Ryanair Goes Fully Digital: Paper Boarding Passes No Longer Accepted

Ryanair has officially ended the use of paper boarding passes. From today, all passengers must present a digital boarding pass to board their flight, the airline confirmed, marking a full transition to electronic tickets across its network.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary admitted that the change could cause “some initial difficulties,” particularly among older or less tech-savvy travelers who are used to holding a printed pass. The decision has drawn criticism in the United Kingdom, with many expressing concern that people who cannot or do not wish to use smartphones might be excluded from traveling.

In Germany, the Federation of Consumer Associations has called for Ryanair to provide an alternative for passengers without access to digital technology. “Mobility should not depend on technical skills,” said passenger rights expert André Duderstedt, warning that excluding certain groups could violate equality laws, especially when it comes to disabled passengers.

Ryanair, however, defends the move as part of its environmental strategy. The airline argues that going fully digital will significantly reduce paper waste. The rollout, initially scheduled for May, was delayed to November to coincide with a quieter travel period, allowing the company to manage potential disruptions more easily. Ryanair carried almost 20 million passengers in May, compared to around 13 million expected this month. The airline forecasts a record 207 million passengers for the current financial year.

The Irish carrier aims to become the world’s first completely paperless airline. It estimates that eliminating printed boarding passes will save over 300 tons of waste annually. By contrast, other major European airlines, including EasyJet, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Condor, still offer passengers a choice between digital and paper options.

The transition centers around Ryanair’s “myRyanair” mobile app, which will now be the only platform through which boarding passes are issued during online check-in. Even customers who book through external sites will have to download and use the app. Without a valid digital boarding pass, travelers will not be allowed through airport security or permitted to board.

According to the company, more than 80 percent of its passengers already use digital passes. O’Leary said he is confident that most others own smartphones but simply have not used them for boarding before. The app allows one person to hold multiple boarding passes for a group or to forward them to companions.

For passengers facing technical issues, such as a dead phone battery, O’Leary assured that staff at the airport would provide free assistance as long as travelers had completed online check-in. “If your phone dies, we have your registration details and will get you on board. There’s nothing to worry about,” he told The Independent. Ryanair also suggests that those without smartphones ask friends or relatives to help them with online check-in before their flight.

Passengers who ignore repeated online check-in reminders still have a last resort: obtaining a paper boarding pass directly at the airport. However, this option comes with a steep airport check-in fee. The charge varies by country - 30 euros in Spain, 40 euros in Austria, and 55 euros or pounds in other EU states and the UK, per person and per flight. The company has, however, scrapped its earlier 20-euro fee for reprinting lost boarding passes.