Thread: Warning to Ryanair Passengers Flying on Thursday

This is NOT a joke.

Our sources at the airport tell us that those travelling on Thursday with Ryanair, should be sure to check in by 6pm on Wednesday (UK, 7pm in Spain) in order to avoid paying Ryanair's new €40.00 airport check-in fee (for each passenger!), due to a planned closure of the company's website.

The site will be closed from Wednesday evening until 5am on Thursday morning (6am in Europe).

Taken from their website 2 mins ago...

10 Hour Closure: 24/25 June (19:00hrs-05:00hrs GMT)

Important Customer Information

Due to an essential reservation system upgrade the below services on Ryanair - Book Cheap Flights to Europe - Cheap Flights from the UK will be unavailable on the 24/25 June 2009 (19:00hrs - 05:00hrs GMT). Ryanair strongly recommends that passengers travelling on Thursday 25th June 2009 ensure that they have checked in online and printed their boarding passes by 18:00hrs on the 24th June 2009.

Customers who booked flights on or before the 21st May and selected to use airport check-in will be unaffected and can check in at the airport as normal, please note that check-in desks close 40 minutes before the scheduled departure of the flight.

Online Check-in - Not available from 19:00 hrs(GMT) on Wednesday 24th June 2009 until 05:00hrs (GMT) on Thursday 25th June 2009.

Passengers should check-in online before or after the above closure times. Online check-in is available from 15 days before up to 4 hours prior to the flight departure time (except during the closure period). Customers booked on flights departing on the 25th June 2009 who are unable to check-in online will be reissued a boarding pass free of charge at the airport (please allow sufficient time to check-in at the airport and to obtain your boarding card).

New Bookings cannot be made on Ryanair.com between 21:30hrs (GMT) on Wednesday 24th June 2009 until 05:00hrs (GMT) Thursday 25th June 2009

Flight Changes (date/time/route) cannot be made between 21:30hrs (GMT) on Wednesday 24th June 2009 until 05:00hrs(GMT) Thursday 25th June 2009.

Review Existing Booking - This service is unavailable between 21:30 hrs (GMT) on Wednesday 24th June 2009 until 05:00hrs(GMT) Thursday 25th June 2009.

Airport Check-in/Bag Drop - Customers who booked flights on or before the 21st May and selected to use airport check-in will be unaffected and can check in at the airport as normal, please note that check-in desks close 40 minutes before the scheduled departure of the flight.

All passengers travelling with checked baggage, are recommended to arrive at the airport 2 hours before their scheduled flight departure time.

I wonder if this 'essential reservation update system' is connected to a recent EU directive that Ryanair stop using their website to bilk travellers - or have their website pulled?
Booking flights on-line is something of a challenging mind game. The aim is for them to see how much they can extract from your bank account. To play the game you have to see if you can dodge traps, like 'extra luggage'; separating hold and hand baggage; carrying skis? Got a child buggy? Overweight (passengers and baggage). Need to wet your boots perhaps? Got to the airport too late - maybe too early. Travel insurance: the presumption you haven't got any.
Will the game end with a smug expression on your face at having outwitted the carrier ... or will you feel conned, again? Have fun, happy campers!

I would travel with them as a VERY last resort Iwould rather take train car bus or a long way round rather than give the man a penny of my money. His 'low cost model' airline may suit some travellers but we found it was usually cheaper, more convienent, comfortable and easier to use others. He really puts 'cattle class' into its own with his attitude to paying (through the nose ) customers. Some say he is a shrewd business man I would call him something different all together ! I prefer to fly with a compnay with better ethics and attitude to its customers. It was a sad day for us when we lost BA out of Sevilla, those ladies and gent knew how to treat their customers, we had first class service with them every time.