Travel question: Should I check in online before getting to the airport?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Although Ryanair will fine you if you turn up at the airport without a boarding pass, British Airways, easyJet and Flybe won't (Getty)

Q I have always used Ryanair in the past to book my flights, but this time round I am travelling with Thomas Cook from East Midlands to Tenerife South. Can I get a physical boarding pass by checking in at the airport, or do I need to do it online?

Mark B

A It is nine years since Ryanair took the radical step of demanding that all passengers check in on before reaching the airport, and applying high fees for anyone who did not turn up with a printed boarding pass. Today, you can bring your boarding pass on a smartphone and show it at the airport (or pay £55 if you forget).