Ryanair rolls out 100% digital boarding passes
The move will improve the passenger experience and save a lot of paper, according to Ryanair.
Ryanair has officially begun issuing only digital boarding passes today, with the low-cost carrier previously arguing that the move “will deliver a faster, smarter, and greener travel experience.”
On November 12, Ryanair moved to only accepting digital boarding passes at airports, a change that it had previously delayed several times. As of today, passengers have to check in and retrieve their boarding passes in their myRyanair mobile app to board a Ryanair flight to avoid a charge at the airport.
Six days ago, the Irish airline said that digital boarding passes had been “adopted by nearly 80% of Ryanair’s 207M+ annual passengers,” with the change resulting in a “faster, smarter, and greener travel experience.”
At the time, Dara Brady, the Chief Marketing Officer of Ryanair, reiterated that starting November 12, “passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical paper boarding pass but will instead need to use the digital boarding pass generated in their ‘myRyanair’ app during check-in to board their Ryanair flight.”
“Moving fully digital means a faster, smarter, and greener experience for passengers, whilst also providing easier access to a range of innovative in-app features, including ‘Order to Seat’, live flight information, and direct updates during disruption.”
Meanwhile, Michael O’Leary, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ryanair, told The Telegraph that while there will be some people who do not use smartphones, and thus, are unable to have a digital boarding pass, “as long as they check-in online before they go to the airport, they will be able to pick up a boarding pass at the airport ticket desk, free of charge.”
Ryanair’s frequently asked questions (FAQ) section also reassured that passengers, who had checked in but lost their smartphone and/or tablet, “will receive a free of charge boarding pass at the airport.”
Those who will fail to check in on time will be paying a £55 ($72.19) check-in fee, with its customers being informed several times before their flight, O’Leary said, adding that anybody who walks into the airport without checking in is either “stupid or they just ignored our email instructions.”
Ryanair announced the change to only accepting digital boarding passes in October 2024. During a press conference in Dublin, Ireland, O’Leary said that the low-cost carrier was “working towards from May 1 that everything will be done on the app, nothing will be done on paper anymore.”
However, the move had been delayed. On March 5, Ryanair said that it will move to only accepting digital boarding passes from November 3, highlighting that the switch would save over 300 tonnes (330 tons) in paper annually.
The change was once again postponed on September 24, when the low-cost carrier announced that it would welcome digital boarding passes at airports from November 12. At the time, Brady said that the delay was to “ensure a seamless transition to 100%” paperless passes, noting that the new date falls during a “slightly quieter time for travel following the busy mid-term break period.”
Ryanair ended H1 FY26 with 119 million passengers, upping its passenger number guidance from 206 million to 207 million by the end of FY26, which ends on March 31, 2026.
Rytis Beresnevicius
Comments ()