and the cost of flights works out very similar to Ryanair.
Anyway thanks again at least I know now what I am instore for!
hi again…what are the size restrictions for carry-on bags for ryanair? are they about the same as other airlines? would a large backpack like this http://www.rei.com/product/733704?vcat=REI_SSHP_TRAVEL_TOC be acceptable? what kind of bag do you use poet lover? thanks!
hey, i saw in your article about packing light that some airlines allow you to have a purse or laptop bag in addition to your carry-on. do you know ryanair allows you to have the purse/laptop bag in addition to your carry-on?
thanks,
Bob from West Virginia
Kevin, all RyanAir regulations can be found in their FAQ known as “Travel Questions” at the top left-hand corner of their homepage. You’ll find their carry-on regs here.
A quick conversion of the bag you linked to shows it’s 55×35x22 cm, which is actually too large in the latter dimension. Now, I’ve never had RyanAir physically measure a bag, but they do have those metal carry-on guide thingies and in theory they could deny you boarding over it.
My newest suitcase is from High Sierra, a brand I am happy to recommend. I like wheels for city travel, but enjoy the flexibility of the backpack straps as needed (for running through train stations, for example). I use the expando to zip in my laptop so I have fewer pieces to keep an eye on when getting around town. Purchase High Sierra luggage inexpensively at Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or Sierra Trading Post.
I usually also tote a laptop in its own bag, a purse and perhaps a tote bag (usually food) as well. You can read about what I have in my many bags in this post.
You may also benefit from the post Bob refers to, “Pack Less, Carry On, Save Money.”
Bob, the short answer is: in theory, NO; in practice, YES. Officially, each passenger is allowed one piece of hand luggage. I regularly carry the aforementioned bags outside of my suitcase. As I mention in the packing post, often it comes down to looking in control of your possessions at all times — when checking in, when boarding, when loading your bags into the overhead. To be safe, you should leave room to pack those items into your suitcase if needed (as in UK airports, for example). I keep a careful eye at check-in and at boarding to see if/how the staff behaves towards other customers and react/repack accordingly.
Having spent 3 hours this afternoon trying to contact Ryanair on international & premium rate numbers due to a fault with their website when I tried to change my flight I recomend to everyone stay clear of Ryanair if at all possible. Unfortunately they use their financial muscle to bully out of the market any competition who try and compete on many of their routes so like me you may not have any choice. If you do choose to fly with them due to lower fares then prey you have no problems that involve having to actually speak to a real person because you will be S…t out of luck.
sorry to be bugging you so much, i just want to make sure i dont mess up and get denied boarding. i have two last (i hope) questions:
1) i booked my flight for ryanair to barcelona using online check in and they’ve given me a confirmation number. so as i understand it, i can use this to check up on review my flight, i just cant actually use it to check in for the flight, right?
2) i noticed that the bag you say you use is also too large in the depth dimension, but i’m assuming you are yet to have a problem with this and the concerns are in theory?
thanks so much for your help, this has been a ton of help considering i’m from the states and cannot reach ryanair through their customer support numbers like robert said
and would i reconfirm my flight times online 24-72 hours before the flight or does that count as checking in online?
1) Kevin, I have never reconfirmed a flight, so I can’t tell you what happens when you push the online check-in button. RyanAir sends you emails notifying you of any changes to your flight times.
2) That measurement for the bag must be fully extended (which is no longer carry-onable). Zipped shut it comes in at 20 cm. I cannot in good conscience recommend that you travel with anything bigger/heavier than they outline because you could very well be denied your flight if they chose to be strict. You break any rules at your own risk.
Even from the States, you can reach RyanAir at the “world access” number I linked to. Remember that their hours of operation are GMT.
BTW, I just noticed on the Check’n'Go page that online check-in has now been extended to 5 days before the flight. Baby steps, I guess . . .
Hello, thanks poetloverrebelspy, for all the information!!!
I’m going to Porto from London Stansted, with my argentinian passport. After all comments, I’ve decided to check in at the airport.
As my passport isn’t EU neither EEA, would I find any inconveniencies to board?
My hand baggage isnt’t fit the dimensions accepted for Ryanair (its 56 x 30 x 27), but I’ve used it as cabin baggage with British Airways without problem. If they wouldn’t accept it, do you think I’ll be allowed to board paying for it as non-cabin baggage? Or should I change my booking before for ‘carrying one item’? Thanks you!
This might explain why you’ve been waiting for a long time on hold . . .
Romina, you shouldn’t have any problems as a non-EU passenger — RyanAir only discriminates in their online check-in policy; everyone receives the same level of service regardless of nationality.
As for your luggage — trying to carry on too large a bag is a reason for them to deny you boarding. If you consider the costs of rebooking flights/hotels/transfers/whatever, it’s likely in your best interest to cough up the luggage fee. Doing so will make you have to pay the airport check-in fee as well. If you’re flying round-trip, it may make sense (and come out cheaper) to invest that money in a smaller suitcase rather than to pay RyanAir to carry it for you. Just a thought.
Travelling from shannon to london on thursday and returning on sunday. Can I check in both outward and return journey online? Website mention 2 day limie and also 5 days.
can any one confirm definately?
Maggie, as long as you have an EU passport, you can check in online for both of your flights. As I noted above, they recently extended the check-in to 5 days prior to your flight.
You should receive emails from RyanAir at the address you have registered with them notifying you that online check-in is available. And if the website lets you do it, then by all means — check in away!
[...] More information on Ryan Air’s online check-in (the free standard) vs counter check-in (3 euros) which is mandatory for non-EU citizens previously from Less Than a Shoestring. [...]
I am a Canadian citizen that booked a flight, from Paris to Dublin, as part of my European vacation this June. I booked online, got distracted and didn’t print, or write down, my booking code. I assumed Ryan Air would send an email confirmation, but have discovered they don’t. I can not reach anyone by email and all the numbers I have are not in service. Please lead me in the right direction to get my booking confirmation.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Marianne
Ive just gone to complete online check in and two of my daughters are listed as ‘mr’
Does anyone know if RYanair will consider changing ‘Mr’ to ‘Miss’ as a name change and charge us a large fee? Im really worried about it!
Hi, just got a couple of questions - do you think its possible to apply for the refund before you take your flight - or does it have to be after you’ve flown? Also, has anyone actually received the refund? Thanks!
Thanks for your comments.
Marianne, RyanAir does send an email confirmation. If you have not received it, I would consider that a sign that your booking did not go through. Have you been calling them at the “rest of the world” number (+353 1 249 7791)? They staff that line from 0900-1800 GMT, M-F only.
Jenny, I asked RyanAir staff at Stansted on Thursday about changing Mr to Miss — they didn’t think it would count as a name change. But don’t take their word for it! I would get an answer from their support line, using the number above.
Jo, you can’t apply for the refund before your flight. What if you didn’t show up or had to use airport check-in because you checked a bag? They won’t have all the details till you’ve flown.
Hi,
How do update your contact address online?
I accidentally put Uruguay instead of USA
and didn’t catch it until after the booking was completed
I can’t find anywhere on their website to update contact information.
Thanks
Dennis
“Ive just gone to complete online check in and two of my daughters are listed as ‘mr’”
I had this problem too. Went to checkin online and step-daughter was listed as Mr. Solution is to ring up cust servs (On a Sunday, this is a premium rate £1 a minute number), they will change it for you.
I think this is done purposely, as the female I spoke to told me that it had been changed before I asked her to change it.
Dennis, you can’t update that information online. If there are any changes to the schedule or other updates you should know about, they will contact you via email.
Since they never use it, I’m not even sure why they collect your physical address (except perhaps for credit card verification). If you are honestly concerned, call the phone number listed above to make the change.
I am an Australian citizen, so from reading the above I tick that I am an EU resident, and check online with 0 bags. then when i get to the day of the flight instead I go to the counter and check in. Cool, this has previously been confusing me for days. My question is I have a UK Debit Maestro card, it doesn’t seem to work for checking in? Even though there is a Maestro picture beside the payment type? Do you know why I can’t book with this card? I choose Visa Delta as the type and that was wrong.
You’ve got it, Lu. They may still try to charge you at the airport, however; if they do, follow the refund request info above.
From the RyanAir website: “Ryanair accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards and the following debit cards Switch, Visa Connect, Visa Debit Electron & Visa Delta for payment of your flights.
“Within Germany ONLY, we accept EURO ELV Direct Debit payments.”
It looks like Maestro (Mastercard debit) is not a supported form of payment. Anyone else booked with a UK Maestro?
We booked with a UK maestro, although as with everything Ryanair there was a fee!
The name thing was fine eventually. The full name as printed on the email reciept was on each boarding card we printed and no mention of miss, Mr etc
Our experience with Ryanair was excellent, we didnt have bags weighed nor measured( although they were within weight and measurement) and on the way out we’d noticed most people had a small bag with them in addition to hand baggage so coming back we did the same ( containing snacks and a book etc) and nobody questioned it.
Our flight was 30 mins aherad of schedule landing on the outbound flight ( to Gerona from Bristol) and 15 mins ahead on the return!
Id have no hestiation using them again, Id just caution people to know what it is exactly you are booking and paying for and why. If you wont use lots of baggage or could launder your stuff when away pack light and dont pay!! we met so many peeved people who had paid loads for baggage and they were the ones queing and queing!
Could I do airport check in in Ryanair once I have chosen online check in but not actually check in thro web?
I have booked a ticket from Paris to Milan. I chose online check in/web check in as I dont have any checkin baggage. But I am unable to check in online as my passport is not of any European nation( i am indian). i have a schengen visa. Please tell me if i could do airport check in now? Ryan air site mentions that for online check in, latest u should do it within 4 hours of departure.
Jenny, thanks so much for updating us. I’m in Girona as we speak! Hope you had a great vacation and glad to hear of satisfied RyanAir customers
Dheeru, you should only ever check in at the airport, no matter what you have selected online. They may or may not make you try to pay the fee there; you can follow the instructions above to get a refund if they do.
hi there! thanks for the great site! I’m actually leaving from Gothenburg city airport till Girona (where you are poet!!) I had learned a lot from this page.
One question I have here… Interesting… I am a non european citizen, having a resident permit to sweden so I hold a valid EU Identity card from Sweden…. but my nationality is not swedish, so I can put the card number for the online check in but I can’t choose the nationality, and it needs it to continue… should I choose swedish nationality and put my card number or simply go there?!! I don’t wanna be charged for nothing..
P.S. previous trips I was charged 3 euros in frankfurt hahn for not checking in online… but not in gothenburg city airport…
ok, i’m leaving :-s i didn’t online check-in I will return with what happed
Hi naderiano. I am currently on the road, so I cannot check email readily. You did the right thing by not checking in online. If you put Swedish in where you are not Swedish, that is considered fraudulent and you could be denied boarding. If this is still unclear to anyone at this point, NON-EU NATIONALS MUST ALWAYS CHECK IN AT THE AIRPORT.
As long as you were traveling with only carry-on baggage, you are entitled to a refund of any monies they have collected for airport check-in. Refer to the section above on where/what to send to RyanAir.
Another (personal) update: in Girona yesterday, they not only weighed my carry-on bag at the check-in counter, they also tried to get me to pay the 4€ fee . . . I told her I had called the airline’s hotline and they told me I would be fine, as they have to refund the money anyway — so she let it go. Since you know the rules and procedures, feel free to press the point before giving your money away; it might just get you off scot-free!
hi poet!!!!! thanks for the reply, i just back from girona to goteborg, this was the result:
in gothenburg they asked me to pay 40SEK, i said i am not eu, then she said, ok so you have to pay then we will pay it back to you!!!, i said ok. I went to the information to pay the money but she called the girl in the information and said that i dont have to pay, cause thats only for EU members to pay.
in girona they didn’t mention anything… (clever people :D)
well that was it, hope i helped with my experience….
Hi,
I know the dimensions for a hand lugguage is 55×35x22cms.
Can you help me, wht is the height, length and the depth here?
Also in reality are there any trolley bags that fit in these dimensions.
Many Thanks,
A
[...] there is the internet, which led me to the post “WARNING: RyanAir Online Checkin” over at Less Than a Shoestring. Apparently, to request the refund, which will go to the [...]
As a general rule of thumb if your not an EU passport holder than simply do an airport checkin. Voila problem solved.
I’m also a non EU and have a NIE (Spanish residency card) and am flying to the UK from Madrid in two weeks. I’m at the airport tomorrow so I will ask if my NIE is acceptable form of ID. I’m thinking it is.
Regarding carry on I have a simple trick that I’ve used for years. When checking in simply give someone your extra stuff, books DVDs what ever till you’ve checked in. Once you’ve got your boarding pass stuff it all in. Outside of the UK security doesn’t really care how many bags you have or what they weight. I’ve seen people bring though bags so big I wonder how they will ever fit them in the overhead compartment.
Secondly once your at the gate ask if you can check your bag.
I stopped in at the Airport today to enquire if my Spanish Residency card (I’m Canadian) is not an acceptable ID.
I think it’s unlikely, this being Spain that anyone will check my ID upon presenting my boarding pass, but rather than take a chance I simply booked another flight and paid the 16 euro fee, which I will apply to have refunded. I debated also simly changing it at the airport but it’s a 6.30am flight and it will mean two trips in line, first to check in and again to collect and alot of hassle.
Still the total cost of the (two) flight will be less than the cost of parking for the weekend.
Can’t complain too much other than the early start!
A.S., I’m not sure where the “here” is you’re referring to. You will have to check the current RyanAir dimensions at the site linked to in comment #35. In that comment and the ones following it, there is a discussion of brands of hand luggage that meet these requirements.
Rob, I’m not exactly sure why you bought a brand-new ticket, nor what 16-euro fee you’re referring to. If you had booked online check-in but not yet checked in online, you could simply have gone to the airport and checked in. Your earlier comment shows you are familiar with this?!
Also, what did they say about your residency card? Does your NIE have a photo and meet the requirements RyanAir lays out on this page?
Finally, as I replied to your earlier comment (#26), the ID issue is not a security one — it is a RyanAir one. It doesn’t matter which country you’re in, it matters which airline you’re flying. RyanAir agents will check your ID against your ticket at the gate, and it is at this point that they have denied non-EU passengers boarding based on the type of ID shown.
Ryanair keep moving the goal posts, friends of mine are travelling with their four kids aged between six and ten, they booked web checkin no bags, I was under the impression that children couldn’t use this option, but it would seem that they now can. Can anyone confirm this? I’ve tried phoning them, but it would be easier to speak to Gerge Bush or Gordan Brown, plus ryanair have no email address.
Words cannot express my appreciation poet!
I have a Hong Kong passport and have never traveled with Ryanair, and I have been planning to book tickets of Ryanair from Bremen to Budapest for weeks but that “only passengers with EU/EEA passports can check-in online” thing was confusing the hell outta me so I dare not book anything yet.
After carefully reading the post and all the comments above, I think I’m almost ready. So here’s what I think I’m gonna do in order to try to avoid the check-in fee:
1) Select [0 Bags & Online Check-in]
2) Tick [Yes] in [Please confirm you will present a valid EEA/EU passport]
3) Fill out all the details and finish the booking
4) Completely ignore the booking code they send me
5) On the day of departure, show up at the counter and ask for check-in
6) Fingers crossed
I hope this is the “right” (so much irony) procedure. Although I do have a few more Qs:
a) Do I simply go to the counter and say “I would like to check-in for the flight” (and then present them my passport/identification)? Or do I have to show them anything to prove that I am eligible to check-in at the counter?
b) I’m thinking, that in case they ask me to pay to check-in, I can argue that they’re gonna refund me the money so what’s the point of charging it now in hopes that the staff at the counter will surrender :-p Have you ever tried this? Do you think it might work?
So much questions! Sorry!
Thanks for your comments.
Irishtaxidriver, I am glad I am not the one flying with four young children! There is no reason that, accompanied by a parent, they cannot check-in online. Only related exceptions currently are for groups of 9 or more, passengers with infants and teenaged minors flying alone. Read more in the FAQ here.
jz, your rundown is correct, except that you should in fact note the booking code given, as sometimes they will request this with your passport when you check in at the airport counter. You will also need this code if you change anything about your reservation (like adding a suitcase).
You will check in at the counter just as you do for any other flight. There is no special procedure or “proof” necessary. It is possible to argue about the fee at the counter — please refer to comment #59.
Thanks poetloverrebelspy I’m glad I’m not going with them! They ‘re only going from BHD TO LPL for a few hours, it’s more for the flights than anything else, I’ve warned them to allow plenty of tme on the way back, as getting the next plane will be very expensive!
Hi,
My friends and I are planning to get from Bremen to Oslo on Ryanair and we are quite bothered about the “only passengers with EU/EEA passports can check-in online” thing.
You see, we are all holding Singapore and Indonesia Passports, but as we will be in Norway for 5mths, we do have a Norwegian Residence Pass. Is this residence pass a valid national identity card that Ryanair requires?
Thanks for your comment, TKder.
SS, the reader whose experience resulted in this post, had an UK residence permit. I hold one for Germany. These are NOT the same as an identity card. Within the EU, national ID cards replace passports for travel. If your permit is like mine, it does not stand on its own, but is instead included in your (foreign) passport.
The best way to “get around” paying the fee outright is described above; if they still make you pay, you have a clear description of how and where to request your money back there as well.
After booking a flight on Ryan Air, the confirmation has a section called API:
Important!
Compulsory Advance Passenger Information (API)
Ryanair are required to collect the passport or EEA issued National Identity Card details of all passengers departing from the UK, IRELAND, MOROCCO AND SWITZERLAND to Spain or the Canary Islands/Balearic Islands. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WILL RESULT IN YOU BEING DENIED BOARDING WITHOUT REFUND.
If I fill in this information (which appears I will have to), will they automatically charge me for Airport Check-In (I selected online) if I’m not an EU resident.
Thanks for your question, travelingfiend.
They will not, for two reasons: 1) they request the information after you have already completed your booking and 2) that information is kept separately from your reservation details, as it is security information demanded by the Spanish authorities and not the airline.
I can say anecdotally that on my trip to Spain last month, I faced no problems because of this extra data requirement after booking online check-in with a non-EU passport. Others are welcome to chime in with their experiences.
Enjoy your trip to Spain!
Irishtaxidriver… we travelled with three kids, we used web check in no porblems.
It says unacompanied teens cannot use web check in. unacompnaied children are not allowed at all.
Kids travelling with parents can check in online no problem.
Ryanair has another sneaky trick up its sleaves to rip you off.
I recentlly purchased a ticket in Euros with my American credit Card. They did a dynamic currency conversion into dollars without my authorization. I have a Capitalone credit card that has no foreign currency transaction fees. Ryanair ripped me off to the tune off $20 with their 5% conversion fee.
When booking tickets for a Ryanair flight (STN-DUB), if I select the “0 bags and online check-in” option (with the intent of later checking in at the airport, as my passport is US), another question appears, which says “Please confirm you will present a valid EEA/EU passport or valid EU/EEA Government issued National Identity Card at the airport? (Driving Licence not accepted)”. While I would like to avoid the charge and not have to go through the bother of trying to get a refund by post, providing a false answer to the above question seems like asking for trouble. Those of you who have successfully used the “book online check-in and then check-in at the airport” option, how did you answer the above question?
Incidentally, has anybody actually gotten a refund by post? How long does it take? Do they send you a cheque?
ednaxe, as I told Kevin above (comments #30/31), if you feel uncomfortable lying, then you are better off paying for the check-in up-front and requesting a refund as outlined in the post.
Further, the post also explains exactly how the money is refunded — it is credited back to the card you used to book the ticket.
Hi Poetloverrebelspy,
I am a Non-Eu, accidently bought 6 adults and 1 child ticket online from Cork-London Std, with online check-in (FOC). As I am a student in Ireland, I didn’t intend to lie, it is just that I didn’t aware about not having aa valid EEA/EU passport. I will be travelling with my family (they will be here for a vacation).
What should I do? My flight will be at 8.10 in the morning. Should I go there as early as 6am and pay for airport check in and inform them that I made a mistake of check-in online while booking?
Please advice. I appreciate it so much.
Oh I forgot. I bought a returning ticket from Liverpool to Cork. Will there be hassles as well for not check-in online?
Saya, I refer you to this section of the original post:
“Go for web check-in when you purchase your tickets BUT DO NOT USE IT TO CHECK IN FOR YOUR FLIGHT. Arrive with a bit of extra time and check in at the counter. Make them extract the money from you there, if they must. . . . This option is legitimate, will not cost you more (than perhaps a bit of hassle at the airport, but it’s the principle) and may in fact save you the fee altogether.”
If this is still not clear, please read comments #8 and #14.
Does anyone recommend getting the travelers insurance? What does it entail? It would be so much cheaper not to get it. Is it really necessary?
i’ve paid the £8 airport check-in fee (yess it’s not £4 for each journey!!! outrageous) and now applying for my refunds.
does anybody know how long it will take to actually get this refund? will i ever get it at all? thanks.
Purchase, you can read all about the coverage of the RyanAir travel insurance here.
More importantly, ANYONE WHO PURCHASED TRAVEL INSURANCE BUT DIDN’T INTEND TO CAN GET THEIR MONEY REFUNDED within 14 days of purchase (prior to the commencement of travel). The reimbursement details are for all intents and purposes the same as above, but you can read for yourself here.
Adeline, this appears to be how they refund everything, so be sure to check the statement of the card you used to book and let us know how long until your refund appears.
Hi what if we already check in on- line and printed out boarding passes? when we get to the airport should we just check in again or do we need to call and inform them of our mistake????
[...] May 2008 by poetloverrebelspy A question on the WARNING: RyanAir Online Check-in thread had me scoping out the insurance policy on offer from the airline when you purchase your [...]
Jessica, the RyanAir website gives no clear answer. On the one hand, you can make no further changes to your booking, but on the other hand, if your luggage is overweight, they can make you check in again and charge you the check-in fee.
Show up at the airport with plenty of time to check in and proceed to the check-in desks. The ticket agent will see you’ve already checked in; simply explain the situation and they should print you another boarding pass. I would guess that they may very well make you pay for check-in in this situation — and if they let you on the flight, I wouldn’t request a refund!
Has anyone say with a us passport who has purchased a ticket and opted for online check in to avoid the fee subsequentlky rung ryan air before they travelled to change their status to airport check in
if so - what happened
and who did they speak to?
am i right in thinking most people just turn up and say made a mistake!!
Hi poetloverrebelspy,
It seems that I made two errors and your opinion would be of great help.
1. I opted for online check-in but I am not EU/EEE national
2. I mixed up my family and first name
My flight is on May 27
sharonb, after that first call, I have simply checked in at the airport without problem. I mention the only exception in comment #59. Another reader adds his experience in #60.
Symon, if you read the post and the comments, you will see that it is possible to check in at the airport, even if you have booked online check-in. As for your name error, I am not sure whether RyanAir will count the correction as a name change (£80 fee). You will have to call the airline directly to answer that question. If they want you to pay, I’d look into booking another ticket — it’s probably cheaper!
Hi,
I think you did a really good job, thank you very much for all this information! My boyfriend (Moroccan with a Belgian residence card - or whatever it’s called) and I (Italian living in Belgium) have booked a flight to Rome with this stupid online check-in. I think I’m going to do as you explained, by I just wondered why you said that you NEVER have to actually check in online. What would happen if you did and decided to check in normally afterwards? Wouldn’t it work? You see, I’m just afraid they’ll tell us that our booking isn’t valid if we didn’t confirm it - even if we tell them that online check-in wasn’t available for one of us…
I hope I was clear enough!
Thanks again!
Hi Paola. In the original post, you’ll see that RyanAir is denying boarding to non-EU passport-holding passengers who have checked in online, claiming they have falsified their tickets. That is why a non-EU passport holder should NEVER use the online check-in.
Please read comment #14 for an explanation of why anyone can book online check-in but still use airport check-in. As long as you complete your check-in at the airport before the counter closes (40 minutes prior to your flight), you will not have any problems.
They will likely make you pay for airport check-in. As long as you are not checking luggage, your boyfriend will be eligible for a refund; you will not. The original post describes the process for claiming the refund.