Ryanair introduce hefty new penalty for passengers who arrive at the airport too late
You may need to bear one more thing in mind before jetting off on your annual holiday, as Ryanair have added a new rule for passengers.
Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, it could cost you - but all you need to do is be a bit more vigilant.
'Tis the season to start booking holidays, whether it be with your family or friends, we all need something to look forward to, don't we?
The sun has started to peer out from behind the clouds and make appearances in the last week or so, hopefully meaning that the summer months will bring us better weather than last year. It won't be hard, to be fair.
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But for now, it's time to get away and if you're looking to jet away with Ryanair on your travels, it's advised that you have a look at the fine print.
The new fee is to do with being at the check-in desk a certain amount of time before departure - which may not sound hard to achieve, but with trends like 'the airport theory' doing the rounds on social media, you'd be surprised.
Nowadays, if you turn up to check-in less than 40 minutes before your flight is scheduled to depart, you'll be asked to fork out a sizeable £100, or €100, depending on where you are.
Being late in the past meant a bit of sass from the airport staff and maybe a bit of a telling off from your mates waiting for you at the gate, but now, it'll cause a dent in your bank account.
It's all under the budget airline's new policy, as the check-in desk would already be shut, and if you think getting the next flight is an option, you'll have to pay the same £100 to switch over.
The official website reads: "Only available at less than 40 mins before and up to one hour after flight departure time."
It also details that the fine will apply to customers that show up at the ticket desk an hour after their flight to change to the next available departure.
With this new headache around check-in times, there is an alternative with the airline.
Ryanair offers passengers the opportunity to check-in online, or through their app, for a smoother experience. Oh, and you also avoid an additional fee.
In case you missed it, there is now a check-in fee if you fail to check-in to your flight in advance.
Essentially, if you don't check-in online up to two hours before departure, you can still check-in at the airport up to 40 minutes before your flight for a fee of £55, or £30 for flights from Spain.
It is free if you book a Flexi Plus or Plus ticket though.
Check-in opens 60 days before departure if you purchase a seat, and 24 hours before departure if you don't pick your seat.
To sum it up: Check-in online and get to the airport ahead of time, so you can avoid any surprise penalties.
Joshua Nair