Copyright majorcadailybulletin
November could prove a challenging month for Britons travelling to Spain, especially Mallorca and Ibiza. To begin with Ryanair, Europe's No. 1 airline, has confirmed that it will begin using 100% digital boarding passes from Wednesday, 12 November, instead of Monday, 3 November. This will ensure a smooth transition for customers during the quieter period following the half-term holidays. The switch to 100% digital boarding passes means that, from 12 November, passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical boarding pass, but will instead need to use the digital boarding pass generated in their “myRyanair” app during check-in to board their Ryanair flight. This is the latest step in Ryanair's industry-leading digital transformation, which has already rolled out several features and initiatives in the app to improve the travel experience for its more than 206 million customers (especially during disruptions), including: Order from your seat: order food and drinks from your mobile phone and be served first. Live flight information: real-time updates on boarding, gates and delays. Live incident updates: live notifications from Ryanair's operations centre during disruptions. Almost 80% of Ryanair's more than 206 million passengers already use digital boarding passes. Ryanair's decision to move to 100% digital boarding passes from 12 November follows in the footsteps of other key ticketing industries (such as festivals, music and sporting events) that have successfully switched to exclusively digital ticketing. Dara Brady, Ryanair's CMO, said: "To ensure a smooth transition for our customers to the exclusive use of digital boarding passes, we will be making the change from Wednesday 12 November, which is typically a slightly quieter period for travel following the busy half-term holidays. Ryanair's move to 100% digital boarding passes will mean a faster, smarter and greener travel experience for our customers, optimised through our “myRyanair” app, where passengers will also benefit from useful features such as “Order From Your Seat” and real-time flight information." Then, November will also see the introduction of the new EES biometric entry and exit schemes at Menorca and Palma airports on November 4 and 19. The EES scheme, or Entry/Exit System, is a new digital border control system for non-EU nationals entering 29 European countries (most of the Schengen Area) for a short stay. It replaces manual passport stamping with automated kiosks that collect biometric data like fingerprints and facial images, along with travel document data, to track entries and exits. The system aims to increase border security and efficiency and began a gradual rollout on October 12, 2025, with full implementation expected by April 10, 2026. What it means for travellers Biometric registration: You will need to register your data at a self-service kiosk, which will take a facial image and four fingerprints. Travel document data: Your name, travel document data, and the date and place of entry/exit will be recorded. Purpose: The EES replaces the old system of manually stamping passports to prevent irregular migration and overstays. Data storage: Your data will be stored for three years. Potential delays: Experts warn that queues could be longer during the initial six-month rollout period. How the system works Entry: You will scan your passport at a kiosk, which will take your photo and fingerprints. You will then proceed to border control for a final check. Exit: The process is similar, although the full implementation is still being phased in. Who it applies to: The system applies to all non-EU nationals who do not require a visa for a short stay in the Schengen Area. The Foreign Office advice is to get to airports three hours prior to departure as the gradual introduction of the scheme is expected to cause some delays. Any tourist who refuses to provide biometric data, like a photograph or fingerprints, will be denied entry to the country they're visiting. Tourists who refuse to provide their data can be denied entry to any of the European countries utilising the EES.
