Ryanair: Can I check in at airport if I chose online-checkin during reservation

stiofanD

A question for those more knowledgeable than me about how ryanair works...

I have a flight reservation with ryanair for myself and my son in 2 weeks. I chose online checkin when I made the reservation, but I've now realised that my son's passport has expired

Now, since the flight is to the UK, and he's only 4, he doesn't actually need any form of ID to travel, but I'm guessing that I can't do online checkin without a passport - am I right?

In this case, can I just go to the airport and checkin at a desk? What will they do? Will they refuse me or can they just charge me the airport checkin fee there and then?

Appreciate any help...

Be very careful here, where does the law state he doens't need ID to travel nto the UK? that doesn't seem to make any sense to me, that means you could bring any kid on a plane with you? anyway, if that is true, that does not mean that Ryanair follow the same rule! so even if you arrive at the airport to check in, I guarantee you there will be an isse over the ID, but if all were ok then they would just charge you at the desk for not checking in online, will cost you though.

I would seriously check this out more thoroughly, I think you would get stung, would be safer to get your son a new passport, it's only 10 days through the post office.....

euph

As far as I know ryanair require a passport for all passengers

lynchie

Ryanair Website wrote:

Photo-ID is not required for children when travelling with an adult if:

* Children under 16 are travelling between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or on domestic flights within either the United Kingdom or Ireland

No Id required for your son. But this only applies to airport checkin. It seems the T&C's for online checkin require a passport. So you can either get a new passport or pay €5 per person per leg to checkin at the airport and your son can travel without id.

Run_to_da_hills

euph wrote: »

As far as I know ryanair require a passport for all passengers

You would want to act fast an get a 10 fast track passport which will cost you e80. Make sure you get the photos done by a professional photohrapher rather than by a machine, if they are any way out the lot will be sent back to you and will delay the process.

Also if you book on line and don't check in within the 4 day 4 hour prior to the booking you are hit with a e5 charge per ticket administration fee.

That is mental about not needing ID? I'm shocked, so I can grab any kid I want and wander out of the country with them? bloody hell, and how do you prove if someone is under 16 - they could be 18 and just saying they're 15? madness.....

jo.king

Simplest thing - go into the passport office and apply for an express passport - they will rush it through for you.

No chance for compactions and disappointments - he will have to get a passport as some stage anyway...

Fratton Fred

Grainne C wrote: »

That is mental about not needing ID? I'm shocked, so I can grab any kid I want and wander out of the country with them? bloody hell, and how do you prove if someone is under 16 - they could be 18 and just saying they're 15? madness.....

by air is probably the hardest way tbh. If you are planning on abducting a 15 year old (Something i would advise against) then the ferry would be easier, alternatively you can catch the train to belfast.

It's a common travel area between two relatively small countries. If you did run off with someones kids you still have less places to hide than someone who did the same in France or Germany.

OP, I would go for the fast track passport personally, the buggeration you will face without one will be unbelievable, both when you try and board the plane and when you try and get back through immigration.

stiofanD

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, my wife is away for a week, which means I can't even apply for the passport until she gets back - both of us have to sign the application form and the signatures have to be witnessed by a Garda.

Ham'nd'egger

stiofanD wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, my wife is away for a week, which means I can't even apply for the passport until she gets back - both of us have to sign the application form and the signatures have to be witnessed by a Garda.

A few years back, I was stuck for a passport at short notice (it was about 2 weeks before an air trip to the UK) and gave the Passport Office a call to see what I could do and they turned my application out in three days on the basis that I needed it that bit more urgently; I'd call them up today and see what they can do it for you.

peanuthead

Fratton Fred wrote: »

by air is probably the hardest way tbh. If you are planning on abducting a 15 year old (Something i would advise against) then the ferry would be easier, alternatively you can catch the train to belfast.

haha

Fratton Fred

Fratton Fred wrote: »

by air is probably the hardest way tbh. If you are planning on abducting a 15 year old (Something i would advise against) then the ferry would be easier, alternatively you can catch the train to belfast.

It's a common travel area between two relatively small countries. If you did run off with someones kids you still have less places to hide than someone who did the same in France or Germany.

OP, I would go for the fast track passport personally, the buggeration you will face without one will be unbelievable, both when you try and board the plane and when you try and get back through immigration.

excellent thanks for the advice, so, ferry from rosslare to france, hire an inconspicuous car, drive to germany, dump the car, dye the 15 year olds hair blonde and name her grettel, exxxxcellent (monty burns style!) :P

Fratton Fred

Grainne C wrote: »

excellent thanks for the advice, so, ferry from rosslare to france, hire an inconspicuous car, drive to germany, dump the car, dye the 15 year olds hair blonde and name her grettel, exxxxcellent (monty burns style!) :P

sounds like a plan, although with most 15 year olds I know you would be sticking them on a plane home after 48 hours of whining, moaning and sulking:D

OP, another thought, my Sister in law flew one of her kids on an expired passport to the UK, but it was only about 6 weeks out of date. This was with BMI though.

Fratton Fred

Fratton Fred wrote: »

sounds like a plan, although with most 15 year olds I know you would be sticking them on a plane home after 48 hours of whining, moaning and sulking:D

OP, another thought, my Sister in law flew one of her kids on an expired passport to the UK, but it was only about 6 weeks out of date. This was with BMI though.

yes actually, it makes sense that if you don't need ID anyway, then why can't you just put the old passport number into the system when you're checking in online, what difference will it make seeing as you don't need ID for them anyway????

stiofanD

Fratton Fred wrote: »

OP, another thought, my Sister in law flew one of her kids on an expired passport to the UK, but it was only about 6 weeks out of date. This was with BMI though.

From what I hear, Ryanair are not so understanding about expired IDs Although I don't see what the problem is - the passport is only expired a couple of weeks and frankly even if it wasn't expired, the photo looks nothing like him as we got the passport when he was only 12 months old and he's changed a bit since then!

ah ryanair a pack of eejits (sorry for pointing out obvious lads) but they are perfectly happy about your son not having id but god forbid if he did have, say, a passport issued by the goverment that was expired by a few weeks, well that's just not good enough, what if he had a sex change or changed his name by deed pole since then?

Ha! thats the best i've heard yet....

jimmycrackcorm

I took my 5 year old on a ryanair uk flight a few months back. Do the airport checkin. He did not need id only that the girl asked him to confirm his name.

steve-o

lynchie and jimmycrackcorm have it right. In general no-one needs a passport for travel to the UK. Ryanair's own rules require photo ID for Ireland-UK passengers, but not for children under 16.

scab-e

stiofanD wrote: »

A question for those more knowledgeable than me about how ryanair works...

I have a flight reservation with ryanair for myself and my son in 2 weeks. I chose online checkin when I made the reservation, but I've now realised that my son's passport has expired

Now, since the flight is to the UK, and he's only 4, he doesn't actually need any form of ID to travel, but I'm guessing that I can't do online checkin without a passport - am I right?

In this case, can I just go to the airport and checkin at a desk? What will they do? Will they refuse me or can they just charge me the airport checkin fee there and then?

Appreciate any help...

I fly ryanair very often. If you choose online checkin but then try to check in at the desk then one of two things will happen: they will charge you a fee or they will waive the fee. At some airports they always waive the fee is you say that the web site was down.

If you do a web check in but make a mistake such as wrong expiry date for your passport or wrong passport number, then they will deny you boarding if they notice at the gate and require you to buy a new flight.

When I last went to the UK with a kid, the child had no passport but I brought a birth cert. Immigration control in Dublin airport asked to see the birth cert on the way home. Also I printed the child ID policies and baggage policies from the web site before travelling to resolve any arguments with check in staff.

lynchie

scab-e wrote: »

If you do a web check in but make a mistake such as wrong expiry date for your passport or wrong passport number, then they will deny you boarding if they notice at the gate and require you to buy a new flight.

I have yet to see any of their staff cross reference the exp date / passport number on any of the boarding cards yet. It usually a quick check that the name matches and away ye go..