Ryanair has announced a significant change to its check-in and bag drop procedures, affecting millions of passengers who travel with the airline. From November 10, passengers who wish to check in bags will need to arrive at the airport earlier than before.
New Deadline for Bag Drop and Check-In
The low-cost carrier, which operates flights from Birmingham, has extended the closure time for check-in and bag drop services to 60 minutes before the scheduled departure. Previously, the deadline was 40 minutes. This change applies to all airports served by Ryanair.
Reason Behind the Change
Ryanair stated that the aim is to provide passengers with more time to pass through airport security and passport control queues. The airline noted that a small number of passengers currently miss their flights due to being stuck in these queues. By extending the check-in deadline, Ryanair hopes to reduce the number of such incidents.
Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dara Brady, explained: “From Tuesday 10 November, Ryanair customers will see airport check-in and bag drops close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, instead of today’s 40 minutes. This will allow these 20 per cent of our customers who check in a bag more time to clear through airport security and passport queues, and get to their departure gate on time, especially during busy travel periods when some of these airport queues can be longer.”
Brady added that the 80 per cent of passengers who do not check in a bag will be unaffected by this change, as they can continue to check in online and proceed directly to security and their departure gate.
Self-Service Kiosks Installation
In preparation for this change, Ryanair is installing self-service bag drop kiosks at over 95 per cent of its airports. This installation is expected to be completed before October, allowing passengers to check in and drop bags more efficiently.
Historically, when Ryanair began operating jet aircraft between the UK and Ireland, the check-in deadline was just 20 minutes. The new rule represents a significant shift in the airline's operational procedures.
Ryanair competes with other carriers such as Jet2, Easyjet, and TUI, and remains a popular choice for UK tourists traveling abroad, especially during the summer season.
