Ryanair to totally abolish check-in desks

[Robert Wood]

Ryanair has confirmed it plans to close all of its airport check-in desks by the end of the year in a bid to reduce the cost of its flights.

From the start of 2010, all Ryanair passengers will need to check in online in order to confirm their flights.

Officials at the Irish airline said that by reducing its costs at airports, savings would be passed on to passengers through lower fares.

The carrier said that 75% of its passengers already checked in online.

Spokesman Stephen McNamara said the airline saw the move as the "logical next step" in an effort to pass on savings to passengers through reduced fares.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told the Daily Telegraph that passengers will be able to leave their luggage at a bag drop but otherwise everything will be done online.

"Ultimately, we want just one in five people to check in luggage," he said.

The carrier said that 97% of passengers booked online already and 75% used the internet to check in.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7903656.stm

[Sarah C]

Interesting but logical move. You would hope that airlines end up with both online check in and kiosks as the way to check in - while most tickets are booked on the net, not everyone can get access to a computer (and printer) within the time of thier flight. Internet connections also go down as well - you just hope they keep kiosks for those who don't have access to the net within 24 hours of thier flight.

[Rich W]

"Officials at the Irish airline said that by reducing its costs at airports, savings would be passed on to passengers through lower fares."

Don't know how much lower you can make fares when they are only 1 pound!

[Simon L.]

And now, they are thinking of charging 1-pound for using the toilet onboard (Reuters news at http://en.carnoc.com/list/10/10051.html)

If these get the go-ahead, I think some consumer groups will soon jump on Ryanair!!!

[Rhys Xanthis]

Pay toilets.

BUDGET airline Ryanair is considering charging passengers to use the toilet on its flights.
Chief executive Michael O'Leary said the no-frills Irish carrier was looking at the possibility of charging £1 ($A2.20) to enter its on-board lavatories.

"One thing we have looked at in the past, and are looking at again, is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door, so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny," he said.

"I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound."

Mr O'Leary defended the idea, saying the airline was always keen to find ways of raising "discretionary revenue" to keep airfares down and train stations often charged 20 pence ($A0.45) to use their public toilets.

Ryanair has a reputation for its high ancillary charges. Passengers have to pay extra for such things as check-in luggage, most card transactions and refreshments purchased on board its aircraft.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25117948-23109,00.html

What do you guys think about this? Personally, I think its pretty ridiculous...its not like there are high fuel prices about, and surely with their low low fares, ryanair cant be hurting too much (if at all) as a result of the economic situation.

Personally i almost never use the lavatory on board an aircraft because the longest flights i ever do is usually 4-4.5 hours across the country.

[Andi O]

I'd hate to be hit with a case of "Bali Belly" on board. Could cost a small fortune!

Discriminating against passengers with a weak bladder!

It would cost me 50 pounds 'cause my kids are always needing to "go" when on an aircraft!

What about the mile high club!!! Makes that prostitution when you start paying for it doesn't it?

:):):):):)

[Owen H]

Are they abolishing check in desks, or "rebranding" them bag drop desks?

They will have to have kiosks to allow passengers to check in at the airport (although they will probably charge $1 for the privelege!)

They still have to have staff at a bag drop, who will check your ticket, and a customer service desk. It costs nothing, and takes minimal extra time, for the bag drop person to quickly check you in, and thats why I think its just more of a name change. Reduce the number of desks to scare people into checking in online.

Personally, I still don't understand the advantage of online checkin for an airline... I far prefer the kiosk idea. At least then you know that your passenger is at the airport, and can start allocating standby seats far earlier than if you wait until door close time to find out they never got out of bed in the morning!

As to charging for the toilet... a publicity generating exercise. They won't do it, as one passenger choosing to use a bottle rather than pay for the toilet will be incentive enough!

It makes me glad I don't have to work for these loonies though!

[Anthony T]

The check in desks at Stansted are already gone, It's online or kiosk and 2 bag drop desks.

The bag drop desk will not check you in, when they had airport check in there was a desk allocated to each flight, computers were not used, your name was just crossed of a list, and they wrote your name on a boarding pass which was pre printed with the flight number and IATA destination code.

There are no standby's on Ryanair, they couldn't care less where you are at departure time, if you are not on the plane, they won't come looking for you, they just go.

Anthony T

[Owen H]

I'd have thought that an airline like that would want standby full fare so they can always leave full.

Without it.. sure, just close the doors and go.

[Erik H. Bakke]

Wonder if you can pre-book a visit to the "other" seat, or if they will offer a premium service where you can go straight to the head of the queue.
Gives a new meaning to "business" class, doesn't it?

[Al.B.SYD]

Interesting but logical move. You would hope that airlines end up with both online check in and kiosks as the way to check in - while most tickets are booked on the net, not everyone can get access to a computer (and printer) within the time of thier flight. Internet connections also go down as well - you just hope they keep kiosks for those who don't have access to the net within 24 hours of thier flight.

Ryanair actually have a 14 day prior departure on-line check-in time period.

[Ash W]

...

Personally, I still don't understand the advantage of online checkin for an airline... I far prefer the kiosk idea. At least then you know that your passenger is at the airport, and can start allocating standby seats far earlier than if you wait until door close time to find out they never got out of bed in the morning!

As to charging for the toilet... a publicity generating exercise. They won't do it, as one passenger choosing to use a bottle rather than pay for the toilet will be incentive enough!

It makes me glad I don't have to work for these loonies though!

I am with you on the on-line/kiosk check-in thing for people with bags. It makes sense though for people with carry on though. What savings does it actually give? BA at Heathrow T5 (and Dublin) seem to have gone this way, people are expected to have checked-in online or use the kiosk then go to bag drop.

With the toilet issue I saw the interview with O'leary or what ever the Ryan Air's CEO is called and it seem to me to be a joke that has been quoted and taken well out of context.

[Steve Crook]

Most of my flyng is done with cabin baggage only and I check in online. Occasionally, when I do have luggage, I have checked in online (I like the seat selection aspect of that) then used the "drop bags" counter. My observation of that though has been that on more than one occasion the queue at the "drop bags" counters were way longer than at the regular check-in counters. So that does indicate that many more people are checking in online, but the time saving aspect of that at the airport seems to be reducing as more and more people do this.

[Graham B]

The 'pay to use the loo" suggestion seems like a S_ _T HOUSE idea to me:D:D:D

Benjo