- Ryanair charges £55 for airport check-in if online check-in is missed by two hours before the flight
- The passenger compared this fee to Indian budget airlines, which offer free offline check-in services
- Ryanair's official policy warns passengers to check in online to avoid airport check-in fees
While budget airlines are known for offering cheaper flight tickets, some may come with unexpected additional costs. In a recent viral post, X user @alysha_lobo, a tech evangelist who has lived in India, China and Europe, shared her surprise at having to pay a hefty fee for offline check-in at the airport - a service that Indian budget airlines typically offer free of cost, she noted.
In her post, she wrote, "Officially got screwed by @Ryanair today. I thought being European + having travelled to 40+ countries meant I'd seen every airline trick in the book. Apparently not."
She also expressed shock at the amount charged. "Got charged 55 pounds (Rs 7,100) to check in at the airport because I hadn't checked in online. Not extra baggage. Not a seat upgrade. Not lounge access. Just the privilege of a human being printing a boarding pass."
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The passenger went on to praise Indian budget airlines such as IndiGo and Akasa, saying, "Indians complain a lot about airlines, but trust me, some of you have no idea how good you have it. Spend five minutes with a European budget airline, and you'll come back apologising to IndiGo and Akasa."
She added, "Signed, a very humbled first-time Ryanair passenger holding a 55-pound receipt as a souvenir."
While the existence and amount of the offline check-in fee came as a shock to the passenger, it is part of Ryanair's official terms and conditions.
On its website, Ryanair states, "If you do not check in online up to two hours before your scheduled departure time, you may check in at the airport up to 40 minutes before departure, but you will be charged an airport check-in fee. We urge all passengers to check in online before arriving at the airport so these fees can be avoided."
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The X post has gone viral, garnering over 1.5 million views. Many avid travellers and users who have had similar experiences shared their views in the comments section, sparking a debate over responsibility and who should be blamed.
One user wrote, "The rules are clear. It was your mistake, not them. They sent you emails; they warned you. It's not a lack of information."
Another added, "Ryanair is infamous for this. They clearly mention it in their communications. Clearly your fault. Haven't travelled enough, I guess."
A third chimed in, "I mean, they tell you like three times that you have to do web check-in to avoid any fee."
One user shared, "It happened to me as well. To be fair, they send you an email, but obviously I ignored it, because who opens emails from an airline?"
Adding to the list of complaints, another said, "Don't forget the dreaded cabin luggage measurement scale right before the boarding gates, and the gate staff guarding it as if their life depends on it."
Another user remarked, "There is a reason why I dislike most American and European budget carriers."
Sharing a similar experience, one wrote, "Wait until you fly Wizz Air. You can only check in within 24 hours before the flight, so you need to remember to do it in that window. I know someone who had to pay a couple of times because of that - a friend of mine, of course."
