30th June 2009

Changes at Ryanair. 

Ryanair- has announced that the low-cost carrier plans to ban check-in luggage, eliminate airport check-in and offer in-air online gambling services.

O'Leary told reporters that Ryanair plans to proceed early next year with a ban on all passenger check-in luggage while offering unlimited carry-on baggage for free, subject to airport regulations. He said the move will lower airport costs, speed up baggage processing times and allow Ryanair to offer lower fares.

O'Leary envisages a system that allows passengers to carry their baggage through the airport, check it into the cargo hold at the steps of the aircraft and collect it as they disembark at their destination.

He said that the airline plans to get rid off airport check-in by October, 2010, to complete the migration to online check-in.

The moves form part of O'Leary's plan to cut back on airport services and to reduce costs while minimizing the time passengers spend in airports.

Other plans include implementing an in-air online gambling system. Details remain to be finalised.

O'Leary said Ryanair will ground 20 planes at Stansted Airport and cut around 100 staff in anticipation of an expected winter slowdown. Ryanair in a statement Tuesday said it will freeze growth at its nine U.K. bases, citing the GBP10 tourist tax and airport operator BAA Ltd.'s practices.

He said that Ryanair was moving forward with plans to charge passengers for using onboard toilets, but added that he was abandoning plans for a so-called 'fat tax' to charge heavier passengers because implementation and regulation would be too difficult.