Ryanair's policy towards people who arrive after the gate closes

[Brendan Burgess]

I have moved this interesting discussion from the Key Post thread on Tips and Tricks when flying Ryanair

https://www.askaboutmoney.com/threads/tips-and-tricks-and-mistakes-to-avoid-when-flying-ryanair.244735/

There are two issues in this thread
1) If you arrive after the gate has closed, Ryanair may not let you board
2) If you check in late, you may not be allocated a seat. But make sure to arrive at the gate in good time.

Explanation
Ryanair, and other airlines, overbook flights because often people book, check-in and don't show up.
If you leave it to the last minute to check in, they may have allocated all seats to those who checked in early.
However, if you arrive at the gate, you will be allocated a seat which someone else booked at check-in, but didn't show up.

 

[Bronte]

I check in as late as possible online and select random seat allocation. I'm usually allocated some kind of premium seat

There is one problem with this, a serious one, Ryanair “recently” purchased smaller planes, something like that, but it means those have a few less seats than their other ones. It has been the case Ryanair had to change planes at the last minute, they then bumped the last passengers checking in, they were able to check in, but didn’t get allocated a seat.

 

[JohnFlory]

Indeed. Ryanair routinely overbook flights. One way to exclude passengers is to close the gate at exactly 30 mins before flight time and put everyone in a stairwell. Usually catches one or two stragglers. Another is to not allocate seats to last few to check in.

 

[joe sod]

. Another is to not allocate seats to last few to check in.

So that contradicts an earlier suggestion that you should leave it as late as possible to check in online in order to get a good seat without paying premium, if you leave it too close to flight time you might not get a seat at all.

 

[Protocol]

There is one problem with this, a serious one, Ryanair “recently” purchased smaller planes, something like that,

They have purchased newer Boeing 737 aircraft, which have more seats in the same size aircraft, made possible by removing toilets.

737-NG variant, 410 aircraft = 189 seats
737-MAX 8200 "gamechanger" variant, 210 aircraft = 197 seats


Yes, I see what you mean, if the aircraft are switched, there are eight less seats.

 

[patfert1]

Ryanair routinely overbook flights

Do you know this as a fact as opposed to something you read? I know this practice is routine for decades in some airlines and parts of the world, but i had some inside knowledge of ryanair as of some years ago and I wasn't aware of them doing it.

 

[arbitron]

Do you know this as a fact as opposed to something you read?

Happened to me twice and gate staff told me they overbook some routes by a small number of seats.

On both occasions I just waited at the gate and there were people who were checked in but didn't show so I was able to fly in the end.

 

[joe sod]

On both occasions I just waited at the gate and there were people who were checked in but didn't show so I was able to fly in the end.

Yes but if you were checked in and at the gate and other passengers were not, why were they making you wait to see ?
Why were you singled out over other passengers at the gate, surely you are the same as everyone else, unless you wait until the last minute to board the flight or something but why would you do that?

 

[Bronte]

Yes, I see what you mean, if the aircraft are switched, there are eight less seats.

As a very frequent flier for decades, I’ve seen it all, I’m also a last border onto the plane as I have issues sitting following an operation. Observing what goes on is educational, they take the last arrivals aside and deny them boarding when everyone else is gone, they are waiting for no shows to allocate seats to them, if they are lucky they get on. It’s a very rare occurrence, but you don’t want it to happen to you on the 9 pm flight from Luton to Dublin on the 23 December.

Upthread is a link to posts from 2015, including some from me, the past is a far distant country as regards advice, you need to be current with advice, the rules have changed dramatically.

 

[patfert1]

they take the last arrivals aside and deny them boarding when everyone else is gone, they are waiting for no shows to allocate seats to them,

Not doubting what you say, but won't those last arrivals typically have done an online checkin and have an allocated seat number, or paid for a seat when they booked? Just not sure how that squares with someone else getting their seat by boarding earlier.

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Observing what goes on is educational, they take the last arrivals aside and deny them boarding

How do you observe this? Have you not already gone through? Or were you in the queue, when they stopped other people in the queue from boarding?

Or while you are waiting for your flight, do you watch the queues for other flights?

I have seen people arrive late at the gate and been denied boarding. That seems fair enough to me.

I tend to join the queue towards the end. I have never seen any airline deny boarding to someone in the queue.

But I have never arrived at a gate after the queue had gone through and after the final time for the closing of the gate.

 

[Bronte]

I generally sit opposite my gate, you can see a lot of gates, also some gates have prior flights, if you’re one of the last on in Dublin you can end up in the backlog on the down ramp. Because they go thru everyone to make the times, this happens even if the incoming flight has not been unboarded.

I also check incoming flights to figure out if my flight will be leaving on time. There is no doubt about it Ryanair are very efficient on timing. But it’s also clear they are fighting with airports, I don’t think it’s a coincidence their luggage and check in at Dublin is at the very end, meaning you’ve to get there, then double back to passport control. Their gates also tend to be the farthest. Also more likely to have to walk to the plane, or be bused, had those on Ryanair to a Spanish island, on the outbound walked, on arrival a bus, but the main carriers in both countries were on the air bridges, it’s got to do with Michael fighting with airports, plus he refuses to pay.

How do you observe this? Have you not already gone through? Or were you in the queue, when they stopped other people in the queue from boarding?

 

[patfert1]

if you’re one of the last on in Dublin you can end up in the backlog on the down ramp

Yes that's how they do it, but you still get on the flight. I also board near the end because I dont bring on a carry on bag and I have my seat number. I haven't seen people not being allowed through the boarding gate due to overbooking. Just my own experience. I have in the past however been on standby at the gate for an employee place on the flight and there were no no-shows so I got a crew jump seat. It was also shortly before Christmas so I was sweating!!

 

[Bronte]

I have seen people arrive late at the gate and been denied boarding. That seems fair enough to me.

That’s different, if you’re late they are heartless. And they don’t care if you’re late. Especially if you don’t have a bag checked in. Aer Lingus in Dublin call out passengers.

There have been major problems this summer with the new E gates, loads of people missed flights, that’s the time to pay for Fast Track (you need to know which airports), time of day can also be pivotal, I have adult children in different countries, EU, UK and Ireland, that’s why I’m an airport pro! And I’m not printing some of the tricks we’ve learnt. But I was well impressed with eldest a few years ago, EasyJet I think it was, Greece to Gatwick with Irish friends, bulging 10kg, their next flight to here was 8kg, met with brick wall, but they unpacked and managed, then put everything back in the bag when thru. Last month youngest who had overpacked sent Irish mammy to desk, 26 kg on a 20, I was my most charming, I was raging at child, because I’d warned them! That was a very close one. They also cheekily got me to carry their computer in my Cabin Max wheelie, despite all my kids criticising me for having an underseat bag with wheels!

 

[Brendan Burgess]

I have to say that I don't like my flight being delayed while the airline calls out someone who has come through security and has not bothered to be at the gate on time. But you might not mind that.

 

[arbitron]

Yes but if you were checked in and at the gate and other passengers were not, why were they making you wait to see ?
Why were you singled out over other passengers at the gate, surely you are the same as everyone else, unless you wait until the last minute to board the flight or something but why would you do that?

Let's say there are 100 seats but 101 tickets sold. Mary checked in 1 day before the flight online and she got the last seat allocation, number 100. My plans were only confirmed last minute so I checked in 4 hours before the flight and wasn't given a seat because I was check in number 101. The app tells me I will be assigned my seat at the gate.

Mary decides not to go after all but she doesn't cancel the ticket or contact Ryanair.

Mary is at home in Wexford, I am wandering around Duty Free an hour before departure. But from Ryanair point of view both Mary and I are planning to show up and could arrive any time until 30 minutes before take-off.

So they can't give me her seat until they know that she has not passed through security.

 

[joe sod]

My plans were only confirmed last minute so I checked in 4 hours before the flight and wasn't given a seat because I was check in number 101. The app tells me I will be assigned my seat at the gate.

Mary decides not to go after all but she doesn't cancel the ticket or contact Ryanair.

Yes but you booked the flight weeks or months ago so why would you only know 4 hours beforehand that you are going now. Also even if you thought you were not going there was no penalty for checking in and not showing up? That brings me to another point why don't ryanair provide an incentive for people to cancel, but actually ive realised that would just encourage lots of cancellations and throw their schedule up in the air. They then would have to auction those cancelled seats at bargain basement prices coming close to flight departure.By not providing incentives It forces people to actually turn up for the flight or not book it at all if they are not definite , then if they actually are going now they have to pay the huge prices in days before departure. Now i see why it makes sense for them.

 

[arbitron]

Yes but you booked the flight weeks or months ago so why would you only know 4 hours beforehand that you are going now.

That was just an example, but there are times when people have to book last minute for unexpected trips. I have had to fly with just a few hours of notice.

If it's oversold then there are more passengers than spaces and some people will not be allocated a seat, so it doesn't matter if everyone checks in days in advance.

 

[joe sod]

it's oversold then there are more passengers than spaces and some people will not be allocated a seat, so it doesn't matter if everyone checks in days in advance.

But surely if you buy a flight at last minute and pay very high price because you are buying in the last day or so then surely online checkin must still be open. They would hardly be allowed sell a seat on a nearly fully booked flight and then when you immediately go to do check in the online check in is closed. Then when you go to airport to check in you can't get on the flight. I doubt they would get away with that surely?
If everyone checks in on time and turns up for an overbooked flight then that is on the airline to sort, they can't just bump someone off they have to provide alternatives like hotel accomodation or compensation to volunteers to wait for the next available flight

 

[Brendan Burgess]

I don't want any "I saw it online" answers to this question. I just want direct experience.

1) Has anyone actually booked a Ryanair flight, checked in online, got to the gate on time - and I mean on time - and been refused boarding?
2) If so, how were you compensated by Ryanair?

I was on a flight back from America many years ago, probably with Aer Lingus, and they announced that they had overbooked the flights and asked for volunteers to go on a flight the next day. They bribed the volunteers well if I recall correctly.