MSE News: Ryanair flyers face £60 fees thanks to web shutdown

Flyboy152

I really find this on-line check in thing to be quite odd. The point of "checking in," is to establish how many people have turned up for the flight. If you can check in up to three weeks in advance, how does that establish how many people have turned up for the flight?

Louisdf

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I really find this on-line check in thing to be quite odd. The point of "checking in," is to establish how many people have turned up for the flight. If you can check in up to three weeks in advance, how does that establish how many people have turned up for the flight?

Its because a lot of countries (UK and Spain at least) all passengers have to submit API information (passport number, name etc) before they fly. Also, it allows Ryanair to cut costs as they don't need to print out thousands of boarding passes every day

Flyboy152

Louisdf wrote: »

Its because a lot of countries (UK and Spain at least) all passengers have to submit API information (passport number, name etc) before they fly. Also, it allows Ryanair to cut costs as they don't need to print out thousands of boarding passes every day

A small piece of paper can't cost that much, surely. Passports are scrutinised and verified when you are at the check-in desk anyway. So, if for any reason one doesn't print the boarding pass out at home, how can they justify the cost of penalising the customer at the airport?

Louisdf

Flyboy152 wrote: »

A small piece of paper can't cost that much, surely. Passports are scrutinised and verified when you are at the check-in desk anyway. So, if for any reason one doesn't print the boarding pass out at home, how can they justify the cost of penalising the customer at the airport?

Its to dissaude people from not printing off at home, although we all know Ryanair's real motive is profit.

callum9999

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I really find this on-line check in thing to be quite odd. The point of "checking in," is to establish how many people have turned up for the flight. If you can check in up to three weeks in advance, how does that establish how many people have turned up for the flight?

That isn't what check-in does - you can check in at the desk and never get on the plane as well (hence why in some airports you here the constant "Can Mr Brown please proceed urgently to gate 6" etc.!).

To determine how many people are on the flight the Ryanair staff count the number of boarding passes they have at the gate, and then a cabin steward will walk through the plane and physically count them.

Relying simply on the check-in number would be a highly irresponsible act.

Flyboy152

Louisdf wrote: »

Its to dissaude people from not printing off at home, although we all know Ryanair's real motive is profit.

But surely such costs are penalties?

Flyboy152

callum9999 wrote: »

That isn't what check-in does - you can check in at the desk and never get on the plane as well (hence why in some airports you here the constant "Can Mr Brown please proceed urgently to gate 6" etc.!).

To determine how many people are on the flight the Ryanair staff count the number of boarding passes they have at the gate, and then a cabin steward will walk through the plane and physically count them.

Relying simply on the check-in number would be a highly irresponsible act.

Don't be daft. The point of check-in, in the past, was to establish if the right people had turned up at the airport to get on the aeroplane. How many "Mr Brown's" have to be called for each flight? Historically, if the number of tickets sold, exceeds the number of passengers turning up for check-in before the desk closes, the seats are offered up for stand-by.

Surely it is more irresponsible to rely on check-in details that are three weeks out of date.

callum9999

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Don't be daft. The point of check-in, in the past, was to establish if the right people had turned up at the airport to get on the aeroplane. How many "Mr Brown's" have to be called for each flight? Historically, if the number of tickets sold, exceeds the number of passengers turning up for check-in before the desk closes, the seats are offered up for stand-by.

Surely it is more irresponsible to rely on check-in details that are three weeks out of date.

Ryanair doesn't overbook flights so the number of tickets sold can't exceed the number of seats available. They don't offer standby seats either - if you don't turn up for the flight, your seat stays empty.

What exactly are they relying on these "three week out of date" check-in details for? All the in-flight calculations etc. are done on the number of people who go through the door and onto the aircraft - I can't think of any reason at all why they would need a more accurate on-the-day number (and again, you can easily check-in at the airport desk and never get on the flight as well).

callum9999

Flyboy152 wrote: »

But surely such costs are penalties?

Well yes, they are. Ryanair operates on a penalty scheme for behaviour they don't like (checking bags, checking in at the airport etc.). I didn't think that would be news to anyone? (Whether it's technically defined as a penalty or not).

Flyboy152

callum9999 wrote: »

Well yes, they are. Ryanair operates on a penalty scheme for behaviour they don't like (checking bags, checking in at the airport etc.). I didn't think that would be news to anyone? (Whether it's technically defined as a penalty or not).

They cannot impose penalties, that would be unlawful. The cost of printing out a boarding pass is a small percentage of what they charge. I am not sure whether this has ever been challenged in the courts, but if it were, going on some recent cases, it might not work out very well for them.