The European airline known for its cheap fares and creative charges — such as a “fat tax” and charging passengers to use the loo — has come up with one concept that will make flying for Americans less expensive.
Dublin, Ireland-based Ryanair is implementing a mandatory online check-in system that will cost each passenger 5 pounds. That is a saving for American passengers, who previously could not check in online and had to pay 10 pounds at the gate, but a new charge of 5 pounds for European Union passport holders, who until now have been able to check in online for free. The new system takes effect Wednesday.
“There were a number of different passengers (from non European Union countries) who weren’t able to check-in online previously,” said Stephen McNamara, Ryanair’s head of communications.
Americans were among those passport holders who could not check in on the carrier’s Web site. That meant waiting in lines to check-in and forking over more dough to talk to a check-in agent.
Now all Ryanair passengers will be able to provide their passport numbers online, and will only have to show up to the airport an hour ahead of time because the line to check in will be eliminated. They will also be able to answer the usual security questions, such as ‘Did you pack your own luggage?’ — on the Web, McNamara said.
The move is also expected to cut gate costs for the airline, McNamara added.
Doing business online is becoming more and more popular in the airline industry, but whether other carriers will mimic Ryanair’s new check-in system is unclear, said David Henderson, manager information for the Association of European Airlines. Ryanair is not a member of the association.
A lot of people are booking online nowadays but the idea of getting rid of check-in desks all together is unlikely, Henderson said.
“The airlines we represent have a strong culture of customer service and the check-in is a strong part of this. I can’t say that this will always be the case,” he said.
However, Henderson said Ryanair “have a particular way of doing things, which gets the attention of other airlines.”
He noted that Ryanair pioneered charging passengers for in-flight food and beverages and for checked luggage. Charging for luggage has caught on with larger American carriers, but not with the bigger European airlines, he said.
The British media has also been abuzz with some of Ryanair’s other ideas, including its proposals to implement a “fat tax” for larger passengers and to charge passengers to use the toilet. Neither has been implemented.
