The hustle and bustle of passing through the airport can be a very stressful experience, especially when it comes to the crazy dash to the gates, especially when it comes to departure details. At this desperate moment, travelers often want to sprint to their assigned gates and secure a spot in front of the boarding line.
But those flying with a particular airline swear by the clever tricks that make travelers like Chelsea known to Tiktok audiences known as @cheapholidayexpert. Chelsea is well known for sharing budget-friendly travel tips with her followers.
In a recent post, she announces a lesser-known feature of the Ryanair app that can give her an edge over other passengers.
Her video is captioned interestingly: “Did you know Ryanair did this?! A hack to help you become the first at your gate,” and while some savvy travelers may already be using this feature, Chelsea suggests it is not widely known.
In Tiktok, Chelsea is at a busy airport. She said: “I'm in Stansted. The departure committee is currently not showing my gates.
“But I'm flying with Ryanair, and they not only pushed the notifications on their phone and told me that my gate was updated, but you can go to the app and see what it is.”
Pointing to the departure committee, she adds: “And this is how it was before it was updated.”
Travelers with cabin bags aim to be in front of the queue, especially when flying on budget airlines. This is not guaranteed overhead compartment space for the cabin bag, but due to the fare to guide passengers who need to check the bags for some passengers.
For those who want to secure a spot on the front of the line, keeping tabs on the Ryanair app can be a game changer. Chelsea joked: “So if you're someone who likes to get to the front of the queue, if you couldn't be me, I'm going to stay here in Leon.
Ryanair is not the only airline that offers this service. Budget airline EasyJet also offers this feature. As stated on their website, “If you download the mobile app and enable notifications, we will try to send gate information directly to your phone (if available) and you should head to the gate as soon as possible.”
If your boarding pass is downloaded to the app, your gate number may appear before it appears on the board. Airline apps such as Wizz Air offer this feature.
However, some veteran travelers have warned about potential issues with the service. One said: “You should be aware of this as you can change the gate before it's announced on the screen, especially if your flight is after noon.”
Another traveler warned, “We need to be careful about doing this as gates can turn to the last minute, as it depends on what position the aircraft park is in when it lands.” A more relaxed passenger shared: “No, I've been waiting for 10 minutes after I get up on the airport screen.
“When I can see from the flytrader that the plane hasn't arrived yet, I won't line up in that Ryanair line and stand up against the board.”
