Ryanair passengers will be unable to check in online during a 12-hour "systems upgrade" this week – and they will still be charged extra if they try to check in at the airport as a result.

New bookings and changes to existing flights will also not be possible when the Dublin-based carrier's website and mobile app are taken offline from 5pm on Wednesday until about 5am on Thursday.

The airline said it has sent emails and text messages to all customers flying on Wednesday or Thursday to advise them to check in online on Tuesday.

But if anyone misses the warning and therefore has to check in at the airport, will still be charged for printing boarding passes.

Ryanair's policy is to charge passengers an extra £55 if they need to check in at an airport.

A spokesperson told Sun Online Travel: Our existing boarding card reissue fee will apply, which is why we’re giving customers travelling on Wednesday and Thursday sufficient notice to check-in for their flights before the website closure.

The firm's online check-in facility is only open between 48 hours and two hours before a flight for passengers who have not paid extra to select a seat.

Ryanair's head of communications Robin Kiely said the temporary suspension of its website and mobile app was part of the airline's "continued digital development".

He added: "We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this upgrade, which will further improve Ryanair.com, Europe's largest travel website."

The airline has been dominating the headlines once again in the last week, following their changes to hand luggage rules, with new fees for passengers who want to check a bag weighing up to 10kg into the hold.

The changes have outraged passengers as they accused the airline of "screwing them over."

Until now, Ryanair customers who hadn’t paid for priority boarding could take a 10kg wheeled suitcase onto the plane for free by agreeing to place it in the hold at the departure gate.

Passengers now have to pay for priority boarding to take a bag into the cabin, costing £6 at the time of booking or £8 if you add it on later.

MOST READ IN TRAVEL

GOT BOTTLE

Tiktok influencer claims outrageous hack for smuggling booze through airport

JAB AND GO

The countries you need a Covid booster jab to enter

RHODES BLOCKED

Greece & Turkey snow travel warning as flights cancelled and roads blocked

NO KID-DING

Family holiday warning – kids who had Covid without PCR test face travel ban

To check a bag weighing up to 10kg into the hold, they will have to pay £8 at the time of booking, or £10 to add it on later.

The only baggage that customers can now take onto the plane for free is a small handbag or a laptop, measuring up to 40cm x 20cm x 25cm – and if it is bigger than this, passengers will have to pay £20 to add the bag to the hold at the check-in desk, or £25 if they wait until the boarding gate.

Earlier today, Sun Online Travel revealed one Brit had found a clever way to bypass Ryanair's new strict rules on hand luggage – by sewing his possessions into this coat.

    Source: Read Full Article