Stansted transfer, Ryanair to Ryanair without re-check in?

Polvo

Does anyone know if its possible to do the following:

• Fly Ryanair to Stansted (in my case from Spain, just with hand luggage)
• Transfer to a 2nd Ryanair flight (eg to Germany) WITHOUT going through customs and re-checking in

Now that you can print your own boarding card I imagine that this is possible but I'd love to hear from someone who's tried it!

blackeberg

Can't be done at present as you have to come out and go back through security. You're correct that you would wouldn't need to check in again if you used the online facility.

You would probably need an absolute minimum of 40 minutes from leaving the plane to make this possible and that assumes that there is no queue at the passport control. This is variable and in my experience can take anything from 1-30 minutes. There were some nightmare stories about much longer queues over the last bank holiday weekend.

Engadine

Never tried it and don't know anyone that has. In theory it should be possible but it is Ryanair we are talking about so nothing is ever easy and straight forward. Only suggestion I can make is to call Stansted Airport and ask

Polvo

I think its more to do with the layout of Stansted than Ryanair's procedures. As I said I'd already have the boarding pass printed-out.

Takecareofthepennies

Unless things have changed very recently, arriving passengers in Ryanair's part of the terminal are channelled towards baggage reclaim and exit without any airside transfer facility. So your idea is probably a no-go, but might still be worth a call to the airport or to Ryanair direct.

Engadine

Think it will be a bit of both, I know you would have the boarding card printed. Minimum transfer time at most airports is 75 - 90 minutes, I would ensure that you have a decent amount of time between flights as blackeberg mentioned the queues to go through security at Stansted can be horrendous. It has been known for people to take 2 hours to get through

Coupon-mad

Polvo wrote: »

I think its more to do with the layout of Stansted than Ryanair's procedures. As I said I'd already have the boarding pass printed-out.

It may be more to do with standard Security procedures, as most airlines use a security firm who have to follow certain rules. If you phone, make sure you ask about whether check-in and whether security procedures would have to apply, as it may be necessary for one but not the other IYSWIM. Check-in staff might know the check-in rules but not the Security rules.

peterbaker

Interesting idea! I wonder if general security airside at Stansted is up to the task of stopping you!

Obviously there are a number of areas where only a sheet of glass separates Ryanair inbound from Ryanair outbound passengers ... I would say the weakest point of security if this practice is supposed to be prevented is probably soon after you get off the aircraft where only the Ryanair stewards near the door off the Apron are potentially able to stop you trying to follow any route signposted "Flight Connections". I am not convinced that all areas (that's all three main sub-terminals or satellites) are set up for any Flight Connections anyway, so might be the luck of the draw.

Alternatively I vaguely recall there are one or two "Flight Connections" signs in the main terminal immediately before you join the passport queue? Now that might be the area most policed too ...

Otherwise I would guess it's possible purely because I bet they don't budget for the manpower or the physical security to truly prevent it. If you were of an 007 mentality I think it is already sometimes possible to get off one flight and immediately to mix, on the apron, with people getting off another. Stretching that a bit, I think you could talk your way into another plane also recently arrived by saying you'd left your bag on it or some such. But that doesn't really help you unless you physically know where on the airport your next plane is standing!

I think you are expected to follow the herds OP! How dare you get ideas like this:-)

bagand96

From Ryanair.com:

Can I book a connecting flight with Ryanair?

No.Ryanair is strictly a 'point-to-point' airline. We therefore do not offer, and cannot facilitate, the transfer of passengers or their baggage to other flights, whether operated by Ryanair or other carriers.You should therefore not book onward flights with Ryanair or indeed with any other air or surface carrier.

Ryanair accepts no responsibility for making connections and therefore will not be liable for any losses or expenses arising out of any failure to achieve a planned connection.

As peterbaker said, it could perhaps be done, but its not allowed. Therefore you would run the risk of potentially getting into trouble. I can't speak for Stansted, but all the transfer desks I've ever seen are manned, so if Stansted is the same you are going to come up against someone at some point anyway. Now, they *may* let you throughas your already checked in, but I doubt it as rules state you have to go through security.

As you've only got hand luggage and you already have a boarding pass, will it really take much longer to go out and straight to security? (I have no idea never flown from Stansted?)

peterbaker

bagand96 wrote: »

As you've only got hand luggage and you already have a boarding pass, will it really take much longer to go out and straight to security? (I have no idea never flown from Stansted?)

I agree you might get into trouble (well they probably won't shoot you but...depends how tetchy they are the day you try it!)

But in answer to the last question from bagand96 - yes, at Stansted, you may be some time.... :-(

(a good fifteen minutes in a queue for passport control is not unusual, 5 minutes to get out and round to departures security, and goodness knows how long to walk away from security to find the end of the queue leading in!)

Edit: ... but if you are late and/or brazen, (brazen females far more likely to get away with it...doh!) maybe you can use your charm to talk your way to the front of the security queues on the way back in ... I have seem more an more people apologising profusely but shortcutting the "maze" in security because they think they are later than you are:-)

mad_rich

Polvo, did you try this, and did you have any luck?

I want to try the same thing. The Stansted Airport website suggests it's possible to stay airside, but when I phoned them they said there is no connections facility.

I imagine there are plenty of people who this applies to - there must be loads of us who are taking the risk of a domestic flight to connect at STN.