Ryanair

Flying with Ryanair

Ryanair is a low-cost airline that was founded in 1984. Like other Irish airlines, such as Aer Lingus and Cityjet, the company provides services all over Europe and not only those which fly in and out of Ireland's major air hubs, Dublin, Shannon and Cork. In fact, the airline provides a greater number of services from its base of operations in the UK, at London Stansted Airport, than it does from its official headquarters in Dublin. The airline's fleet is made up of Boeing 737-800 aeroplanes, and it also has a single 737-700 aircraft which it uses for pilot training. With over 400 planes operating at any one time, the business model of Ryanair is summed up by its slogan which reads, 'Low Fares, Made Simple'.

Ryanair flights run to over 200 destinations, nearly all of them in Europe. In addition to its European routes, the airline offers some services to North Africa and the Middle East. By far the majority of services run by Ryanair are conducted under its own brand. However, the business undertook a codesharing arrangement with Air Europa which meant that some long-haul destinations could be booked by Ryanair's customers in addition to its many short-haul services. The airline is one of the largest in Europe, and it employs in the region of 12,000 people. In 2014, the airline moved to a new headquarters at Airside Business Park in Dublin, having outgrown the capacity of its previous building.

How do you check-in online with Ryanair?

To carry out a Ryanair online check-in is simple enough. Just enter your booking number via the airline's website or use their app and you will be able to confirm your flight. Although nearly all of Ryanair's services make use of an online check-in process to help speed things up at the airport terminal, this service is not available everywhere that the airline flies from. For example, services from Agadir, Rabat and Tangier do not have the facilities to offer an online check-in. The same situation is in place at Volos, Fez, Nador, Oujda, Marrakesh and Kefalonia. However, you can check-in at these airports for your Ryanair flight in the usual way by presenting yourself at the airport terminal at least two hours before your planned departure.

For all standard ticket types, Ryanair's online check-in is available from four days before the flight is due to take to the sky. Early check-in ticket holders can check-in up to 30 days ahead of their departure. Bear in mind that you must arrive at the airport in good time to use the baggage drop off facilities even if you have already checked-in online. Baggage drop off closes 40 minutes prior to your service's scheduled take-off time.

What is the checked baggage allowance for Ryanair?

Ryanair's baggage allowance is restricted in common with many other budget airlines, such as Wizz Air. You will have to pay for any luggage that you wish to place in the hold of the aeroplane. Passengers may purchase an allowance for checked baggage when they book their tickets in multiples of 20 kg. Generally speaking, it is better to pay for your allowance upfront rather than turn up to the airport with additional bags because this tends to be more expensive. Remember that the pooling of purchased checked baggage allowances is allowed on Ryanair flights so long as you share your allowance with other people in your party, that is people who are checking-in with you and are on the same reservation.

What hand luggage can you take on a Ryanair flight?

Only small bags are allowed on Ryanair flights as cabin baggage. In the main, this means a single handbag or a small laptop bag per passenger. The dimensions of each bag must not exceed 35 cm 20 cm x 20 cm. Larger hand luggage, which you might have wanted with you as you progressed from the departure lounge to the gate, will be placed in the hold of the aeroplane as you board. No charge is made for this, but the luggage in question must not exceed 55 cm x 40 cm x 20cm. Having said that, Ryanair makes an exception for passengers with 'Priority and 2 cabin bags' or 'Plus/Flexi' tickets. If you have paid for either of these ticket types, then both a small bag plus a larger one that does not exceed the dimensions given above are permissible. However, the second bag must not weigh in excess of 10 kg. Further exceptions to the rules on hand luggage are made for passengers with certain medical conditions which require additional items to be carried on board with them. Passengers with such requirements are advised to make this known at the time of booking.

What destinations does Ryanair fly from?

Ryanair's flight destinations change from time to time, but there are now many established routes that it has flown to and from for years. Among the top ones are: