# Another snag for UK travellers post Brexit



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I saw a post elsewhere this morning saying that Ryanair had refused to allow someone's relative travelling from the UK to use an E-boarding pass on their mobile phone because UK citizens are no longer EU/EEA citizens, and charged them 55 pounds to print a boarding pass. Sure enough, Ryanair's terms and conditions on their website do say that e-boarding passes are available to EU/EEA citizens. Something to watch out for if travelling with Ryanair?









Mobile Boarding Passes


Does Ryanair offer mobile boarding passes and who can use them? Yes. We accept mobile boarding passes on flights from the majority of airports on our network. Mobile boarding passes are availab...




help.ryanair.com


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I have no issues with these changes and the family invitation but both the EU and the UK need to get this stuff across to the general public. It's poor from both sides of the equation. Yes the reply can be you should find this stuff out.. but I can understand how an e boarding card is seen as a norm. Are they only used in Europe then?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I agree with you, things need to be spelt out clearly and publicised widely if changes are happening. If lots of people are going to be travelling this summer I can see a lot of them kicking off about things like this, and I wouldn't like to be stuck in a queue behind them.

The "mobile boarding passes only available to EU/EEA citizens" might just be one of Michael O´Leary's money making wheezes, I have just checked the Jet2 and Easyjet websites, for example, and neither of them say anything about that, just that certain airports don't allow them. But if Ryanair passengers aren't aware of this policy, they aren't going to be happy.


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## fortrose52 (Nov 29, 2018)

Thank you for letting me know about this. My sister and I have booked for July. I always print mine out but she uses her phone. See also my comment about Carta de Invitacion. Fees and beaurocracy to invite your family and friends to Spain


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

You're only quoting half the rule. The other half is you need that paper boarding pass stamped BEFORE you get to the gate. That's why they won't let you use the app. The person at the desk will check your ID and pass before stamping the pass.

The thing is I've almost never seen this rule enforced in Italy,Spain or German airports. There will be Americans and many other non EU travelers all in line using the app.



> Irrespective of a passenger's visa requirements, all non-EU/EEA citizens must have their travel documents checked and stamped at the Ryanair Visa/Document Check Desk *before going through airport security*











Requirements for Passports and Visas


It is each passenger's responsibility to carry a travel document which meets the requirements of Ryanair immigration and other authorities. You can check visa and passport requirements by contactin...




www.ryanair.com





Near the bottom of the page

I think WizzAir is the only other airline doing this.


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## fortrose52 (Nov 29, 2018)

NickZ, I cannot find anything about the mobile app thingy


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

fortrose52 said:


> NickZ, I cannot find anything about the mobile app thingy


If you go to the link I posted you'll see you need your boarding pass checked and stamped. 

They can't stamp your phone


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## angelaf115 (May 20, 2021)

Lynn R said:


> I saw a post elsewhere this morning saying that Ryanair had refused to allow someone's relative travelling from the UK to use an E-boarding pass on their mobile phone because UK citizens are no longer EU/EEA citizens, and charged them 55 pounds to print a boarding pass. Sure enough, Ryanair's terms and conditions on their website do say that e-boarding passes are available to EU/EEA citizens. Something to watch out for if travelling with Ryanair?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This rule has been in effect many years now. My American boss living on a work visa in Ireland always needed to make sure his boarding pass was printed out and stamped, while those of us EU citizens simply got to use our phones.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

> 55 pounds to print a boarding pass


Holy crap! Are they printing them on £50 notes?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

ksjazzguitar said:


> Holy crap! Are they printing them on £50 notes?


These punitive charges are meant to stir passengers into action of printing out their own boarding passes.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Yeah, I get that, but still, £50?!? I could understand £5 or £10, just as a convenience fee.

We live in an increasingly paperless world. We don't even own a printer anymore. Many more people have mobile phones than printers in their home. So they take advantage of that by robbing the people that didn't read the small print - to me that seems to be taking advantage of the situation. But of course, it's their business, but it seems extreme to me. It would make me want to avoid doing business with them.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Thats’s why Ryanair can offer a few flights for a fiver.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

ksjazzguitar said:


> Yeah, I get that, but still, £50?!? I could understand £5 or £10, just as a convenience fee.
> 
> We live in an increasingly paperless world. We don't even own a printer anymore. Many more people have mobile phones than printers in their home. So they take advantage of that by robbing the people that didn't read the small print - to me that seems to be taking advantage of the situation. But of course, it's their business, but it seems extreme to me. It would make me want to avoid doing business with them.


It's their business plan. If you are happy reading all the small print and conform to their ways, you get a cheap flight. Their profit margin is subsidised by those who are less careful and get stung by high charges.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Yeah, I've flown with them a couple times. I'll just have to remember that they're kind of shady and look for excuses to gouge their customers. I get thin profit margins and I get charging people extra for extra services. But £55 to do something that costs them a few cents and most airlines do for free? Something that most people just assume is free?

It would be like going to a BBQ rib joint, dropping $25 on dinner, then the bill comes and you find out that there is a napkin surcharge of $40. Didn't you read the fine print on the door as you came in reminding you that you have to bring your own?

Legal? Yeah, I guess. Ethical? Not to me. But everyone can make up their own minds.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

You're missing the point. They DON'T want you asking for help. The desk that handles stuff like this is barely manned at most airports. The charge is intentionally high so people don't think "Oh I'll get a pass at the airport"

The cost to provide one printed pass for some flights would be the salary of somebody standing at the desk for a full day.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

I understood the point. Just because I disagree with you doesn't mean that I didn't understand. I just don't think that it justifies such a harsh, unexpected fee. Maybe the hypothetical BBQ joint I mentioned doesn't want to store napkins and clean and fill napkin holders. And, btw, the several times I've gotten printed tickets, it's been from a machine, lines of machines serving dozens of people. It was usually because I either couldn't get the online app, I didn't have access to a printer, or they changed my flight details at the last minute while I was on my trip.

But OK, we'll just have to disagree. I think it's insane. You think it's good business. We just disagree.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

ksjazzguitar said:


> I understood the point.


No you're missing the point. The fee is a punishment for people not following the rules. They REALLY want people to follow the rules. Anything that slows things down or causes them to need more staff is a problem. 

Think of the fee like a speeding ticket.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Yes, I understood. They are gouging the consumer with a heavy fine (more expensive than some of the flights) for a service that most airlines cause for free. They do it with fine print. Yup I get it. Even though they always need someone standing there, even though there are automated systems that can print out tickets, even though people are increasingly paperless, etc. - even though all that, they have this (effectively) secret rule that they use to gouge consumers. Sure, they already have automatic systems to send email and could practically scream it to the customers, they already have a robocall/text system for emergencies so they could remind people easily, they could have a specific page that they have to acknowledge when they checkout with their ticket, "Hey, we have a new policy that is very different from others, but you MUST print out your ticket or we will charge you £55. Please type your name below to acknowledge", etc. Sure rather than do that, they just leave it as is, knowing that it will catch a lot of people off guard and make them money. I usually side with businesses in things like this, but this just seems beyond the pale.



> No you're missing the point. The fee is a punishment for people not following the rules. They REALLY want people to follow the rules.


I love that you think I'm too dense to understand that they really want people to print their own tickets. I get it.

It would be like someone defending someone that got a parking ticket. You keep saying that I just don't get it, that the city doesn't want anyone to park there. I GET IT. My point is that it has been free parking forever and the notice is a little tiny card in tiny print that most people won't notice. I GET IT that that city REALLY doesn't want people to park there. I just think there would be less slimy ways to handle it.

But OK, some people don't agree. But I won't insult their intelligence by saying that the reason they disagree with me is that they are "missing the point". Whether or not this is a good business practice is a matter of opinion. You have yours, I have mine. I can understand your reasoning and still disagree. You also have the right to understand my position without agreeing.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

Whatever you think of it the fact is than EVERYONE knows that RA will ALWAYS make the ABSOLUTE most out of ANY and EVERY opportunity to prise the MOST money out of customers possible so it beholds them to read the T&C's and not complain when they get caught out for not.

If you don't like you're perfectly free to fly with someone else.


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Yes, I agree with your last sentence. But would like to retain, with your permission, the right to have my own opinion about the ethics of how they do business. You have the right to your opinion too - I always assumed that.


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

ksjazzguitar said:


> But would like to retain, with your permission, the right to have my own opinion about the ethics of how they do business. You have the right to your opinion too - I always assumed that.


I don't think anyone's denying your opinion. Those of us who live in Europe know exactly what RyanAir are like. Everyone, like you, thinks its crazy, but we've adapted to it. We just accept it. Almost everything they do is stupid, crazy, expensive.. BUT I can fly to Glasgow for 5 euro return, so I don't care if someone gets charged 55 pounds for a print out. All you've heard about Spanish bureaucracy, apply that to Ryan Air (print 3 copies of boarding pass, 3 copies of passport etc )  

For those of us who don't use our phones, we ALL know if we forget to print our boarding pass, we are hosed. No one forgets anymore. Also, any of us who travel within Europe on a non-EU passport, know that on a some airlines, you cannot use your phone as a boarding pass as the staff must check your passport before check in. As with so many things, UK passport holders are new to this so just assume things are the same as they've always been. (I'm a dual passport holder, so I am aware of these things from over the years)


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

> For those of us who don't use our phones, we ALL know if we forget to print our boarding pass, we are hosed.


I don't understand, are you saying that OP knew this and complained anyway? I thought the point was that some people CAN'T use their phones and DIDN'T know about this rule until it was too late.

But if your saying that everyone knows this, then I guess it's their fault. If RA has made it 100% clear to everyone (as opposed to buried in 17 pages of TOS), then I guess I'm wrong.


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

I don't think there is a right or wrong here 

I'm not saying that the OP 100% knew this, because lets say for example they've only travelled in EU on a UK passport for a number of years, they could have used their phones. The point is now as they are no longer EU, they cannot, and _this is new to them_, therefore they wouldn't know. (although they should know that RA will attempt to extort money form them at the drop of a hat!) Where as I for example, have travelled on a Canadian passport within the EU (and so has my CAD daughter) but I could not use my phone because I was not using my EU passport, therefore had to ensure I had a boarding card printed. It used to say it in the confirmation email at one stage..but its been a bit since I travelled with them so unsure of what they do now)

I was more posting to attempt to smooth it over .. your opinion is valid, but those who live in the EU just shrug our shoulders. Is it right RA does this sort of thing? No. Do we all suck it up and do as we're told...absolutely 

Happy Friday mate


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

It's cool, I'm not offended, per se. (It's hard to offend me.) Just confused because I feel like there are some contradictions in the explanations - I'm still confused by "we ALL know if we forget to print our boarding pass" being followed by "I'm not saying that the OP 100% knew this". And I'm still confused that if I can print out my ticket remotely, I'm not sure why I couldn't do it at a kiosk in the airport. If they can be printed at home without a ticket agent, I don't understand why a physical person is needed at the airport. And even at £5 a pop it would pay for itself. Most of the airlines here have kiosks for free where I just scan my passport and it prints out my ticket. For free. Maybe I'm not clever enough to pick up on the subtleties here. To me it seems, to quote The Bard, "too cunning to be understood".

But it's cool. At least I know now not to assume that RA is acting in good faith and to find a way to print out tickets, even if I don't have access to a printer on vacation. It seems shady to me, but perhaps this is normal over there. I feel like if an airline did this over here, charged $75 for a tiny piece of paper that goes in the trash before the end of the day - I feel that would be a PR disaster that would end in them changing the policy. But if this kind of thing is SOP in the EU, I guess I will have to get used to it.

Have a good Friday.


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

ksjazzguitar said:


> I'm still confused by "we ALL know if we forget to print our boarding pass" being followed by "I'm not saying that the OP 100% knew this"


Ah yes, ok.. well up until a couple years ago, no one could use the phone as a boarding pass. As I'm sure you know.. we all had to present a paper. Most airlines, you'd check in at a kiosk or a desk and get your boarding pass. However RA, for years and years now, has made you print and bring your own. It didn't matter who you were, where you were going etc. If you failed to print your own, you got charged crazy money for them to print one. I recall 10 years ago it being 40 euro, so in fairness, they've not put the price up much  So by me saying "we all" what I really meant was anyone who's ever used RA knew well what what would happen if you didn't have one. Fast forward to phones being used, this negated the need to print, so UK folks don't realise that they can no longer use their phones, they must default back to what they used to have to do.

The rest of your assumptions are absolutely true for most airlines. RA is a special breed. When you do move over to Europe and fly with them, please *never ever assume* RA has any good faith. Their business model is to squeeze you for every last penny they can. It used to be a running joke that if they could charge you per square of toilet roll paper, they would.

They also do not want to pay any more staff than they have to, or maintain any equipment. Honestly, there is no customer service whatsoever. They still owe me 300 for cancelled flights 3 years back, because I cant get through to a person to speak to.. and the code THEY gave me is wrong 



ksjazzguitar said:


> even if I don't have access to a printer on vacation


Just as a note, with RA you can check in and print boarding passes around 30 days ahead of your flight, so its rarely an issue in that instance


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

KVP said:


> Ah yes, ok.. well up until a couple years ago, no one could use the phone as a boarding pass. As I'm sure you know.. we all had to present a paper. Most airlines, you'd check in at a kiosk or a desk and get your boarding pass. However RA, for years and years now, has made you print and bring your own. It didn't matter who you were, where you were going etc. If you failed to print your own, you got charged crazy money for them to print one. I recall 10 years ago it being 40 euro, so in fairness, they've not put the price up much  So by me saying "we all" what I really meant was anyone who's ever used RA knew well what what would happen if you didn't have one. Fast forward to phones being used, this negated the need to print, so UK folks don't realise that they can no longer use their phones, they must default back to what they used to have to do.
> 
> The rest of your assumptions are absolutely true for most airlines. RA is a special breed. When you do move over to Europe and fly with them, please *never ever assume* RA has any good faith. Their business model is to squeeze you for every last penny they can. It used to be a running joke that if they could charge you per square of toilet roll paper, they would.
> 
> ...


I agree with all you have said. My reason for making the OP was just to draw UK passport holders' attention to the need for them to print out their boarding passes in future rather than having them on their phones - I certainly wouldn't have realised the need to do that if I hadn't read about the person being charged for a printed boarding pass. People did get used to having to print their own, and no doubt will again, but in the next few months if a ssizeable number turn up at the airports blissfully unaware of this change, it will cause problems.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

ksjazzguitar said:


> It's cool, I'm not offended, per se. (It's hard to offend me.) Just confused because I feel like there are some contradictions in the explanations - I'm still confused by "we ALL know if we forget to print our boarding pass" being followed by "I'm not saying that the OP 100% knew this". And I'm still confused that if I can print out my ticket remotely, I'm not sure why I couldn't do it at a kiosk in the airport. If they can be printed at home without a ticket agent, I don't understand why a physical person is needed at the airport. And even at £5 a pop it would pay for itself. Most of the airlines here have kiosks for free where I just scan my passport and it prints out my ticket. For free. Maybe I'm not clever enough to pick up on the subtleties here. To me it seems, to quote The Bard, "too cunning to be understood".
> 
> But it's cool. At least I know now not to assume that RA is acting in good faith and to find a way to print out tickets, even if I don't have access to a printer on vacation. It seems shady to me, but perhaps this is normal over there. I feel like if an airline did this over here, charged $75 for a tiny piece of paper that goes in the trash before the end of the day - I feel that would be a PR disaster that would end in them changing the policy. But if this kind of thing is SOP in the EU, I guess I will have to get used to it.
> 
> Have a good Friday.


Dont mean to derail the thread but, being charged a fortune for a boarding pass, is as they say only the tip of the iceberg here in the EU. 
Even the simplest paperwork item will require 3 copies of everything and what your granny had for dinner on Christmas day 1942. And then you take into account what time of day it is, what the person questioning you has (or had for lunch). And at the end it will be refused as you didn't use a fountain pen to sign your name.

Oh and remember that the correct format here is day/month/year (not being sarcastic, the next bit explains). 
I have a Canadian friend who was told to go away because he put the date format wrong on his form.
We laugh now, but the official was deadly serious and threatened to have him removed because is asked if just changing it would be ok?

The budget airlines here, treat you as if you are, at best a nuisance. 
I flew RA from Luton to Dublin many years ago. At checkin me and my work mate asked if we could sit together and the look we got. Muttering etc. We got to the gate and there were only 5 people plus us on the plane. They dont serve coffee etc with that few booked (well they didn't then). And dont forget the budget ones are not scheduled, so they can cancel the flight if the minimum number are not booked (thats happening now due to covid, or they are just moving your flight to suit themselves).
I also ended up paying £15.00 for the seat and £400 for my excess baggage. 

Ive flown from Gatwick to Milan with easyjet and found that my fight home had been changed so I landed in Liverpool ( they offered a bus to take us the 247miles) but I refused and rebooked with BA.

My father was due to arrive tomorrow morning, they cancelled his flight and put him on the one that leaves the Uk at 21.30 (he was booked for 06.30) they also moved his return to the day before. So he cancelled.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> I agree with all you have said. My reason for making the OP was just to draw UK passport holders' attention to the need for them to print out their boarding passes in future rather than having them on their phones - I certainly wouldn't have realised the need to do that if I hadn't read about the person being charged for a printed boarding pass. People did get used to having to print their own, and no doubt will again, but in the next few months if a ssizeable number turn up at the airports blissfully unaware of this change, it will cause problems.


Ive never relied on my phone always printed them off. I used to fly 2 or 3 times a month in and out of the UK and Europe and beyond. 
You never know when your phone may die on you, also mine usually get damaged as I'm a clumsy sod. 
I also like to have all my stuff together all printed and in a folder (I suppose flying for work for the last 30 years does that to you)


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Barriej said:


> Dont mean to derail the thread but, being charged a fortune for a boarding pass, is as they say only the tip of the iceberg here in the EU.


Yeah, I imagine there will be a lot of things I have to get used to: some good, some bad.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

KVP said:


> Just as a note, with RA you can check in and print boarding passes around 30 days ahead of your flight, so its rarely an issue in that instance


It's been sixty days for years now.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

They don't hide the rules. People who use them can often quote the T&C better then the CEO can. 

Usually the people who complain are the ones who thought they could just bend the rules. The ones who show up with a too big carry on. Or the woman I met on the train once that thought they would hold the plane for her. I kid you not. 

I'll try again these fees aren't about them making money. The fees for oversized bags or buying a checked bag at the airport or printing out a boarding pass are all about saving them money. They could make a lot more money just offering to print the passes for €10. They'd likely have a line of people handing them €10 notes. 

But you don't turn those planes around the way they do by being inefficient. They used to fly something like six flights from FCO to BCN every single day. Just two planes . One starting in Rome the other one in Barcelona. Crisscrossing the sea. If the first flight is five minutes late it just gets worse.


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## olivefarmer (Oct 16, 2012)

£5 flights will be a distant memory before long. Short flights in Europe that can be done by using a train journey , instead will be scrapped. Germany said recently that 29 euro flights to Majorca are just plain wrong. I read that polluting air travellers will pay. It will be interesting to see what Ryanair make of it


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

I want to see the train route from Berlin to Majorca


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

NickZ said:


> It's been sixty days for years now.


Wow, didn't really pay attention and didn't realise it was that long! I just always did it a couple days beforehand and did the return as well.


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## KVP (Apr 16, 2017)

Dublin to Tenerife could be a bit tricky as well 

If I was a betting person I'd wager flights to everywhere will cost a lot more "post-covid" as they try and recoup some earnings.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

KVP said:


> Wow, didn't really pay attention and didn't realise it was that long! I just always did it a couple days beforehand and did the return as well.


I should say it's sixty days if you've paid for priority or the other higher cost options. Not for the most basic ticket. 

I'm sure the airlines would love to hike fares but I'd wager once the initial travel rush passes they'll find less people with the money to spend . 

Just think about how many families have had at least one member out of work the last year plus.

Vueling I think last week sent me an email about €15 flights for next year. I know Easyjet has some pretty cheap flights for late next spring.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

NickZ said:


> I should say it's sixty days if you've paid for priority or the other higher cost options. Not for the most basic ticket.
> 
> I'm sure the airlines would love to hike fares but I'd wager once the initial travel rush passes they'll find less people with the money to spend .
> 
> ...


Not just the short haul either. We have been looking to visit our daughter in Australia either end of this year or start of 22 to celebrate her engagement.
Emirates keep emailing me with deals (although the first flights are not available until Nov 21) with deals of £800 per person at Christmas time, which is normally expensive. (it cost us £1100 each a couple of years ago in low season).

My son booked to come over here last October and has now moved it twice since, he has now rebooked for this October and the flight is cheaper than the original one. Easyjet didn't offer a refund but 'gave' him speedy boarding and a discount on the hold luggage.

A work mate is due to head to the Caribbean for work and he says the flight costs are lower than they have been for years. He has booked his next 3 trips for end of this year and the start of next at guaranteed prices from the airline (no increases at all will be applied).

I can see all the 'budget' airlines running fewer services than before the pandemic as it will be easier to fill them. I think they will also pick cheaper slots, so be prepared for some weird arrival and departure times.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Barriej said:


> I can see all the 'budget' airlines running fewer services than before the pandemic as it will be easier to fill them. I think they will also pick cheaper slots, so be prepared for some weird arrival and departure times.


Actually rumours are they've been getting deals from the airports. Wizz just opened a base in Rome and they're running flights to the Canaries that nobody has run in years for a price I'd jump on if I hadn't had so many flights canceled in the last twelve months. 

I'm just tired of having to cancel hotels at this point


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

olivefarmer said:


> £5 flights will be a distant memory before long. Short flights in Europe that can be done by using a train journey , instead will be scrapped. Germany said recently that 29 euro flights to Majorca are just plain wrong. I read that polluting air travellers will pay. It will be interesting to see what Ryanair make of it


We used to fly to Paris to visit Daughter but have been using Eurostar for a few years. Quicker and less hassle.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

It appears that Ryanair have now updated the advice on their website to say that mobile passes CAN be used by UK nationals - I imagine they have been contacted by a number of concerned passengers. Good.









Mobile Boarding Passes


Does Ryanair offer mobile boarding passes and who can use them? Yes. We accept mobile boarding passes on flights from the majority of airports on our network. Mobile boarding passes are availab...




help.ryanair.com


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