Copyright Simple Flying
Low-cost giant Ryanair has warned passengers to be prepared for its new paperless boarding pass policy, which comes into effect next month. From November 12, Ryanair passengers can no longer opt for a printed boarding pass, with the carrier moving to a fully digital system through the Ryanair app. While most modern travelers are tech-savvy enough to use the app, there are concerns that some customers, particularly older travelers, could struggle with a paperless system. The airline has issued advice for worried travelers, stating that its staff will always be able to assist at the airport. Fully Digital: Ryanair Is Ditching Paper Boarding Passes As confirmed last month, Ryanair is moving to a fully app-based boarding pass system in November that will almost completely cut physical boarding passes from its operations, barring a few exceptions. The airline promises the digital move will streamline the passenger experience and lead to quicker queues, as well as saving approximately 300 tonnes of paper each year. This means that Ryanair passengers can no longer choose to print out their boarding passes, and must instead check-in online via the myRyanair app. The carrier says that almost 80% of its passengers do this already, but that still leaves a sizable portion who prefer to check in the traditional way. Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary has played down concerns, stating that the airline will assist any passengers as needed. Most importantly, passengers need to make sure they check-in online before arriving at the airport to avoid any added charges. O'Leary told Wales Live, "Almost 100 per cent of passengers have smartphones, and we want to move everybody onto the smartphone technology. Just make sure you check in online before you get to the airport, and then all will be fine." Passengers Won't Be Stranded There are several viable scenarios that could prevent a passenger from accessing their digital boarding pass. For example, if a phone is lost or runs out of battery and therefore cannot present a boarding code, or those who don't even own a smartphone having no method of carrying a boarding pass. Ryanair claims its staff will be able to assist passengers in such instances and issue a paper boarding pass for free, provided the passenger has already checked in online. In cases with unreliable internet access, Ryanair says its boarding passes are automatically saved once check-in is complete, allowing them to be accessed offline. Passes can be found on the myRyanair app under the 'My Bookings' menu. The exceptions to Ryanair's new policy include any flights from Morocco or from Tirana, Albania, all of which require printed boarding passes. One of the advantages of checking in using the myRyanair app is that passengers will avoid costly check-in fees at the airport, which can be between $30-60 per passenger. Those who fail to check-in online will still be subject to pay Ryanair's check-in fee. Industry Reliance On Digital Systems There is no doubt that going digital can provide an almost quantum leap for an airline's operational efficiency. By automating customer check-in, boarding and customer service through apps, airlines can cut costs and streamline passenger flow to improve their margins. However, we have seen many instances of airlines falling to their knees when digital systems fail, most recently Alaska Airlines, which ordered a nationwide groundstop after an IT outage this week. Perhaps the worst system meltdown in living memory happened to Southwest Airlines in late 2022, when its outdated crew scheduling software failed and forced over 16,900 flights — or 50% of its scheduled operations — between December 21 and December 29.
