Ryanair is now offering passengers with early morning flights at three UK airports the option to check in and drop their bags up to four hours early the evening before travel. The service, known as the twilight bag drop, is available at Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport, and Edinburgh Airport, aiming to reduce queuing times and streamline the airport experience.
Eligibility and Timings
At Manchester and Edinburgh airports, the service is available for flights departing before 8am. Passengers can drop their bags between 6pm and 10pm the previous evening at Manchester's Terminal 3, and between 5pm and 9pm at Edinburgh. At Birmingham Airport, flights departing up to 9am qualify, with bag drop available from 5pm to 9pm at Zone B.
The service is free of charge. Passengers simply need to follow signs for 'Twilight Bag Drop' at the check-in desks. All passengers must be present when dropping bags, not just the lead booker.
Additional Perks
Manchester Airport offers free parking for passengers using the twilight bag drop at its Terminal 3 Multi Storey & Pick Up Car Park between 18:00 and 22:00. Passengers take a token at entry, validate it at the check-in desk with their boarding pass, and exit without charge. Similarly, Edinburgh Airport provides free access to the 1-hour parking area for those with an official car parking booking.
Jade Kirwan, Communications Director at Ryanair, said at the launch in 2023: “This complimentary service will further improve our passengers’ overall travel experience and further reduce airport queuing times for those taking early morning flights.”
