Ryanair to abolish check-in desks

[raffele]

I know this is already being discussed deep in the Ryanair forum, but for the benefit of those who can't find it (search didn't bring it up just now), and generally for SLF discussion:

BBC NEWS | Business | Ryanair to abolish check-in desks (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7903656.stm)

What do people think? Is it going to affect you, or are you not really bothered? I don't travel with Ryanair, but it wouldn't really affect me as I'd always check in online. However it does seem to me that there's no allowance made for those who have trouble checking in online, or for those who can't check in online for whatever reason.

There's also no mention of kiosks at the airport - I might be wrong, but I thought Ryanair had self check-in desks?

[UniFoxOs]

Don't care about Ryanair as I don't plan to ever use them since they decided to rig up the a/c for mobiles. I always check in on line when I can, though, and wish more airlines would offer it. There are odd occasions when you can't, for some reason - what happens then??

UFO

[eastern wiseguy]

I had a look at RYR and thought that it suited my purpose. I noticed that I could check in online free. My wife however(non EU citizen) did NOT have that option and as such we would have to pay.........EI have no such silly rule.

[BladePilot]

As usual with these guys, ill thought through cost cutting ideas will cause inconvenience to some of their existing 'loyal' customer base. Anyone who is travelling the FR network and who requires a VISA for certain countries will be inconvienced as Eastern Wiseguy discovered such passengers have to present themselves at a point normally before security (example a check-in desk) in order to have their travel documents checked by a representative of the carrier so what will FR do now with these passengers?

This is just another FR idea/plan to cut costs and avoid paying airport operators or handling companies any fees associated with check-in desks and any associated infrastructure, the thin end of the wedge some may say.

Interesting that there is no mention of the numbers of jobs (in hundreds) that will be lost as part of this initiative!

So FR want you to check yourself in, carry no baggage what next? will you have to serve yourself onboard refreshements? wouldn't be surprised if they installed vending machines in the galleys and coin operated slots on the toilet doors. Where will they stop? reckon they won't be happy until they have you flying the aircraft yourself and the only FR employee left sitting alone in Dublin HQ will be MOL himself to be sure:)

[Avman]

I never fly RYR so I don't care what they do - as long as other companies don't follow suit! I too check in on line when ever possible, but it's not always the case. I presume that they will at the very least have self check-in terminals at the airport as an alternative option. I trust there will be a member of staff to assist the senior generation who, to a large extent, remain computer illiterate.

[dicksorchard]

I travel with Ryanair over 30 times a year and have done for the last 5 years and truthfully have never had a problem with my actual flights.

( all cancellations where strike or weather related and i was either re-routed or given my money back )

The luggage thing has peeved me off for years tho but in a way that i would be one ogf the passengers whose life will be made easier by their descision not to have check in desks .

I have a grandson and he still needs his pushchair . My daughter although only travelling with hand luggage always has to stand in the check in line and pay for the privelage of checking in the childs pushchair ! although the pushchair is carried free because my daughter has to que up in order for it to be tagged she gets charged and personally its an incovenience , especially when all of us can check in online .

I for one have never taken libertys with my free 10kg of carry on although i have had a few difficultys at the gate in Girona ..over vigiliant measuring of hand luggage ..so im a bit curious as to how its going to work on that score ?

passengers turned away at the gate ? more hassle me thinks .

Maybe you will have print off tags for pushchairs & wheelchairs and then again disabled people will still have to travel so surely there will be ryanair operatives at the airports ..

personally i love ryanair ...im flying to Palma in april for 4 nights from Liverpool £3.50 then i have to be in alicante for 3 nights so fly from Palma to alicante for 1 euro and then back to Liverpool from Alicante at a cost of 22 euro ...so in english pounds aprox £26 for the 3 flights with great times ..no taxes .

my itinery with other Airlines was in exess of £250 flyin from manchester .

so say what you will ...i will fly ryanair as long as they give me the service and prices within my budjet and so what if they dont have check in anymore ...

if it works brilliant ...plus its good business practice if it saves the airline money

dont know what all the fuss is about .

[PAXboy]

eastern wiseguyI had a look at RYR and thought that it suited my purpose. I noticed that I could check in online free. My wife however(non EU citizen) did NOT have that option and as such we would have to pay.........EI have no such silly rule.Not quite so. Last August, I had no choice but to use them from Sweden back to STN. My travelling companion has a non EU passport. The process is that you check at the counter so that they can check your Visa, then you go to the ticket counter to get a refund of the check in fee. It's a slight hassle but it ensures that FR see the Visa and you don't pay.

To the subject in hand (and I do think it warrants a thread of it's own, probably merging later) I think this move will cause ENORMOUS troubles. I expect LOTS of pax to be inconvenienced by it but even more so the staff.

Regulars in this forum may recall that I hate FR and only use when there is no choice BUT that I am huge admirer of their business approach to extract every ounce of money from the word 'Free' and to use every act of jiggery-pokery and PR that ever was, and then invent new ones!

For FR this is a highly risky move and the benefits of not paying staff shifts the problems elsewhere. The airport staff are going to be VERY annoyed when pax say, "The system won't let me on but I have a valid code and have paid for my case and ..." The kind of problem that an airline rep (direct or agent) can look up on the system and ten seconds later can give them a good reason for being rejected or can accept them for carriage ... all gone.

The airport staff are going to take the brunt of this and I think that any FR airport is going to watch carefully for what happens at the first terminal that has the agents withdrawn.

It is true that, with the recession, plenty of pax will fly with FR and each year's new set of 18 year olds wanting to explore the world will gladly subject themselves to FR. But - this is going to cause huge troubles for a lot of pax, a lot of airport staff and, ultimately, FR. Perhaps I can sketch the adverts about six months after the withdrawl of agents??

We have always tried to save you, dearest customer, money and our innovative move to save you having to speak to a mere human and save us/you more money has come under some criticism.

Accordingly, we are restoring the agents and know that you will appreciate the 25% increase in fares over and above what they were before. But, we are always respectful of what out customers want. If you want agents - you got em and you pay for em.

[eastern wiseguy]

Paxboy....well I never!

I must say that I never noticed the "refund" option before.

I must say though that it adds a "b*ggeration" factor that is really not neccessary. Thanks for the info:)

[The Real Slim Shady]

Check in desk lady - powered by a couple vodkas the night before and toast and cereal with a cup of coffee in the morning.

Check in kiosk - powered by 240V AC.

Take away breakfast and last night's vodka - check in desk lady still works.

Take away 240V AC - chaos.

[RB Thruster]

I have flown many times with FR and my daughter is CC for them. They are usually cheap and reliable, and I for one have never had or seen any problems before during or after the flight. The pre boarding scrum leaves a bit to be desired, but that is usually because the ground staff couldnt care less. Accept them for what they are..no frills, and if you are flexible, very cheap!

I arrived at STN last month for a flight to Austria, (cost £150 for 2 return including 2 x baggage and a set of skis) and all the check ins in that zone were via self service check in, with a single bag drop. It seemed to work, not much of a queue to drop off bags, the only issue was that new arrivals did not understand what was happening until a staff member arrived and started telling everybody how it worked. after that it was easy and smooth.

Time at the self service check in machine was about 20 seconds! BA and Lufthansa to name 2 majors having been introducing this sort of thing for years, I don't see what the problem is. :ugh:

[PAXboy]

That's a happy set of stories RB Thruster. You then say,... did not understand what was happening until a staff member arrived and started telling everybody how it worked. after that it was easy and smooth.The problem is the time that the check in does not work and, now, there will be no member of staff to make it 'easy and smooth' To quote you further, :ugh:

[RevMan2]

Ignoring any kiosk hardware reliability issues, power supply interruptions or airport WAN glitches, it's unlikely that Navitaire (Ryanair's IT provider) is guaranteeing Service Levels significantly in excess of 98%.

30 days*24 hours*60minutes*2% = 14.4 hours of tolerated outages per month.

Even 99.9% reliability (which is fairly realistic and achievable) equates to 72 minutes a month which - Sod's Law being Sod's Law - will affect your operation at its most vulnerable pinch point at the most inconvenient time imaginable.

It may appear on the surface that Ryanair has no contingency plan.

They do.

If there's chaos in the terminal because people can't check-in/drop their bags, they'll claim that it's an issue beyond their control.

Simple as that

[EastMids]

Time at the self service check in machine was about 20 seconds! I don't see what the problem is.

Thing is, if you take Ryanair's words at face value, there will be no self service check in machines either.

Quote from the BBC item "Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told the Daily Telegraph that passengers will be able to leave their luggage at a bag drop but otherwise everything will be done online"

A

[PAXboy]

Machines cost money, naughty, naughty machines. := On the positive side - they will not be affected by power outages and software problems but on the negative side, there will be zero place for the pax to go for help. It will be interesting to see how this pans out and I do NOT mean that in a nasty way, FR really may have something here.

[davidjohnson6]

This is just another FR idea/plan to cut costs and avoid paying airport operators or handling companies any fees associated with check-in desks and any associated infrastructure, the thin end of the wedge some may say.

BladePilot - I understand what you're saying, but one can look at things in a different way.

An airport terminal is basically a big open-plan building that can be subdivided into a few major sections. If there is less need landside for space for check-in desks, then the barrier between landside and departure lounge could perhaps be moved, to enlarge the departure lounge and possibly also security areas, and thus potentially increase the terminal's capacity, with minimal capital expenditure. Even better, the enlarged departure lounge means more retail shops can be added, giving the airport operator a chance for extra revenue.

Since the airport fees charged to airlines show up as an item in the ticket price, the game for an airport operator is all abou extracting the maximum revenue per passenger passing through the airport, whilst also maximising the number of passengers passing through the existing building in a given period of time

[Michael SWS]

Even better, the enlarged departure lounge means more retail shops can be added, giving the airport operator a chance for extra revenue.Even better? Do you really think that increased retail revenue will lead to lower airport charges (and, eventually, fares?).

[davidjohnson6]

Ryanair abolishing checkin desks means a saving in costs for Ryanair, but a loss of revenue for the airport.

The 'Even better' part in my post was to show how an airport owner / operator could see this change as an opportunity and make some money out of it, rather than seeing it purely as a loss of check-in desk rental income. The extra rental income from the retail units should at least decrease the need for airports to raise their fees, so one could argue that fares might not increase as fast as they would do otherwise.

Whether extra retail shops in a departure lounge is a good thing for passengers on environmental grounds is worthy of a completely separate discussion.

[BladePilot]

davidjohnson6
Interesting thought process you follow there and I do agree that there are many ways to approach issues and challenges that's what makes life so much fun.
Here's an interesting story for you to consider:
Representatives of a well known Low Cost Carrier (LCC) attend a meeting with the management of a large international airport to discuss a deal which would see the LCC begin using the airport. Much negotiating is done regarding the fees, landing, parking, nav, passenger etc.. The LCC knowing that the Airport Operator is very proud of their new airport shopping mall then drops the big carrot.
They explain that compared to A N Other carrier, the example used being a full service flag carrier their seats are so much cheaper, in fact they are as cheap as a pair of jeans!
A PowerPoint presentation explaining how this difference is achieved is shown to the Airport Managers who by now are almost salivating in anticipation of what's coming the slide highlights all of the so called 'freebies' offered onbaord by the flag carrier which in fact are not free but are actually basic components of the standard fare. Remove those and Hey! Presto! we arrive at the LCC's 'cheap as a pair of jeans' fare, magic;)
The presentation then goes on to explain that by taking the other carriers standard fare and comparing it with the LCC's fare there is a substantial saving for the traveller, no really? well I never!
So then the hook and bait are cast out. So Mr Airport Manager the traveller now has a pocket full of cash that he/she has saved by buying a seat with us so what does that mean for you? Yes Mr Airport Manager you got it in one they'll have more money to spend in your big shiny shopping mall!
And so to conclude the meeting we're all agreed then that you the Airport Management company will pay us the LCC to bring passengers to your airport because they'll be spending more money in your mall, great lets shake hands on that:ok:

The reality is that the majority of travellers who were buying the LCC seat did so because they couldn't afford the other carriers prices so they didn't actually have the 'spare cash' to spend in the airport shopping malls it was all a sleight of hand trick executed with panache by the LCC boys to achieve their goal which was the lowest possible airport charges. If they achieved zero charges that was a bonus and if they managed to get the airport to agree to pay them for 'delivering' shoppers to their sparkly malls then well that's was just the icing on the cake.

The dynamics of fare structures and airport charges can be pretty complex. If an Airport Operator cannot achieve its financial targets using one method of revenue generation it will turn to another. Retail, especially in a reccesion, is too volitiale a revenue stream to be wholly relied on. True to say that less infrastructure such as check-in desks should mean less CAPEX and OPEX but you can't get away from it completely and the Airport Operators will find someway somehow to cover their costs, as does any other business.
I'm all for CUTE airports which offer passengers a choice of methods for check-in and baggage drop but at the end of the day someone has to pay for it and that someone is the passenger.

[big.al]

If all check-in will be online, with they be extending the period so that people can check-in further in advance? Jet2 allow check in up to 4 weeks prior, but the FR website says the limit is 14 days (which must have been extended because last time I travelled it was only about four days).

If going away for a couple of weeks it's tricky to be checking-in for the return flight on the same day you are departing!

[PAXboy]

big.alIf going away for a couple of weeks it's tricky to be checking-in for the return flight on the same day you are departing! Not to worry. All that space that was taken up by check-in desks? The airport managers will be renting it to people running Internet Cafés selling online time at a premium charge in increments of 15 minutes. :}

Considering BladePilot's summation of the LCC approach (not all LCCs, of course) one of the things that you see now is that some LCCs are changing airports. Perhaps this is the business model:
Get paid to deliver pax on new routes (or near to zero cost)
Build the route
Demand more subsidy for the extra pax
If none arrives, move the route and start againThere will be a limit as to how many times you can do that but, if I'm right, it's a plan that is working.

[Hobby Flyer]

I think Ryanair should be congratulated in their initiative. They are delivering millions of customers to shopping centres attached to airports, and should be paid by these shopping centres for delivering customers who will use the shops, car parks, bars and restuarants.

It can cost more to park in dublin or cork airports for two days then the cost of a flight with Ryanair between the two cities.

[Scumbag O'Riley]

Just found a funny clause in their FAQs

Ryanair.com - FAQS : (http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=pid&quest=photoid)

A valid driving licence with photo is acceptable photo ID for travel on domestic flights. (Please note that driving licences are not accepted when passengers are using online check-in)

Then went to T&C's where it says you need a passport to use online checkin. Bit of a silly one, anybody been turned away at the gate?

[Hobby Flyer]

A guy in front of me was stopped recently in the q at Cork trying to board teh dublin flight. He hadn't his passport with him. He explained that he had checked in online, and that he had entered his passport details at that stage, but hadn't brought his passport with him. he had his driving licence with him. They sent him back to the check in desk. This happened at the gate, I presume the check in desk charged him for checking in again.

(Many Cork people would like to have to use a passport when travelling to Dublin ;) )

[Scumbag O'Riley]

Surprised he had time to complete their trivial formalities and get on the flight, I suspect he missed it. They don't normally open the gate until very shortly before they depart, and checkin would almost certainly have closed, in my experience. If I had missed an important meeting or lost out in some other way I would be writing to Ryanair demanding compensation.

[PAXboy]

You would be writing Scumbag O'Riley and they would not be replying - OR paying! RYR really are very smart and I am sure that text books have already been written about them. Periodically, each line of business gets a complete upheaval which might be due to 'disrupting technology' such as the PC or just because someone implements new work practises as RYR have done. In the airline world, the last big upheaval was Freddie Laker and he was grandfather to RYR (as there was another generation of LCCs between them).

In all likelihood, it will be another 20 years from now before another upheaval of this magnitude happens in the airline biz. So you might as well enjoy this one. :p

[Scumbag O'Riley]

I totally agree PAXboy, they wouldn't reply. But I would have a recorded delivery letter which I would use to demonstrate that I made the effort before I took it further. Then they would have to pay more.

I happen to think Ryanair are a brilliant airline. Of course their peer group are not particulary impressive so it's easy to stand out. Well, apart from their rip off credit card charge, that has cost them a few flights from me.

Just because they are a good airline doesn't give them the right to mess you around. If their stupid procedures cost me money then I would expect them to compensate me. Just like any other business out there.

[ImPlaneCrazy]

News from LTN says that Ryanair have been in talks with the airport about these self check in desks and the airport have said no unless other handling agents can use them as well!

Would FR really operate both check in kiosks and check in desks (real people) across their network?

[WHBM]

In the airline world, the last big upheaval was Freddie Laker and he was grandfather to RYR (as there was another generation of LCCs between them).
Do read up on your history, Paxboy.

Laker started and built up his initial business doing holiday charters from Gatwick and Manchester just like other operators of the time, indeed it was exactly what he had done as MD of British United. So no upheaval there.

Laker's basic transatlantic Skytrain model, once started, didn't work well and was not emulated. Laker themselves changed it several times towards mainstream airline standards, started to take advance reservations, and in the end had a premium cabin at the front. An upheaval, or familiar stuff ?

Then megalomania set in and Laker thought he could offer as much capacity on some routes (eg UK to Los Angeles) as the established carriers, he went out and bought huge fleets of DC-10s and A300s which were all financed instead of bought from capital, that either ran three-quarters empty or sat unused through the winter period, ate up all his cash, and was finished. Is that a model to follow ?

Strangely, for an amateur in the business compared to the long-term airline boss, Richard Branson had a much better idea of how to develop an airline than Laker ever did.

[groundhand]

The days of check-in desks are numbered.

Look at the airports that currently offer self check and self bag dispatch. These systems work and, coupled with on-line check-in, remove the cost and uncertainty of the check-in agent. The modern systems, when backed with stamd-by power for unscheduled outages, are extremely reliable and the cost of some one to re-fill is a lot less than to man a check-in desk.

EZY went for 100% self check-in at EMA about 3 years ago and have a good number of airports now working self check-in.

Once the CAA in the UK approve self bag dispatch systems you will see the market move again.

There will always be a need for a human interface but this will be a much lower level that commonly seen at airports today.

Good airport infrastructure investment in self operate systems will give big paybacks in the years to come.

GH

[PAXboy]

Thread drift ...

Yes, WHBM, I accept that Laker did not get it right first time but I contend that he was the disruptive force that made change possible. Here is a parallel: Which company pioneered the Personal Digital Assistant? Apple with the Newton started in 1989 but most people know the Palm Pilot from 1996. Apple made the breakthrough PDA (the disruption) but could not carry it off.

However, at the same time as Laker was trying to break the mould, there was a disruptive technology that would change everything - the wide bodied airliner. First the 747 but the 767 is often considered to have made an even greater impact as the first adaptable long haul twin.

(Sorry TS, we should probably be in the history forum with this!)

[WHBM]

Back to Check-in

Whatever is the point of check-in in the first place ? Pax have documentation from web reservation, just go straight to gate. Take any bags there rather than half a mile back in the terminal - this also gets round those checked-in with bags in the hold but still in the bar when the gate closes.

[Seat62K]

Wasn't this pretty much what it was possible to do at US airports in the days when members of the public could meet arriving passengers at the gate? Wasn't it called "gate check-in" or something similar? I recall seeing chutes down which luggage could be sent. Perhaps my memory does not serve me well and the latter were for standby passengers....

[racedo]

Seat62k

You are correct as remember being shocked that non travelling passengers could go right to the gate. The shute was there but everybody seemed to be carrying it on board.

Think it was Philadelpia where one of the best restaurants in the area was airside and had a huge business with majority of it coming from non SLFs.

Post 9/11 the business folded as its customer base ceased to exist.

Then again in many US airports McDonalds were paying more per hour than Security checkers.

[Seat62K]

Ah, Philadelphia. It's been years since I passed through (at least eight) but I have fond memories of the rocking chairs which made waiting for my connecting US Airways' flight quite relaxing....
(Off topic. Apologies!!)

[BladePilot]

FR have been pushing to have passengers carry their own bags to the gate for as long as I can remember. The argument being that if folks travelling on trains, coaches or ferries can do it why can't those flying do it? The + for FR would mean even fewer staff and less equipment needed and they would also be able to leave passengers who are late to the gate behind without fear of falling foul of the security requirements surrounding unaccompanied baggage on board because in effect there shouldn't be any if this process was adopted.
Allowing passengers to carry their one hold baggage to the gate isn't impossible but introducing this process would be complicated in UK airports and the majority of airports throughout Europe because they are designed around the principal of passive in line hold baggage screening (100% HBS). To redesign and re-fashion airports to allow passengers to carry (or trolley) their bags to the gate would costs Millions upon Millions and who do you think will pay for that? certainly not FR or Mr MOL!
And just think of the chaos that may ensue around the terminals;
big queues at Security as everyone presents their hold baggage for screening before crossing the landside/airside boundary!
You'd find it difficult to get into the shops, restaurants, toilets and other facilities because of the sheer mass of trollies and baggage around.
You'd still have to queue again at some point to 'check-in' your baggage at the gate in order that it could then be handed over to the loading teams, I don't think allowing passengers to actually load their own baggage would ever be accepted, who would ensure correct weight distribution?

Came across this article this morning during my daily trawl through the E-newspapers.

New €5 Ryanair charge as check-in desks scrapped - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/new-83645-ryanair-charge-as-checkin-desks-scrapped-1668305.html)

Good old MOL:ok:

[Flying_Frisbee]

From that Irish Independent link-
(Ryanair) Spokesman Stephen McNamara defended the decision to charge customers who are now forced to check in at home and print their own boarding cards.
"We are providing them with the facility to check in online. Websites don't build themselves you know," he said.

Unbelievable.

[Seat62K]

If the charge is to cover the cost of the Website, given the poor functionality of Ryanair's compared with others, together with the problems users have had getting the thing to work properly, the fee should be in the order of a few cents/pence.

I always check-in online and travel with hand luggage only (with, I might add, a backpack small enough to fit under the seat in front). First priority boarding was removed and now this.

If a charge for checking in online is introduced this will make easyJet look much more attractive than it does now for some of the routes I regularly travel.

Do you think we could charge Ryanair for the ink and paper used printing boarding passes?

[davidjohnson6]

Steady on chaps and chapesses...

What Ryanair say they will do and what they actually do are often quite different things - see the stuff about a pound to pee as an example of this

There seem to be 2 schools of thought at the moment.
1) Everyone who checks in online will be charged 5 pounds / euros per flight. If this charge is essentially nonavoidable, this may well land them in trouble with the EU.
2) Only those who will be checking in baggage need to pay.

From stuff in the press and even Ryanair's own website, it is not certain if even Ryanair know what they are going to do.

I agree that putting out press releases that are badly worded or incorrect is not a good idea. However, could I suggest that we wait a week or two for some clarity to emerge before complaining about this ?

[racedo]

Business model of many airports has just gone out the window because you can be sure that others will start to follow very quickly hence employment and revenue opportunities for renting out desks will disappear.

Potentially you may have a position with 2-3 years where an airport with 2-3 million passengers a year has 3-4 check in desk and 2-3 bag drop areas.

What would be done with the extra space ?

[Flying_Frisbee]

What Ryanair say they will do and what they actually do are often quite different things - see the stuff about a pound to pee as an example of this
I think a lot of people saw through that as a very successful publicity stunt.
The latest statement from Ryanair, however, sits square with their policy of reducing as much of their checkin in costs as possible by using the web.
Getting rid of check in desks then introducing a web checkin charge sounds exactly like the one-time free priority for web check-ins which very quickly became yet another charge.

[racedo]

Flying Frisbee

I think the press release is unclear as it talks about free checkin for those with hand luggage and doesn't mention they will be charged but does mention people with hold luggage will be.

It looks almost like it was written and then rewritten and not really checked through before issuing.

I'll wait for the FAQ's to be updated.

[PAXboy]

It looks almost like it was written and then rewritten and not really checked through before issuing.Surely, you are not suggesting that FR were unsure of what they wanted to say and then rushed into print? Surely not?

and stop calling me Shirley ...

[BladePilot]

Doesn't care about passengers, doesn't care about staff, only cares about the bottom line. Good business man:ok:

Ryanair check-in plan to cost 50 jobs and €250, 000 a year at Dublin airport - Irish, Business - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/ryanair-checkin-plan-to-cost-50-jobs-and-8364250-000-a-year-at-dublin-airport-1669809.html)

Me thinks the DAA will find someway of recovering the shortfall in desk rental.

[MidlandDeltic]

Knowing DAA, the car park charges will be going up again!

MD

[Seat62K]

The problem with airport car parking charges is that massive increases can be "sold" on the basis that they are "green" measures designed to encourage people to use public transport. In reality they generate huge revenues for airport operators.

[I remember when it cost just £1 a day to park at Stansted - and you could walk to the terminal - and not much over £20 for 8 day's parking at Gatwick. Now the former is £8.80 a day.]

[Seat62K]

The web check-in fee will not apply to passengers with cabin baggage only - I got this information from the Ryanair website this evening.
I'm not sure whether this will remain the case when the final stage of the transition to "no airport check-in" is reached.

[racedo]

Seat62k

Thanks. Had been my reading of the press release but it was a poor press release that could be interpreted either way.