Ryanair cuts free check-in window to just four days

glider3560

cowboy wrote: »

The argument about finding internet cafe to print out the boarding pass - yes you can do that but there's added time, effort and cost.

This can be a lot more difficult than people make out.

Long before the boarding pass app, I was staying in a small village on Ibiza, relying on public transport. Only three buses per day to San Antonio. Went into town on the first bus of the day, but all the internet cafes were closed (hungover people land). Had to wait until the afternoon until one opened (which meant wasting the best part of a day), who charged €2 to use the computer plus €1 for each printout.

The hotel refused to do any printing for us, even if we paid.

cowboy

glider3560 wrote: »

This can be a lot more difficult than people make out.

Long before the boarding pass app, I was staying in a small village on Ibiza, relying on public transport. Only three buses per day to San Antonio. Went into town on the first bus of the day, but all the internet cafes were closed (hungover people land). Had to wait until the afternoon until one opened (which meant wasting the best part of a day), who charged €2 to use the computer plus €1 for each printout.

The hotel refused to do any printing for us, even if we paid.

Yes, exactly.. It's not always easy. I can hardly find internet cafe anywhere these days....

fifeken

cowboy wrote: »

The boarding pass app is a good idea, but limited only to EU passport holders, so no good for me as I'm not European. Why they have such limit, I have no idea.

Non-EU passport holders may require a visa for many of their destinations, so they want to see this before a passenger goes through airport security to the gate area.

cowboy

fifeken wrote: »

Non-EU passport holders may require a visa for many of their destinations, so they want to see this before a passenger goes through airport security to the gate area.

Make no sense because I could still check-in online and print the boarding pass without showing them my visa.

glider3560

cowboy wrote: »

Make no sense because I could still check-in online and print the boarding pass without showing them my visa.

My understanding is that this methodology reduces time at the boarding gate, as visas do not need to be checked. It also means that they don't have to train the gate agents about visas etc, just the person at the document check desk needs the training.

cowboy

glider3560 wrote: »

My understanding is that this methodology reduces time at the boarding gate, as visas do not need to be checked. It also means that they don't have to train the gate agents about visas etc, just the person at the document check desk needs the training.

I understand, but my point is... no one is checking my visa anyway even without the boarding pass app. I could still check-in online and print my boarding pass online, so why am I not allowed to use the boarding pass app as it serves the same purpose as online check-in/printing boarding pass?

If you don't check-in online...well airport check-in is a hefty £45 by Ryanair.

fifeken

cowboy wrote: »

I understand, but my point is... no one is checking my visa anyway even without the boarding pass app. I could still check-in online and print my boarding pass online, so why am I not allowed to use the boarding pass app as it serves the same purpose as online check-in/printing boarding pass?

The printed boarding pass is endorsed by the visa checker. They can't do that with a mobile boarding pass.

No endorsement on the boarding pass and a non-EU passport means you will be refused boarding at the gate.

cowboy

fifeken wrote: »

The printed boarding pass is endorsed by the visa checker. They can't do that with a mobile boarding pass.

No endorsement on the boarding pass and a non-EU passport means you will be refused boarding at the gate.

Not sure what you meant by a visa checker .... or the difference between a self-printed boarding pass vs a digital copy of the boarding pass. Anyway, the bottom line is... the boarding pass app is not available to everyone so it's not an option (at least for me).

fifeken

cowboy wrote: »

Not sure what you meant by a visa checker .... or the difference between a self-printed boarding pass vs a digital copy of the boarding pass. Anyway, the bottom line is... the boarding pass app is not available to everyone so it's not an option (at least for me).

Have you ever flown with Ryanair?

Here is the explanation from their own website which may help clarify what I was trying to say.

https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/faq-overview/passports-and-visas/im-a-non-eu-eea-passenger-do-I-need-extra-travel-document-visa-check

cowboy

fifeken wrote: »

Have you ever flown with Ryanair?

Here is the explanation from their own website which may help clarify what I was trying to say.

https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/faq-overview/passports-and-visas/im-a-non-eu-eea-passenger-do-I-need-extra-travel-document-visa-check

Hmm.. I've flown with them once to Italy and didn't do this. I wasn't aware of it either... Presumably this isn't new?