Ryanair has announced it will close airport check-in desks 20 minutes earlier, requiring passengers to check in bags or complete airport check-in at least one hour before departure, down from the current 40-minute deadline. The change, effective from November, aims to give passengers more time to clear security and passport control, reducing the number who miss flights due to queues.
The budget airline, which carries 200 million passengers annually, said the move was not directly prompted by the introduction of Europe's entry-exit system (EES), but acknowledged that the system, which requires biometric data from non-EU citizens, has contributed to longer passport queues. Waits of several hours have been reported at some airports since EES began phased introduction in October.
Ryanair noted that about 80% of its passengers already complete check-in online and go straight to the departure gate, so the change will mainly affect the 20% who check in bags at the airport. The airline plans to install self-service bag-drop kiosks at over 95% of its airports by October, which it says will speed up the process.
Chief marketing officer Dara Brady said the new system would mean a 'quicker bag-drop service, less queueing at airport desks, and an even more punctual service' for customers who still wish to check in a bag. Ryanair has been a pioneer in baggage rule changes, including charging for cabin bags and strictly enforcing size limits.
