WARNING - Ryanair 'online check in' farce

rag31

For goodness sake, we were there an hour before departure! Not half an hour! An hour!

And that statement is not a recommendation or instruction. A few years ago we went on holiday with a tour operator who opened check in the day before - I didn't take it as an instruction that we had to be there then! They stated that you had to be there 2 hours before as a minimum and that is what Ryanair should state.

cbrown372

Sorry, I was just pointing out that they do state that check in closes strictly 40 minutes before flight departure.

rag31

No, sorry for jumping down your throat.

I know it closes 40mins before departure - that's why we got there an hour before. We got the impression that bag drop off would be just that, and not check in by a different name.

Becky

Donnie

rag31 wrote: »

No, sorry for jumping down your throat.

I know it closes 40mins before departure - that's why we got there an hour before. We got the impression that bag drop off would be just that, and not check in by a different name.

Becky

Don't worry Becky, that's what helps make the world go around. Some people just see things.... differently.

mira666

rag31 wrote: »

No, sorry for jumping down your throat.

I know it closes 40mins before departure - that's why we got there an hour before. We got the impression that bag drop off would be just that, and not check in by a different name.

Becky

But the baggage drop desks are not check in by another name.........

In some respects, Ryanair have bought this whole scenario on themselves, they bring in the self service check in desks (those silly little kiosks) but didn't make passengers booking aware. so even now people still queue up for the bag drop / visa check desks and want to check in.

But i do agree that they are woefully undermanned for what they are, I tended to fly on the 9.45pm flight to Prestwick so would aim to be at the airport no later than 8pm and there would still be 30 or 40 people queueing for the 3 desks that they have open. and even at that late hour it took 15 mins to get through security, have known it to take over an hour before now.

best advice that I can make to anyone travelling Ryanair is don't! but if you have to then make sure you are at the airport 2 hours before and just treat it like a regular flight.

M4RKM

rag31 wrote: »

No, sorry for jumping down your throat.

I know it closes 40mins before departure - that's why we got there an hour before. We got the impression that bag drop off would be just that, and not check in by a different name.

Becky

I was taking an internal flight in the USA once, and you have to be there 15 minutes before departure at the gate (so a bit more generous than ryanair, but that is quite standard in the US)

I still got to the airport an hour and a half before departure, as i knew the security queue is always reasonably long at the airport, and i got to the gate only 25 minutes before, and the flight had just started boarding.

queues for security can be an hour long at some airports, so you're already cutting it fine for an international flight, and if you had got to the airport when you did on that flight i was on, you would have missed it anyway!

the times ryanair and ALL AIRLINES quote are the VERY VERY MINIMUM with no queue.

PolishBigSpender

rag31 wrote: »

I know it closes 40mins before departure - that's why we got there an hour before. We got the impression that bag drop off would be just that, and not check in by a different name.

What are you talking about?

Ryanair operate bag drop desks. They aren't 'check in' desks - you must check in online, and pre-print the boarding pass. You can't print a boarding pass at these desks, it must be done elsewhere.

As far as Ryanair goes, conventional check in facilities will be gone and dead by the end of the year.

rag31

You may think that queueing up with 25 other people, and having your boarding pass, bags and passport checked prior to boarding is a 'bag drop off point' but I think it is more similar to a check-in desk, albeit with one document printed off beforehand.

Let's agree to disagree shall we. I say tomato you say round red fruit with little seeds.

Becky

PolishBigSpender

rag31 wrote: »

You may think that queueing up with 25 other people, and having your boarding pass, bags and passport checked prior to boarding is a 'bag drop off point' but I think it is more similar to a check-in desk, albeit with one document printed off beforehand.

The point is that those of us who are capable of travelling without checking in hold baggage don't need to queue up like that. I fully expect that if Ryanair can do so, then the 'bag drop' service will become completely automated.

Pollycat

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

The point is that those of us who are capable of travelling without checking in hold baggage don't need to queue up like that. I fully expect that if Ryanair can do so, then the 'bag drop' service will become completely automated.

PBS
but the point HERE is that the OP DID have hold luggage and so DID have to queue up 'like that'.

If nothing else, the OP's experience may have helped other people from falling into the same trap and thinking that dropping off their luggage is a quick process.