paying

It’s crucial to be well prepared before heading to the airport on holiday, and there’s one mistake to avoid, otherwise face forking out an extra £55 per person at the airport

There’s a common check-in mistake that could see Brits charged an extra £55 per person at the airport.

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to jetting off abroad; from finding the right sun-soaked destination, the most affordable flights, suitable accommodation, and a desirable itinerary. Inbetween the planning and excitement, there are also some vital pre-holiday preparations that are needed.

Whether that’s obtaining travel insurance, securing a visa, checking passport validity, arranging a lift or taxi to the airport, packing the suitcases, or booking a dog or house sitter. But during any pre-trip planning, there’s a key task that holidaymakers can miss, and it will cost extra with Ryanair.

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While travellers will have their flight details to hand, often via the airline app or an email, some forget to check in online. For holidaymakers flying with Ryanair, they will be charged £55 per person to check in at the airport, when they could have checked in online for free.

For a family of four, this could see them fork out a whopping £220 before their getaway even begins. It’s a mistake and an extra cost that can easily be avoided by checking into their flight when it opens online.

Ryanair passengers with a pre-reserved seat, which are usually at an extra cost, can check in online up to 60 days before their scheduled departure. Meanwhile, those without a reserved seat, which is free, can check in online 24 hours before their flight, and can often choose a seat for free if one is available.

To check in online with Ryanair, travellers must have a valid travel document, such as a passport or National Identity Card. The airline confirmed that they “do not accept a driver’s license or birth certificates for travel to any location” and advised that there are different rules for various destinations, so Brits should check these before travelling.

For anyone who doesn’t check in online, Ryanair warned: “If you do not check in online up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure time, you may check in at the airport up to 40 minutes before departure, but you will be charged an airport check-in fee.”

They added: “We urge all passengers to check in online before arriving at the airport so these fees can be avoided.”

In further information about checking in at the airport, Ryanair stated: “You will have to pay an airport check-in fee per passenger to cover the extra cost of the airport check-in service. Please see our Table of Fees.”

On the Ryanair website, they further outlined: “If you checked in but cannot present your boarding pass on the app when you arrive at the airport, you will receive a free of charge boarding pass.”

They also added: “Please note: All passengers departing from a Moroccan airport must check-in online as normal and then collect a free of charge boarding pass at the airport check-in desk.”

For more information or to check Ryanair’s details, visit their website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

People can save an extra bit of money by following the ‘online’ advice

TV money personality and personal finance expert Laura Pomfret has shared a money-saving tip for anyone with a passport. Speaking on today’s (April 13) episode of BBC Morning Live, hosted by Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones, she shared a cost-effective, time-saving piece of advice ‘people may not know about’.

Her advice comes as the cost of renewing a British passport rose at the start of the month. From April 8, the price of a standard online adult application rose from £94.50 to £102, surpassing £100 for the very first time. Child passports also increased, jumping to £66.50 from £61.50, reflecting a roughly 8% hike intended to reduce the taxpayer burden.

Laura told viewers: “It is becoming a bigger and bigger expense to get a passport for you, loved ones, for your family, and fees have just gone up. It is now over £100 to get a passport, but there are ways of avoiding paying more than you need.”

Sharing her tip to avoid paying extra when renewing your passport, she said that people who renew online can take their own pictures, rather than going to a photo booth and paying even more to get it printed. She said: “If you’ve not renewed your passport for a while, you may not know that you can take your photos yourself.”

She went on: “You don’t have to pay to go into a shop, you don’t have to go to one of the passport booths.” She said the official Gov.uk website gives you guidance when uploading your own photo, saying: “You need good lighting and a plain background, you upload it directly.”

She added: “It tells you if it’s not any good and you have to do it again. So, all in all, I think it’s worth having a look, if you need to get a new passport, at these different ways of saving money, because it’s worth it in the long run, especially more than one.”

Offering further passport guidance for Brits, Laura urged viewers to only ever renew online via the official Gov.uk HM Passport Office website. She warned: “There are these intermediary websites that might look official to help you fill out the application, but it’s not HM Passport Office.

“It’s an intermediary and you could pay up to £100, just for essentially help doing the passport, so make sure when you do it online you’re going directly to the Passport Office.” She also recommended renewing passports online rather than by post, as it costs less and saves time.

She said: “I advise you to do it yourself online. It takes about 10 minutes. But if you’re a bit unsure, you can use the Post Office check and send service. You’re paying £16 for this, but actually to get it done properly, it may be worth you deciding to use that service.”

You must renew your passport before you can travel if either your passport has expired or you do not have enough time left on it. How much time you need for your passport depends on the country you’re visiting. Check the entry requirements of the country you want to travel to.