Ryanair has extended its check-in window, but some passengers report only discovering their randomly allocated seat three hours before departure – leaving less time to decide whether to pay for a different one.
Longer Check-In Window
Travellers who do not reserve a seat can now check in between 72 hours and two hours before departure. Previously, their check-in window opened just 24 hours before take-off.
The longer window gives passengers more flexibility and could help them avoid forgetting to check in. Ryanair charges £55 or €55 per person for airport check-in if they have not completed online check-in by the two-hour deadline.
Three-Hour Seat Reveal
But a second reported change could be less welcome. Some passengers who travelled with the airline over the weekend said their randomly allocated seat number was not revealed until three hours before departure, rather than immediately after check-in, reports the Mirror.
That could make a money-saving tactic much harder to use. Previously, passengers could check in as soon as the window opened, see which free seat they had been given and only pay to change it if they were unhappy.
With seat selection costing between £3 and £42.50, taking a chance on a random allocation could save travellers money. But finding out their seat just three hours before take-off would leave far less time to weigh up their options.
Passenger Reactions
Reddit user Vernacaian wrote: "You used to be able to pay to change your seat if you didn't like the one randomly assigned at check-in. Therefore, if your preference is simply 'I don't want a middle seat' it was worth the gamble of not paying for a seat at the time of booking and seeing what was allocated. Now you'll need to pay in advance for a seat."
Travel publication Goosed also suggested the reported change could encourage more passengers to pay for seats when booking. It wrote: "Let's not dance around it, this is a nudge to buy seats. The whole point of paying for a Ryanair seat for most people isn't legroom; it's sitting beside the person they're traveling with. Under the old system, you could take your chances, see the result a day early, and pay only if the dice went against you."
"That safety net is now much thinner. You can still add a paid seat up to two hours before departure, but if your random seat only appears at the three-hour mark, you've roughly an hour to react, and that hour is usually spent in a taxi, on a bus to the airport, or stuck in the security queue. Most couples and groups won't fancy that gamble, so expect more people to pay for seats at the booking stage instead."
Airliner Response
It remains unclear whether the reported three-hour allocation timing applies across all Ryanair routes or is being tested on selected Dublin-to-UK services. Ryanair has been contacted for clarification.
The airline confirmed the longer check-in window, but its statement did not specify that random seats would only be revealed three hours before departure. A spokesperson told the Mirror: "Passengers who choose not to reserve a seat can now check in between 72 hours and two hours before departure, an extension of the previous 24-hour check-in window. Passengers who do not purchase a reserved seat will continue to receive a seat free of charge through random seat allocation. In line with Ryanair's policy, these seats are assigned after check-in and between 72 hours and two hours prior to departure."
"This change provides customers with greater flexibility by allowing them to check in earlier ahead of their flight, while customers who wish to select a specific seat can continue to reserve one at any stage before departure."
There is another change for passengers checking in luggage. From tomorrow, Ryanair's airport bag drop services will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, rather than the current 40-minute cut-off.
