Ryanair requires web check-in, shuts down website

[MrHyde]

Ryanair requires web check-in, shuts down website | The Register UK

On May 21, Ryanair insisted that all new bookings would require online check-ins. If you don't print your boarding pass from the company's website, you're charged an extra £40. And now the Irish budget airline has announced that for ten hours next week, its website will be completely unreachable.

The more I read about RyanAir, the more I think that even if I was alone with no baggage, I don't want to fly with them.

 

[albatross710]

I am looking at one of their fares between Paris & Milano. $0 + EUR11 taxes. (Other airlines EUR200) I don't think the price risk is worth it given that the airports are that much further out of each town.

What experiences Positive or Negative have people had with them?

 

[mannej]

One and only experience from CIA to STN was fairly positive. CIP was happy to pool all our luggage together(which the ticket said would not happen), and even with the excess baggage we did not get charged a cent.
Typical LCC, and really there was not much that was negative about the experience if you like have to fight for seats on the plane.

 

[odysseus]

In order to avoid any inconvenience, web check-in passengers travelling on Thursday 25th must ensure that they have checked in online before 18:00hrs Wednesday 24th June.

That's a bold call to say that you have to check-in before 6 p.m. to avoid inconvenience. What if it's inconvenient to check in before 6 p.m.?

I suspect they mean to avoid having to pay us $80 each for our downtime, you need to check in before 6 p.m....

 

[JohnK]

I can just picture a lot of angry travellers who did not have an opportunity to OLCI the day before.

 

[Nigelinoz]

I would not want to be employed at a Ryanair check in desk on that day,I can see the possibility of lots of very disgruntled passengers taking their frustrations out on hapless employees.

 

[NM]

I suspect they mean to avoid having to pay us $80 each for our downtime, you need to check in before 6 p.m....

I guess that is one way to fund system maintenance :evil:.

 

[Nigelinoz]

I think if I was in the situation of being told that I had to check in online when the airline does not have the facility for me to do so at a time that is convenient for me to do so I might just tell the airline where to shove their £40.00 charge and their airline too.

 

[fortymilliondaggers]

Sure these sorts of business practices are illegal. If not, there's a problem with the laws.

 

[straitman]

Sure these sorts of business practices are illegal. If not, there's a problem with the laws.

I was thinking something similar myself :!:

 

[anat0l]

Sure these sorts of business practices are illegal. If not, there's a problem with the laws.

I think RyanAir is one of those that like to operate on the regulatory boundaries, i.e.

• If it's not strictly printed as illegal, it's OK to do it.
• If it's immoral, we'll wait for the complaints first (but we know that unless consumers actually go through all the channels, we probably won't see one, or at least a substantial one)
• Our risk processes can allow for possibly compensating a couple of pax here and there. The rest won't care.

Although it is fundamentally wrong to prejudge, I think I will sleep better at night knowing that I will never fly Ryanair (unless I was backed into a corner).

 

[fortymilliondaggers]

I think RyanAir is one of those that like to operate on the regulatory boundaries, i.e.

• If it's not strictly printed as illegal, it's OK to do it.
• If it's immoral, we'll wait for the complaints first (but we know that unless consumers actually go through all the channels, we probably won't see one, or at least a substantial one)
• Our risk processes can allow for possibly compensating a couple of pax here and there. The rest won't care.

Although it is fundamentally wrong to prejudge, I think I will sleep better at night knowing that I will never fly Ryanair (unless I was backed into a corner).

In Australia, it's the ACCC's role to monitor this sort of stuff. All the consumer has to do is lodge a complaint or request for them to investigate. I think if an airline were operating in Australia like Ryanair, the ACCC would be right on top of them if they tried to pull somehting like this. While the effectiveness of the ACCC is an issue here every now and again, however you look at it, you don't see airlines in AUstralia pulling these sorts of stunts or to this extent.