The passengers of Ryanair who travel with checked baggage must arrive earlier at the airport. Starting this Tuesday, November 10, the Irish company has brought forward the closing of its check-in desks and luggage drop-off, which now stop serving 60 minutes before the scheduled departure of the flight, compared with the 40 minutes that were applied until then.
The change, announced in April and already in effect at all airports where the airline operates, reduces by 20 minutes the available window to complete these procedures. The change affects especially travelers who carry bags in the hold, including those who have already obtained their boarding pass online.
The key is that it is not enough to arrive at the desk one hour before takeoff. By then, the baggage must have been handed in and the procedure completed. Those who are still waiting in line when the deadline expires may end up without having their suitcase checked in and, in certain circumstances, miss the flight.
What time does Ryanair check-in close if the flight leaves at 18:00
For a passenger with a flight scheduled for the 18:00 hours, the times would be the following:
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16:00 hours: the baggage drop-off desks must be open, at minimum, from this time.
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17:00 hours: closure of in-person check-in and baggage drop-off. The baggage must have been handed in before then.
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18:00 hours: scheduled departure of the plane.
With the above conditions, the traveler had until 17:20 hours to complete the procedure. Now they lose those 20 minutes of margin.
That is why anyone planning to check a bag should arrive with enough advance time to absorb possible lines at the desks. The company recommends arriving at the airport at least two hours before the flight, especially if it is necessary to hand in luggage.
What happens if you travel only with cabin baggage
Passengers who only carry cabin luggage are not affected by the new 60-minute limit, provided they have completed online check-in and have their boarding pass.
In that case, they can go directly to security control and then head to the boarding gate, without going through Ryanair desks.
That does not mean they can arrive at the airport when there is one hour left before takeoff. They must calculate the time needed to get through the controls, move to their gate, and comply with the boarding schedule.
According to data from the airline itself, approximately 80% of its passengers do not check bags, so it will continue to use the usual procedure.
The closing of check-in is not the same as the closing of boarding
It is advisable to distinguish between the two moments. The new 60-minute deadline applies exclusively to the airport baggage check-in and drop-off counters.
The closing of boarding is a later procedure that is carried out at the exit gate, once the security checks have been passed. Therefore, dropping off a bag before the deadline does not guarantee that the passenger will be able to board the plane if they arrive late at the gate.
Nor should online check-in be confused with the physical handover of baggage. Even if the traveler has completed check-in through the Ryanair app or website, they must comply with the new schedule if they are carrying a bag intended for the hold.
What happens if you arrive late to check your bag
Ryanair warns in its conditions of carriage that passengers who do not complete check-in within the established timeframe may lose the right to board without receiving a ticket refund.
The risk increases when you reach the airport with just enough time. A queue at the counter or a delay in baggage delivery may prevent completing the procedure before closing.
To avoid this, the company advises carrying out online check-in in advance and going to the airport with enough time.
Why Ryanair has brought forward the closing time of its counters
The airline justifies the decision by the waits that occur during security and passport checks. As explained by its Marketing Director, Dara Brady, bringing forward the closing will allow passengers who check bags to have more time to reach the boarding gate, especially during periods of highest demand.
The measure directly affects around 20% of its customers and coincides with the installation of baggage self-check-in kiosks, integrated with the Ryanair app, to print labels and speed up bag delivery.
With the new system, the traveler who checks baggage will have to pay attention to two different schedules: the closing of the counters, one hour before the flight, and that of the boarding gate, which remains as an independent procedure.