Ryanair will require passengers to utilize digital boarding passes exclusively starting next week. The airline has announced this significant change to its customers, effective from Wednesday, November 12. After this date, travelers will no longer have the option to obtain and print physical paper boarding passes.
Instead, passengers must access their digital boarding pass through the “myRyanair” app on their mobile device, whether it be a smartphone or tablet, during the check-in process for any Ryanair flight.
While Ryanair stated that the majority of passengers already make use of digital boarding passes, with almost 80% of its over 207 million annual passengers doing so, there are still approximately 40 million passengers who currently utilize alternative methods, such as printing their boarding passes, who will be affected by this change.
Dara Brady, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer, emphasized the benefits of this transition, stating, “Moving fully digital means a faster, smarter, and greener experience for passengers, alongside granting easier access to various innovative in-app features.” These features include ‘Order to Seat’, live flight updates, and direct notifications during disruptions, all available through the myRyanair app.
The airline assured that this shift to digital boarding passes would lead to reduced airport costs, resulting in lower fares for all passengers and the saving of 300 tonnes of paper annually.
Ryanair addressed concerns from customers regarding potential issues with digital boarding passes. The airline clarified that if a passenger loses their mobile device before boarding, they can obtain a free boarding pass at the airport, provided they have completed online check-in. Similarly, if a passenger’s device runs out of battery before passing through airport security, Ryanair will offer assistance at the gate.
Regarding passengers without access to the Ryanair app on a smartphone or tablet, Ryanair stated that those who have checked in online prior to arriving at the airport will receive a complimentary boarding pass at the airport.
Importantly, Ryanair highlighted that the digital boarding pass will be accessible to passengers who have completed online check-in, even if they do not have a mobile signal at the time of boarding.