Anyone who fails to follow the new guidelines will have to pay £55 when they arrive at the airport
Ryanair passengers will no longer be able to use paper boarding passes from next week. The budget airline will be moving to an all digital format for boarding from Wednesday, November 12.
Flyers will instead need to use the digital boarding pass generated for them in their “myRyanair” app during check-in. The move will affect the 20 percent of Ryanair customers who are still using paper boarding passes when they fly with the airline.
But there are concerns that people who do not have smartphones, such as older people, may find flying with the UK’s largest airline much harder. Currently, people who do not have a smartphone or want to use a digital boarding pass, can print a copy at home or ask for one at the airport for £55.
But the change is expected to save over 300 tonnes in paper waste each year. Ryanair also hopes to totally eliminate almost all airport check-in fees once the move to digital boarding passes is implemented.
Using the app is also set to improve users’ travel experiences with its wide-range of in app features. These include a new ‘Order to Seat’ feature allowing passengers to order direct from their seat and get served first. The app also shows live flight times, updates and disruptions. It also allows passengers to have all of their travel documents accessible in one place.
How can I get a pass from November 12?
There are two options to get a boarding pass once the changes come in. The first option is to check in and generate your boarding pass via the Ryanair app. From Wednesday, November 12, passengers may check-in via the website but will be directed to the myRyanair app to generate their digital boarding pass.
The second option is to check in via the Ryanair website before arriving at the airport, then ask for help from a member of Ryanair staff on arrival. Ryanair confirmed that it will help passengers free of charge, provided they’re already checked in on time, reports Which? magazine. The only way to fly with Ryanair without a Digital Boarding Pass is to check in online at home, with staff on hand to assist at the airport.
What happens if my phone dies?
Ryanair has said that it will assist anyone print out a new boarding pass without a fee, if they have already checked in online prior to arriving at the airport. This includes passengers whose phone might run out of battery while flying.
While it is recommended for passengers to use the app for their digital boarding pass, a screenshot can be used as a back-up if flyers wish. It is also possible to share downloaded passes to another phone via email, direct message, Bluetooth or AirDrop. Digital Boarding Passes can also be downloaded onto a smartphone or device to use without internet access.
What else do I need to know?
Airports in Morocco and Turkey, except Dalaman, and Tirana airport, in Albania, still don’t accept mobile passes for those travelling to the UK, says Ryanair’s website. Therefore, anyone travelling from or via these airports, should download their boarding pass from their email or the app, print it and keep it to hand.
Ryanair says anyone who is flying from Morocco can show their a digital boarding pass at the airport and they will be issued a printed pass.
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