Ryanair new free seat policy ?

pcasso · 12-12-2021 11:12PM #1

I just though it might be of interest to some that Ryanair have a new policy regarding their free seats.

If you choose not to purchase a specific seat and accept a random allocation, you then cannot generate a boarding pass when checking in on line but instead must go to the check in desk at the airport to get your boarding pass printed for you there.

It might not be the biggest inconvenience in the world but I assume it will make a lot of the people who previously didn't pay for a seat to do so now.

YellowLead · 12-12-2021 11:16PM

When did that start?

manonboard · 12-12-2021 11:16PM

oh my thats terribly inconvenient.

I didnt know about that. Thanks for the heads up, as i have a flight for christmas in a few days to come back home.

What a dreadful requirement, so much hassle for no reason whats so ever. More work for everyone involved, for as you said, just to encourage people to pick a seat. I cant believe they are allowed to advertise ticket prices without that included if you have to go through that hoop. Hopefully they are forced to display it with the price instead of pretending to be so low cost.

manonboard · 12-12-2021 11:17PM

is there a email address for any authority that we could email to raise more awareness and protest it? Perhaps if they are threatened to display the cost including that seat allocation, they would drop the whole thing

12-12-2021 11:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058222593/ryanair-new-free-seat-policy

Have you got a link to that, please.

maestroamado · 12-12-2021 11:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058222593/ryanair-new-free-seat-policy

I do not think it will work as it makes no sense...

mightyreds · 12-12-2021 11:29PM

Is this just the downloading of pdf to print? I used the app over the weekend coming home today and all was fine.

pcasso · 12-12-2021 11:48PM

It happened on a flight back from Manchester this afternoon.

I checked in as normal on the app but instead of having a boarding pass at the end of the process I got a message warning that this was not a boarding pass but I must go to the check in desk at Manchester airport to get one.

Included in this message was an invitation to purchase a seat and avoid the queue of the check in desk.

The woman at the check in desk explained it was new policy and that she had to randomly select a seat for me.

12-12-2021 11:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118312521#Comment_118312521

Thanks for that.

L1011 · 13-12-2021 12:01AM

The original purpose of free online checkin was to allow them to cut down the number of checkin desks.

They're obviously now hoping that people are now unwilling to turn up earlier and will pay not to have to.

maestroamado · 13-12-2021 12:04AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118312521#Comment_118312521

6.2.3 Once you have checked in online you can print copies of your boarding pass, or download them to your mobile phone, up to two hours before the scheduled departure time. Your boarding pass must be printed on a single A4 page or downloaded through the Ryanair app.

joebloggs32 · 13-12-2021 12:06AM

You really have to hand it to them for coming up with another ingenious way to extract a few quid from the passengers.

They realise that people are so busy nowadays that many will now shell out to avoid having to que up to collect a boarding pass.

13-12-2021 12:19AM

I'll wait for the claim to be substantiated. It may have something to do with Covid in the way that Lufthansa weren't issuing boarding passes online and you had to present at the check-in desk.

13-12-2021 12:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118312655#Comment_118312655

What has it got to do with Covid?

Strumms · 13-12-2021 12:32AM

You know too that they’ll have the particular desks staffed very minimally and have you Qing for ages.

airports and air travel is enough of a ball ache these days without these maneuvers...

i think it might encourage people to use the competion.

13-12-2021 12:33AM

This information would be present online at their website if it were the case.

Cian59 · 13-12-2021 12:39AM

Just downloaded passes for tomorrow after random allocation (bonus points for allocating me a middle seat)

fritzelly · 13-12-2021 12:40AM

Seems very counterintuitive and I googled it and couldn't find anything about this new "policy"

DoctorEdgeWild · 13-12-2021 12:47AM

Flew twice this week, no change to the usual way it works in the app for me. Flying again Friday, will find out soon enough if so.

mightyreds · 13-12-2021 02:23AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118312521#Comment_118312521

When was this? I flew in from Manchester probably the same flight as you at 5:30. Checked in last night about 7 and got a free seat and all was ok

fritzelly · 13-12-2021 03:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118312913#Comment_118312913

Makes me wonder did they try checking in less than 2 hours before the flight..?

SteelyDanJalapeno · 13-12-2021 03:23AM

I'd say there might be something else causing this for the op, perhaps they left it too late or it was a problem with travel docs or something

No way they're removing boarding passes online for free seats

pcasso · 13-12-2021 10:36AM

I have no idea what is going on with Ryanair except what my experience and my son's who was travelling with me on the same booking was and what the woman on the check in desk told me. She didn't have to look twice when we presented the message that we received after checking in that morning which was about six hours before our flight time. I assume she was familiar with the procedure in the way she acted.

It could not have anything to do with Covid because on that message I got after checking in was a link to "purchase a seat and avoid the queues of check in" Paraphrasing their words.

I detect a certain amount of scepticism but I am one hundred percent relating my experience flying back from Manchester on the 3.15pm flight to Dublin.

And for the record I flew out to the UK on Saturday from Dublin and had no issue getting a boarding pass in the same circumstances with a randomly allocated seat on my Ryanair app.

TheWonderLlama · 13-12-2021 11:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118312670#Comment_118312670

some countries require proof of vaccination/PCR test to be presented before people fly.

I had this for Turkey and Dubai this year alone. Couldn't print a boarding pass. Might be related.

pcasso · 13-12-2021 11:33AM

pcasso · 13-12-2021 11:37AM

My son took a screen shot of the message and I though I would post it for anyone who thinks I am making this up.

I know nothing further other than what my experience was yesterday.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 13-12-2021 11:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118313613#Comment_118313613

I'm going to guess that's a covid regulation - I've had to do that with two different airlines over the last few months (one of which had blocked online checkin altogether so that the check-in staff could check covid vaccination and antigen test visually on the phone).

rubberdungeon · 13-12-2021 11:43AM

By any chance would you and your son have the same first name/surname?

We have encountered issue with boarding passes because of duplicate names when flying and wondered if this could be similar?

pcasso · 13-12-2021 11:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118313655#Comment_118313655

While that makes sense why was I been given the option to purchase a seat and avoid having to go to the check in desk?

pcasso · 13-12-2021 11:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118313664#Comment_118313664

Again it could be this but why should I be able to bypass the issue by purchasing a seat. It seems like a income generating act to me but I am open to any ideas as to why it is happening

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 13-12-2021 12:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118313685#Comment_118313685

Not sure - I'm only guessing here. Possibly as an option to sell it you, whereas less people are likely to pay at the checkin desk? Ir is Ryanair...

Ryanair new free seat policy ?

Comments