Airline company Ryanair to transition passengers towards utilizing digital boarding pass technology

Ryanair, the popular European budget airline, has announced a significant shift in its boarding pass policy, aiming to reduce paper waste and streamline the check-in process.

The change, spearheaded by CEO Michael O'Leary, will see the airline transitioning from paper boarding passes to digital ones. Passengers will now need to display their boarding passes on the Ryanair app on their smartphones.

According to O'Leary, almost 100% of passengers have smartphones, and 85-90% already show up with them. This move is expected to eliminate almost all check-in fees, making the process more convenient for passengers.

However, the airline continues to penalize customers who wait until the airport to check in. The extra fee for checking in at the airport varies by location, with €55 being the standard charge in most places, €40 in Austria, and €30 in Spain.

Ryanair is mindful of the concerns surrounding vulnerable customers who may not have smartphones. The airline suggests that such passengers can ask a friend or family member to download the boarding pass for them.

The airline also assures that passengers who have checked in will receive assistance at the airport, even if they experience issues with their phones. In such cases, Ryanair will have a passenger's sequence number at the boarding gate.

The move is expected to reduce paper waste by an estimated 300 tonnes per year. Ryanair will offer direct updates from its operations centre during disruption via the app, ensuring passengers are kept informed of any changes.

The change to digital-only boarding passes will be implemented from November 2025. Passengers are encouraged to check in online before they arrive at the airport to avoid any potential issues with digital boarding passes.

In the event of a lost phone, Ryanair will reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge, as long as the passenger has checked in before arriving. If a passenger's battery dies or they encounter other issues with their phone, they can still board the plane, provided they have checked in before arriving at the airport.

The extra fee for checking in at the airport is stated on Ryanair's website, ensuring transparency for all passengers. Ryanair has been encouraging customers towards online processes, aiming to move all passengers onto smartphone technology.