Ryanair's Digital-Only Boarding Passes Take Effect
Ryanair has implemented a major change to its boarding procedures, moving exclusively to 100% digital boarding passes from November 12. This shift means passengers will no longer have the option to print their boarding passes before arriving at the airport, a method previously used by approximately 20% of Ryanair customers.
The airline has confirmed that airport desks will no longer offer boarding pass printing services, which previously came with a £55 fee. It's expected that a similar charge will apply to travellers who arrive at the airport without having downloaded their digital boarding pass in advance.
Concerns Over Discrimination and Passenger Impact
The policy change has sparked significant controversy, with campaign groups labelling it 'ageist' and 'discriminatory' against older passengers and those less comfortable with technology. According to MoneySuperMarket, approximately 2.06 million Britons aged over 55 don't own a smartphone, representing about 10% of that age group.
Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, told The Telegraph: "It's a disgraceful move. They are effectively saying they don't want older people as passengers. There's a strong argument to say that it's discriminatory."
Ryanair's own figures suggest the change could affect up to 40 million journeys, as 206 million passengers already use digital boarding passes while the remainder have relied on paper alternatives.
Airline's Response and Christmas Flexibility
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, 64, has defended the move, stating that his 86-year-old mother uses the Ryanair app to travel. He dismissed concerns about elderly passengers struggling with the technology as "patronising".
"Actually, what you find is the old people firstly just get their kids or grandkids to make bookings for them, and then pretty quickly they're adopting it themselves," O'Leary told MailOnline.
The airline has indicated it will show some flexibility during the transition period. O'Leary assured that Ryanair would be "reasonably forgiving" of passengers arriving with paper boarding passes throughout Christmas and into January. He emphasised that "nobody would be cut off at the knees" by the new system.
The airline clarified one important exception: Passengers who have checked in online but lose their smartphone will receive a free replacement boarding pass at the airport. However, those who fail to check in online before arriving at the airport will likely face the £55 late-check-in fee.
The switch was deliberately scheduled for November 12 to avoid the UK and Irish half-term period, with Ryanair's chief marketing officer Dara Brady describing it as a "slightly quieter time for travel."
