Budget airline Ryanair has announced that it plans to abolish all of its airport check-in desks as part of a move to introduce its online check-in facility for all passengers from 1 October.

The company said that the decision will save time and avoid delays at airports, with passengers able to proceed straight to security, while those with checked baggage will face a £5 check-in fee in order to use dedicated 'drop desks' facilities From 19 March, a £10 fee will be introduced for passengers who wish to continue using check-in desks at airports before doubling to £20 from 1 May ahead of the complete withdrawal of the service on 1 October.

Ryanair spokesperson Stephen McNamara said: "Ryanair will phase in 100 per cent web check-in and our 'bag drop' service during summer 2009, thereby allowing all Ryanair passengers to benefit from the convenience of avoiding airport check-in queues. "We are confident that all passengers will embrace this improved service, which will allow them to forever avoid check-in queues while at the same time, enabling Ryanair to lower our airport and handling costs."

Ryanair has also welcomed UK government proposals to promote customer needs as part of new regulatory reforms. However, chief executive Michael O'Leary has called for the dismissal of the Civil Aviation Authority's regulator, as well as the scrapping of the proposed air passenger duty. O'Leary said: "Gordon Brown's government can put passengers first by simply scrapping the anti-passenger £10 travel tax, which has done such damage to UK passenger numbers and UK tourism."