article_detail

Ryanair has announced a shake-up to its check-in process that means some passengers will need to arrive at the airport a little earlier than they're used to. From November 10, the airline is bringing its check-in closing time forward by 20 minutes, moving it from 40 minutes before departure to a full hour before the flight.

 

The change applies to all airports in Ryanair's network, including those across Spain, and covers both check-in desks and baggage drop-off.

 

According to the Dublin-based airline, the idea behind the move is to give passengers more breathing room to get through airport security and passport control, cutting down on the number of people who end up missing their flight because they're stuck in a queue.

 

It's worth noting that the change will only really affect those who are checking luggage in. According to Ryanair, that's roughly 20% of its passengers. Everyone else, the 80% travelling with hand luggage only, won't notice any difference. Those passengers can still check in online before they even leave the house and head straight to the boarding gate when they arrive at the airport.

 

Ryanair is also rolling out more self-service baggage kiosks across its network, with over 95% of airports set to have them in place by October. The kiosks let passengers check in their bags and print their own luggage tags, which should help speed things up and keep queues moving.

 

On the subject of luggage costs, Ryanair currently charges between €18.99 and €59.99 for a checked bag of up to 20kg if you book it online, or between €33.99 and €54.99 if you pay at the airport. If you need a bit more room, a 23kg bag is available to buy online only, priced between €29.99 and €80.99 per flight.

 

As the airline points out, all checked bags must be handed over at the desk before you go through security and will travel in the aircraft hold. If your bag tips over the weight limit, you'll be looking at an extra €13 per additional kilo.