Ryanair customers share their fury as the airline reduces its free check-in window – meaning passengers will have to download boarding passes abroad (or risk a £45 fine)
Next month the budget airline are making changes their check-in policy and it could cost you a fair whack
RYANAIR customers have been venting their anger after finding out they will have to pay a £6 fee if they want to check-in more than four days in advance of a flight.
At present, travellers can check-in for FREE seven days before a flight is scheduled to depart but, last week, The Sun exclusively revealed that the airline are making changes to this next month.
Those who have booked a return flight more than four days after their departure with Ryanair will either have to find a computer to print their boarding pass while on holiday or use a smartphone with internet access to download it.
If they cannot do this then they will be unable to dodge the charge and those passengers who leave checking in until they reach the airport will have to pay £45.
And, unsurprisingly, potential passengers haven't taken the news well, with many turning to Twitter to share their frustrations.
One angry user wrote om Twitter: "Four weeks to BCN. Mind @Ryanair now only let you check in online four days ahead instead of seven days. Helping customers again."
While another ranted: "If Ryanair keeps reducing the free check-in window, soon you'll have to travel to the future to check in and come back to take the flight."
And one social media user sarcastically commented: "Prepare to find wifi/printer if on a week's hols."
However, those who wish to pay between £8 and £15 to pre-book a seat on a flight can still do this up to 30 days before they travel.
The Sun Online was alerted to the rule change, which affects anyone who is travelling from November 1, by journalist Alastair Jamieson, who tweeted:
“Policy change at @Ryanair - you can’t check in until 4 days before flight unless you pay £6, even if you don’t want to choose a seat".
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He added: “And it looks like they’re enforcing it on existing bookings even though it’s a change to T&C.”
The change comes just months after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that it was launching a clampdown on hidden fees imposed by airlines.
It is currently reviewing whether airlines selling tickets in the UK are presenting their costs in an "open and clear" way.
Ryanair told The Sun Online that it ways making the change because of customer feedback.
Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer for Ryanair, said: "From 1st November, we’re offering those customers who wish to reserve seats more time to choose their preferred seat, by reducing the check-in window from 7 to 4 days pre-departure for those customers who prefer a random seat."
"Customers who do not wish to reserve their seat will be able to check-in between 4 days and 2 hours ahead of their departure, using both the Ryanair.com website and Ryanair mobile app, and will continue to be randomly allocated a seat, free of charge."
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