Trend setting Ryan Air is jettisoning all its airport check-in counters by the end of 2009 - and this has flummoxed airline executives who doubt they can make it work.

Check-in counter staff, some at least will be re-assigned to help with checked baggage drop-off stations.

75% of the airline's passengers now check-in on line.

And supposedly Ryan Air also has the kahunas to charge for on-line check-in - another of those mounting extra fees the airline has - like for reserved seating.

Rayn Air's CEO float of charging for toilet priveleges, however, recently was met with a thud of disbelief.

To boost incomes the airline is also know hosting 3rd party adverts on its web site.

(garnered from www.travelweekly.com - pg 6

I wouldn't be surprised if the old saying about "sixpence to talk to" someone becomes a pound per question to any rare Ryanair staff member who might be hanging around the terminals.

<i>And supposedly Ryan Air also has the kahunas to charge for on-line check-in - another of those mounting extra fees the airline has - like for reserved seating.</i>

Norwegian Airlines does the same thing, <b>and for each leg</b> even on a through booking.

I actually consider this an improvement, as previously it was not possible to check in on-line for Ryanair flights if you held a U.S. passport. So even though I managed to meet Ryanair's stringent carry-on baggage allowance guidelines (1 bag only, 10 kg limit) I still had to pay the fee to check-in at the airport and then apply for a refund (which I didn't do, as I just really couldn't be bothered). So now I needn't bother, as there's no refund to consider.

>>Norwegian Airlines does the same thing, and for each leg<<

Eventually Ryanair will charge individually for each leg. And arm. And they will claim they're doing it to show how they care for the disabled.

Maybe charges for oxygen? A mask with a coin meter on it?

Therese.
They are planning on charging everyone £5 to check in online. Thats if they can get away with it. The office of fair trading will no doubt be waiting in the wings to see if there is an option offered. If none is offered then they will take them on again as they did last year forcing them to close their web site for a few days whilst they changed their web site to show all non optional extras.
The charging to use the toilet was a p;;s take. Oleary admitted it on Irish TV. He claimed it got him 2 million Euros in free publicity

It appears you still can't check in online if you have baggage to put in the hold. Unless I'm missing something? I'd be happy to check in online, to save queueing at the airport.
Kay

Before budget airlines we were charged hundreds extra for nada.

Thats right Kay but its not planned until October. He still has to get over the obstacle of a few Airports who dont do on line check in.

Of course they are charging for every last item under the sun. You can't pay fuel costs when you are charging 5 pounds per pax, or even 20 pounds per pax. That won't even cover the pilots' salaries.

The article also says:

"CEO O'Leary told the Daily Telegraph that the airline ultimately wants only 20% of passengers to check bags"

which tells me to achieve that expect a steep increase for checked bags?

I don't mind so long as everybody is paying the fee (though in that case they may as well include it in the ticket price, but we know that they don't do it that way). It was the fact that I was being specifically penalized for not having an EU passport that ticked me off.

And I'm fine with airlines charging more for passengers who carry more luggage. As I see it I've been subsidizing other people's overpacking for decades.

And I'm fine with airlines charging more for passengers who carry more luggage. As I see it I've been subsidizing other people's overpacking for decades.>

which begs the question - what about charging people who weigh more more - under the same rationale - perhaps a per kg charge instead of a seat charge?

Makes total sense to me (even though i may have to pay a tad more) - it would also encourage folks to hit the terminal toilets before weight in, saving again airlines service.

The algorithm would probably be something along the lines of seat cost +/- passenger weight (so maybe I'd get a discount, or maybe not depending on the criteria). In the end it's apples and oranges, of course: passengers mostly get themselves on and off the plane, whereas checked bags don't. And if a passengers goes missing in transit it's probably his fault, and he'll find his way back on his own.