29 April 2008

Ryanair hikes bag and airport check-in fees

Ryanair is to further hike fees for checking in at the airport and for carrying luggage in the hold.

The no-frills carrier has pledged to further increase the fees until half of all passengers use the internet to check-in.

Rates will rise from May 5 from Ã&#pound;6 to Ã&#pound;8 for checking in baggage while the airport check-in fee will go up from Ã&#pound;3 to Ã&#pound;4.

The no-frills carrier claims the increases are part of a drive to increase the number of passengers checking in online.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœRyanair encourages passengers to avoid these charges altogether by travelling with our 10kg hand luggage allowance and checking in on-line,Ã¢â¬~ a statement said.

A spokesman said: "Forty per cent of Ryanair passengers currently avoid queues at both check-in and boarding by availing of our free web check-in service, and this increase in baggage fees will result in fewer checked in bags and more passengers changing to online check-in.

"Online check-in is faster, more efficient and costs Ryanair less,Ã¢â¬~ he admitted. Ã¢â¬ÅâœThere is no doubt that it is the future for air travel.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe will continue to increase baggage fees until half of our passengers check-in online, which will allow us to reduce check-in and handling costs and pass on these savings to our passengers in the form of Europe's guaranteed lowest fares.

"Ryanair will continue to drive down the cost of travel by reducing its average fare (which includes baggage and check-in revenues) in 2008 and guaranteeing the lowest fares on every route."

by Phil Davies

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Your Comments (13)

Don't use Ryanair

I used them once three years ago and got left in Slovakia without much explanation... Nothing Ryanair does surprises me these days... I for one will not fly with them so if you want ot avoid these charges please consider doing the same and believe me you will feel better for it

By Stephen Lacey, Friday, May 2, 2008
Inclusive Charges

I agree that we should be able to compare prices - the OFT should require all airlines to show the price which includes: the fare, all taxes, 1 bag in the hold, any check in fee, the debit card fee (which if booking 7 or 8 passengers can be very high as it is per pax per sector). It should also be made clear if refreshments are included. Lastly when using the web site you should have to opt into buying travel insuarnce and not have to opt out!

By Stephen Brook, Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Back Door Increases

David Price makes an excellent point with which I concur wholeheartedly

By Ian Wiseman, Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Back door flight increases

Ian Wiseman is correct.Ryanair offers my company the opportunity to take groups away at a reasonable price. However what we all must disagree with is the way they hike there prices by the back door. We have to explain to groups where the extra costs are hidden.Why not be up front with everything as they are being asked to do by the industry watch dogs and I am sure their prices would still be competitive.

By David Price, Wednesday, April 30, 2008
You read it here first!

I fully expect Ryanair to install coin-operated locks on the toilet doors and to be the world's first carrier to weight passengers and surcharge those above average... ...if you would like to rent a seat belt or life jacket for this flight, please contact a member of the cabin crew!

By Mike Stones, Wednesday, April 30, 2008
If you dont like it dont use them!

Why do people continue to moan and groan about Ryanair's pricing model? If I do not like the colour of a pair of shoes I buy a different pair - maybe from another shop. If I dont want to fly with Ryanair I fly with someone else. Even ten years ago hardly any of the folks now moaning about Ryanair pricing would have even considered flying on the route concerned because the traditional carriers (if operating the route at all) would have been charging much much more than Ryanair's average prices today or in the foreseeable future. If you don't like Ryanair or their pricing - dont use them!!

By Ian Wiseman, Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Please Let Commom Sense Prevail

We are a family of four who simply want access to our holiday home in Murcia, 3 times a year. We are always going to need hold luggage as one does, and have always done, when one goes on holiday. We have watched the queues at Murcia Airport when returning home with another airline, and watched with sadness, when it has become blatantly obvious that the flight boarding is Ryanair. The queue and ground staff are all anxious and there is a bitter atmosphere with passengers hell bent on jostling their way to the front. Our first experience with Ryanair was to be charged nearly &#pound;200 in excess baggage at Murcia Airport two years ago when we, as a family, booked on to the flight with two cases weighing 57kg, in spite of the fact that our booking conditions clearly stated that, as a single booking, we were allowed to pool our baggage to the tune of 60kgs. WE did get our money back after sending a fax to Ryanair after taking legal advice, but by then the damage had been done. Why don't the low costs treat their customers as humans, and with respect. The feeling I have when I book with low cost airlines now, is that they are constantly trying to find ways to trip me up in an effort to get more money out of me. It is but three years since I travelled with my low cost carrier and had three separate items at check in that contributed to my total luggage allowance of 20kgs. Happy Days.

By John Brownlie, Wednesday, April 30, 2008
RIP OFF RYANAIR!

Ryanair has found yet another way of squeezing more money out of its customers! Not content with the speedy boarding charges, already charging passengers to check in and pay for luggage, they are going to increase the cost!! Ryanair needs to address the issues others have commented on, before just raising their prices. Where ever I can I avoid using Ryanair and will continue to do so!

By EMMA CHAMBERLAIN, Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tip for Gordon

Yes, dodgy booking system. Even if you select and pay for on-line check in for one out of two passengers when you book, you can't actually do it and end up paying at the desk. (Trading Standards anyone?) Make two separate bookings for you and your wife. You will then be able to behave independently.

By Talan Borkett, Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Plane Crazy

Come on Ryanair sort it out. Scheduled airlines permit you to check in online whilst having baggage why can't you? Do you really think that travellers really wish to pay scandalous check in charges and luggage charges if they could travel without luggage and check in online? The fact is there are many people who need to carry luggage with them, we are not all travelling alone with rucksacks or business people with briefcases. Some people have families, some people are going for more than a couple of days, you fly the routes you should know. Allow people to pay rip-off charges for luggage if you have to but sort out your systems and drop off desks at the airport so that they can still check in. Stop using these ever increasing rip-off charges to hide the true cost of flying with you just because OFT finally stopped you advertising non inclusive prices. I hope OFT takes action like it has threatened to stop the hiking of extras that many of us demand and want to be included in the price that we see. I wish someone would enforce that all airlines must include one piece of luggage on all short haul flights with a standard weight in their prices and that all customers have the option to remove that if they wish to. Let's see a level playing field. Where will you stop Ryanair to make the customer experience worse than it already is?

By Steve Norris, Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Easier said than done

I recently booked Ryanair flights from Prestwick to Stansted and on to Trieste for myself and my wife, travelling with one hold bag between us. The system would not allow on line check-in for my wife even though she would only have hand luggage. Sounds like another piece of fancy footwork from Ryanair.

By gordon ireland, Tuesday, April 29, 2008
hand luggage space

Obviously this is another way to hike up prices. Has anybody travelled on Ryanair in winter when the overhead lockers are full with cases and winter coats so how will they manage once everybody just takes their full allowance of hand luggage? Luggage stored on seats?

By David Price, Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ryanair checked baggage

How does Ryanair expect men to carry hand luggage only - are we to buy new shaving foam (standard size containers are over 100ml), nail clippers, scissors etc at our destination. These items aren't allowed in cabin baggage so we have to check bags in! Maybe they could speak to the government about these stupid regulations about liquids in hand luggage then they'd reach their on-line checkin target. I'm sure they understand traveller's frustrations and are simply milking the situation while they can.

By Malcolm Tinning, Tuesday, April 29, 2008