The change in Ryainair policy will come into effect on November 12 in a bid to have 100 per cent paperless boarding passes – but what about Brits who don’t use a smartphone?
Budget airline Ryanair have announced new boarding pass measures, which could leave thousands of Brits in a bind just as they’re about to jet off.
Soon, the airline will no longer offer print boarding passes. Currently the no-frills carrier has the option to print boarding passes off at airport desks for an eye-watering fee of £55.
However, from November 12 passengers will have to access their boarding passes through the Ryanair app, even though it is estimated up to 15% of Ryanair passengers don’t use smartphones. CEO Michael O’Leary said: “Between 85 and 90 per cent of passengers show up with smartphones.”
The airline advises that as long as you have check in, you will still be able to travel, even if you lose your phone or it dies at the airport. In this instance, staff at the gate can help and print a pass out, free of charge.
Destinations like Morocco will still require a printed boarding pass, so travellers will show their digital boarding pass at the airport and be able to receive a printed pass.
Passengers who don’t check in before their flight will have to pay a check-in fee at the airport.
The move to go digital boarding pass only was initially planned for May, however it was delayed to November 3 and then to November 12.
At the time, Ryanair CMO Dara Brady said: “This move to 100 per cent paperless boarding passes from November 2025 will allow us to deliver an enhanced travel experience for customers, streamlined through the myRyanair app during our less busy Winter schedule.”
Notorious for pinching pennies, costly add-ons and charges, recently Ryanair announced it was cracking down on oversized bags, and giving staff incentives to spot overstuffed bags.
The company nearly doubled the bonus for catching oversized baggage, increasing it from €1.50 to €2.50.
The rule, also due to come into effect in November, comes as part of a recent Ryanair crackdown on overpacked passengers – a move that has sparked some controversy. O’Leary also announced recently that the €80 bonus cap for staff who catch non-compliant bags will soon be scrapped to encourage workers to dish out more fines.
He commented: “We should encourage people. I want our ground handling people to be catching people who are scamming the system.”
The comments have outraged travellers, who have slammed the budget airline’s “notoriously strict policy.” Under company rules, travellers can travel with one small cabin bag measuring 40cm x 30cm x 20cm and which is able to fit in the seat in front.
Those whose bags are deemed too large will find themselves slapped with a fee of up to £75.
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