Ryanair passengers must follow a “golden rule” or they could face a £55 charge, according to Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis. The consumer champion shared the warning on his website
Money saving whiz Martin Lewis has flagged up a potential £55 fee that could catch out Ryanair flyers.
The founder of Money Saving Expert and well-known BBC Sounds broadcaster is firing a warning shot at travellers who might stumble into costly errors with the budget airline. With Ryanair steering towards an all-digital approach, it’s crucial to use their app for check-in to receive boarding passes. If you forget and only remember at the airport, expect to be slapped with a hefty £55 penalty.
The team at MSE, set up by Martin Lewis himself, spelled out the situation: “The free check-in window is now just 24 hours before travel. With Ryanair, the golden rule is to ALWAYS check-in online and print or download your boarding pass – if you don’t, you could have to cough up £55 per person, per flight.”
To make sure no extra fees darken your doorstep, Lewis also offers this nugget of know-how: “Unless you’ve paid to reserve a seat, you can now only check in for free between two and 24 hours before departure. If you pay to reserve a seat (typically between £4.50 and £15.50 per person), you can check in for free up to 60 days before flying.”
Right now, a £55 charge awaits any Ryanair passenger who either skips the online check-in or doesn’t get their boarding pass pre-airport. Though TUI does offer online check-ins, the same ease may not apply if you’ve booked your getaway with other operators, Birmingham Live points out, reports Yorkshire Live.
The airline’s online portal spells it out simply: “To log onto the airline website, you will be asked for your flight reference number.”
Come May 2025 there is a big change happening at Ryanair. it will be goodbye paper boarding passes, as CEO Michael O’Leary has decided that the airline will make a digital-only shift. Currently, while many passengers opt for mobile boarding via the app, others still hold onto the traditional printed option or pick up a pass at the airport though doing so without checking in online will set you back a steep £55.
The transition, slated for three years from now, means Ryanair will do away with airport check-in desks entirely, according to O’Leary, who said, “Our goal is to eliminate check-in desks at the airport, just like we’ve done with luggage counters”. He added, “Everything will be managed through the app, making the process fully digital and eliminating paper entirely.
“I’m one of the last remaining people still showing up with my piece of paper It also means, once we get everybody onto the app, nobody will ever again pay for a boarding pass at an airport – the airport check-in fee will be gone. So, I think it will be a smoother, easier journey for everybody.”
