Ryanair's dark UX patterns persist in 2026 check-in process
By
danosull
Plain bagel done well. Pleasantly substantive.
Summary
Dan O'Sullivan's blog post examines Ryanair's use of dark UX patterns during their summer 2026 check-in process. The author documents 9 stages users must navigate to avoid unwanted upsells and extra payments, highlighting how the airline deliberately makes opting out of insurance and other add-ons confusing. The post references a classic example from 8 years ago where users had to select "Don't Insure Me" from a country list, and shows that these manipulative design practices persist in 2026.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledEveryone likes dark UX patterns – such fun!
Ryanair are Europe's most profitable airline and they are masters of this noble form.
I count 9 stages a user has to successfully navigate to avoid extra payment
Don't be tricked into unlocking c
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