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24 October 2025
Ryanair Boarding Pass is Mobile-Only
Ryanair is introducing significant changes to its check-in process. They will come into effect on November 12. The company aims to move away from paper documents and will only accept an electronic boarding pass on digital devices. The new Ryanair check-in rules will apply to everyone—even those who do not own a smartphone.
A boarding pass is an essential travel document that entitles entry onto the plane. It can only be obtained after checking in, which can be completed both at the airport and online. It contains the most important travel details: flight number and time, gate number, and seat. Until now, this document was issued in virtually all airlines in two ways: paper or electronic. Now that will change.
The new Ryanair check-in rules mean we will no longer be able to print the document and present it at the airport. The changes compel travelers to download an electronic boarding pass to their phone, and also encourage installing the “myRyanair” application. And the app is of key importance here.
How Does the Ryanair Digital Boarding Pass Work in Practice?
Travelers will find their electronic boarding pass within the app itself. Additionally, users will find details about the current flight and potential disruptions. All signs point to the airline’s representatives wanting to increase the number of app users.
Passengers, at least for now, will be able to download the document as a photo or PDF to their smartphone. And it is the requirement of owning a smartphone that causes considerable problems for some travelers. This is linked to the fears of many customers regarding the changes being introduced. Why?
Changes Starting in November Create Hardship for Passengers
Relying exclusively on the electronic boarding pass may cause significant difficulties for some passengers. Among them are seniors, as well as those who do not possess this type of phone. This group will not only be unable to obtain an electronic boarding pass but also to board the plane.
Furthermore, like any digital convenience, this one can fail. No application is completely reliable, and widespread technical problems could paralyze the entire company. Moreover, one doesn’t even need a local malfunction to encounter issues with a digital boarding pass.
A technical problem with the phone is enough to face trouble boarding the plane. Lack of personal internet, Wi-Fi, or a dead battery—all of this will complicate the entire procedure. The airline’s representatives have an answer for these potential inconveniences.
How to Solve Problems with the Digital Boarding Pass?
Ryanair explains that if someone does not have a smartphone, they can ask someone else to download the electronic boarding pass on their behalf. Afterward, the traveler can count on assistance from the airline’s staff. They will check if the customer has checked in. Here, however, a question arises: what if we travel alone, or there is a language barrier between the traveler and co-passengers, and moreover, strangers aren’t sufficiently kind? The journey will be much more stressful.
For every problem, the airline has a different solution. For a dead battery issue, the airline suggests a scenario where you simply approach the Ryanair desk and provide them with a sequence number. The personnel will then let that passenger through without any delays. But does everyone easily memorize numerical sequences? We often have trouble remembering even the phone number of our closest friends.
The conclusion is simple: Ryanair appears to be very determined to introduce the electronic version of the document. What is the goal?
Benefits of the New Ryanair Check-in Rules for the Airline
The airline explains that the changes are intended to bring only benefits, namely:
- simplifying procedures,
- improving contact with travelers,
- fulfilling another strategic development goal for the company,
- eliminating the fee for printing the document,
- reducing paper consumption.
This last aspect is intended to help protect the environment. According to Ryanair representatives, this will save up to 300 tons of paper annually. Furthermore, Michael O’Leary, the airline’s CEO, argues that approximately 80% of travelers already voluntarily use the electronic boarding pass. The changes will help achieve the 100% goal.
“To ensure a smooth transition for our customers to 100% digital boarding passes, we will introduce this change from Wednesday, November 12, which is traditionally a slightly quieter travel period after the intense semester break time,” said Dara Brady, the airline’s Director of Marketing and Communications, on Ryanair’s official website.
Ryanair Isn’t the Only One Ditching Paper
Ryanair is not the only airline looking to store tickets exclusively electronically. A similar situation has been happening in other sectors for several years, primarily in entertainment. This is the very argument cited by Ryanair representatives who want to move away from paper boarding passes.
We will encounter the changes at Ryanair starting November 12 this year. The new Ryanair check-in rules force customers to download an electronic boarding pass, which may be problematic and raises questions about digital exclusion in travel.
Read this article in Polish: Ryanair utrudnia podróże bez smartfona. Nowe zasady już od listopada
