Ryanair announces free web check-in to reduce queues

Ryanair, Europe’s largest international airline, today (Friday, 24th August 2007) announced new incentives to encourage passengers to use Ryanair’s “Check’N’Go” web check in service, while at the same time discouraging passengers from checking in bags or using airport check in queues.

Ryanair’s web check-in service will be entirely free and enables passengers travelling with only hand luggage to avoid airport check-in and go straight through security, cutting out the queues and overcrowding which are now commonplace at many airports.

With effect for new bookings made from Thursday, 20th September onwards:

- Web check-in will be free for passengers travelling with hand luggage only* and will also include free priority boarding at the departure gate.
- Passengers who do not avail of free web check-in will be charged £2/€3 for using airport check in facilities
- **Priority boarding will be made available for purchase online as well as through the existing sales points - call centres and airports for a fee of £2/€3 per person

Announcing these new incentives for passengers, Ryanair’s Peter Sherrard said:

“Ryanair’s web check in and priority boarding service has proven very popular among passengers by freeing them from check-in queues and departure gate queues. However clearly charging for this service has acted as a disincentive. We expect that providing this service free of charge (with Ryanair’s generous hand baggage allowance of 10 kilos) will significantly increase usage.

“From the 20th September 2007, all passengers making new reservations on Ryanair.com will have the option to select the free web check-in and priority boarding service. Passengers who wish to travel with checked baggage will be subject to a small fee to reflect the cost of airport check in desk facilities.

“Also from that date all passengers not using our web check service will be able to purchase our **priority boarding service on Ryanair.com as well as the existing call centre and airport ticket desks. This will make it much easier for passengers, particularly those travelling with families, to purchase our priority boarding service.

“These new measures will, we believe, encourage more and more passengers to travel without checked in baggage and use Ryanair’s free web check-in and priority boarding service. These passengers will do so entirely free of charge, whilst avoiding the check in queues and being among the first to choose their seats onboard.

“Our web check-in/priority boarding service is undoubtedly the way forward, and with Ryanair’s combination of lowest fares, more flights, best punctuality and now, free of charge web check in and priority boarding, passengers have never had a better deal on Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline”.

*Certain passenger restrictions apply see online check in website for details.
** Passengers with special needs who have pre-advised Ryanair of their condition are not required to purchase priority boarding as seats will already be reserved onboard and they will be boarded after general boarding has been completed.