Ryanair has announced that it plans to scrap paper boarding passes.
From 12th November, passengers flying with the low-cost airline will be expected to present their boarding passes using the Ryanair app, myRyanair, on a smartphone.
The airline’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dara Brady, said: “Ryanair’s move to 100 per cent digital boarding passes will mean a faster, smarter, and greener travel experience for our customers.”
According to Ryanair, four out of five passengers already use the digital boarding passes and the new policy intends to nudge the remaining 20% into using the app.
As well as hosting all your boarding passes, Ryanair say the app also provides passengers with real-time updates on boarding, gates and delays.
While concerns have been raised about older passengers who may not own or be comfortable with smartphones, Ryanair has reassured passengers that “Once a passenger is checked in, they will be provided assistance at the airport, where staff can see they have checked in.”
“As long as you’ve checked in before you got to the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge. But you have to have checked in before you got to the airport.
“Also, if your battery dies or something else happens, once you’ve checked in, we’ll have your sequence number anyway at the boarding gate, and we’ll make sure you get on. So nobody should worry about it. Just make sure you check in online before you get to the airport, and then all will be fine.”
In cases where some countries still require paper boarding passes, such as Morocco, Ryanair said that while passengers still have to check in online or via the app, they can collect a printed boarding pass at the check-in desk.
