With the busy October half-term approaching and thousands of Brits expected to jet off abroad for a winter escape, Ryanair has an important ’40-minute’ warning to all passengers
Ryanair has warned all passengers about a ’40-minute’ rule ahead of the October half-term(Image: Getty Images/Stock Image)
Thousands of holidaymakers are set to jet off abroad during the October half-term, whether it’s for a sun-drenched winter getaway to Malta, a city break to Dublin, or an enchanting retreat to Copenhagen with its storybook scenes. Amid the excitement, it’s essential that every passenger is thoroughly prepared before arriving at the airport.
Travellers can easily encounter problems at the airport that can swiftly compromise their trip abroad, such as long queues at security or luggage restrictions, so it’s imperative to arrive with ample time. There are also stringent airline deadlines that every passenger must meet in order to board their flight; otherwise, they risk being denied boarding.
One significant rule that can cause confusion amongst travellers is checking in for their flight, with specific timeframes differing by airline. To help holidaymakers feel as prepared as possible, Ryanair has issued a ’40-minute’ warning for all passengers planning to fly before 10 November 2026, as the regulations change after this date.
“The check-in desks close strictly 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time unless you are notified otherwise before flight departure or flying from 10 November 2026 onwards,” Ryanair warned on its website, under check-in, boarding and seating. This is vital for anyone departing abroad with the budget airline during the October half-term.
However, from this date onwards, the restrictions will be revised. Ryanair confirmed: “For all passengers flying from 10 November 2026 onwards, the check-in desks close strictly 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time unless you are notified otherwise before flight departure. If you do not complete check-in by then you may be denied boarding without refund.”
Passengers can also conveniently check in for their flight prior to arriving at the airport once online check-in becomes available. The UK airline outlined: “Online check-in opens 60 days before the scheduled departure time if you have purchased an allocated seat. Customers can be allocated a seat free of charge if they check-in online between 24 and 2 hours before each booked flight. You cannot check in online during the 2 hours before your flight’s scheduled departure time.”
Nevertheless, a word of caution was issued to customers: “If you do not complete check-in online more than 2 hours before the scheduled departure time, you will be charged the airport check-in fee set out in our table of fees. If you booked a Plus or Flexi Plus ticket before the 14th of August 2025, you can check-in at the airport free of charge.”
Separately, a travel expert has cautioned British holidaymakers about essential passport checks that must be carried out well ahead of their trip, with two crucial dates to bear in mind. Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert at Go Compare Travel, advised: “It’s important to remember that passport rules are about more than expiry dates.”
However, it’s not the only date that Brits need to verify. Rhys added: “Travellers should check whether their passport was issued within the accepted period for their destination, is valid for long enough after their trip, has enough blank pages where required, and is not too damaged to travel.”
For countries in the Schengen area such as France, Italy, Greece and Spain, Brits need a passport issued less than 10 years before the date they enter the country, and the document also needs to be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to exit the destination.
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