Ryanair to abolish check-in desks
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Ryanair to abolish check-in desks
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
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?
BBC NEWS | Business | Ryanair to abolish check-in desks
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?
Paid...Persona Grata
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??
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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.
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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
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
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.
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Good Business Practice if you ask me
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 Ł3.50 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 Ł26 for the 3 flights with great times ..no taxes .
my itinery with other Airlines was in exess of Ł250 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 .
( 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 Ł3.50 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 Ł26 for the 3 flights with great times ..no taxes .
my itinery with other Airlines was in exess of Ł250 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 .
Paxing All Over The World
eastern wiseguy
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.
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.
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.
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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
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
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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.
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.
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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 Ł150 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.
I arrived at STN last month for a flight to Austria, (cost Ł150 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.
Paxing All Over The World
That's a happy set of stories RB Thruster. You then say,
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,
... 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.
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
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
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Time at the self service check in machine was about 20 seconds! I don't see what the problem is.
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
Paxing All Over The World
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.
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.
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.
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
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Originally Posted by davidjohnson6
Even better, the enlarged departure lounge means more retail shops can be added, giving the airport operator a chance for extra revenue.
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.
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.
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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
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.
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
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.
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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!
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!
Paxing All Over The World
big.al
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:
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!
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 again