Anyone aware of a new Ryanair boarding card policy?

Nothing to do with checking in on line but noticed a big change at TFS last evening, flying to Cork, while checking in 2 X 12kgbags with all ready paid for and allocated seats, couldn't check in until 2 hrs before the flight which made for no queuing, far better IMO.

Correct.

I checked in for a flight back to Dublin yesterday with 3.5 hours before departure (so 1.5 hours before closing) and I got my boarding card. So I suspect it's either 1 hour before closing or a specific number of people left. Might also have to do with the airport. I can imagine where RA have few flights they don't want to pay the extra handling costs, but where they have people staffing the desk anyway for lots of flights, they might not mind.

If they ban priority boarding fees, then the cost of priority boarding is added to every ticket. And my ticket gets more expensive.

I don't see how that's a good thing

Well the cost of your ticket would then be more comparable to other airlines which would be good for competition... At the moment, Ryanair often look cheaper before you factor in the additional charges.. Id prefer if there was consistency in pricing approach so that I only have to look at the headline price.

I think it's something of a myth that they are by far the cheapest. I'd like to see independent analysis rather than anecdotal accounts. Ryanair isn't making its large profits on the basis of most passengers paying pocket-money fares.

It’s their low cost base that enables them to be the cheapest, which they are by a long way.

RA fares from all Irish airports to Alicante were really high last summer and again for the schools mid term break in October. Not so much the outgoing flights, but the returns if not booked ages in advance were off the charts. Approx 300-400 euro just for one flight, plus the extras. Your return with extras could easily have cost 500 plus euro. Just to fly to the sun. Flights that only a few years ago would set you back no more than 250 tops. Very sneaky to hit people on the returns as people have to come home. Nothing "low cost" about RA these days!

Yes you can. But what if you have your car in the airport? And it's not like Ireland is flush with airports or we're spoiled for choice!

RA may not do "returns" but fly to Spain on a school mid term break and you'll have the same people travelling back with you as went out.

Fly to the same airport? With a different airline?

Just booked a return to London nect Tuesdsy €28 total, honestly you wouldnt buy a lunch for thst monry.

Flew back from Newcastle non priority with them this morning, checked in no problems whatsoever yesterday ?

Ryanair are great.

Flying at lunchtime Tuesday, would usually wait till 9/10 am that morning.....might just check in Monday evening, I don't really care about middle seats for a 25 min flight! Better then (maybe) queuing in the airport!

Checked in for tomorrow's flight, one window seat and one aisle seat randomly allocated, boarding passes issued

Buy seats if you want, it's not difficult.