Irish regional carrier, Aer Arann, has introduced a free text message service that will send passengers a reference number when booking online.
The facility ” the result of new technology being installed on Aer Arann”s website ” is the first time a regional airline has provided the service according to the airline.
And following Ryanair”s decision to introduce charges for using traditional check-in rather than booking online, Aer Arann says it has no plans to follow suit.
Fellow Irish carrier, Ryanair, will charge ”10 ($14.70) per item of hand baggage that exceeds the maximum weight of 10kg, while at the same time issuing a boarding card for a fee of ”2.
”While other airlines see check-in charges as a way of increasing revenue, Aer Arann is committed to operating a fair service for our passengers,” said Aer Arann head of sales and marketing, Colin Lewis.
”We have no plans to introduce additional check-in charges for passengers on our flights [and] see these charges as potential deterrents to frequent air travel.”
Aer Arann currently has no self-service kiosks, but does have online check-in available on all UK-Cork services. Plans are in hand to slowly introduce this facility across the network.
The airline ” recent sponsors of Premier League club Sunderland”s pre-season tour to Ireland ” has also announced that it will be Rally Ireland”s official carrier during the Irish stage of the World Rally Championship (WRC) this November.
”The partnership with Aer Arann is important as it will allow us to transport the drivers to Belfast and Sligo for the Super Special start at Stormont,” said Ronan Morgan from Rally Ireland. ”We will be the first in the WRC series to use air transport in this way.”