According to the company, the measure aims to reduce not only paper waste, but also the queues at the airports.
The company mentions that approximately 80% of the passengers use digital passes, arguing that the changes implemented are the most logical decision to make for a more sustainable and technologically integrated trip.
However, the measure was not well received by every passenger, which claim that not everyone has a smartphone, and that the new measure may be confusing for older people, for example.
Major concerns
Ryanair has expressed that printed boarding passes may be used in exceptional circumstances. For example, certain airports do not accept digital boarding passes, being mandatory the use of printed boarding passes.
Passengers are also worried about the proficiency of their mobile phones, as a dead battery or a broken screen may make it difficult to read the boarding pass. Furthermore, the connection to the Wi-Fi also worries Ryanair’s passengers.
Besides aiming to reduce the queues at the airport, passengers believe that travellers who are not aware of the new system may cause disturbance on the queues, leading to longer waiting times.
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Is this company above regulatory bodies and governments? It is certainly a first, an airline company making compulsory for passengers to download their app. What if there is no space in the mobile phone for it? This company must be brought to the level where all the others are.
By Diogo F. from Lisbon on 28 Oct 2025, 12:13
As one of the ‘oldies’ I consider myself to be fairly tech savvy however my husband isn’t. I’ve tried using my phone and have found it takes a lot of juggling as both boarding passes are on it. I found that it usually takes longer for us both to go through than when using individually printed boarding passes. We went back to printing them out as a result. I think people should have the option of what method they want to use. After all it’s my paper, ink and time to print them out so not costing Ryanair a bean.
By Kirsty from Algarve on 29 Oct 2025, 11:29
I´d usually say this is a step in the right direction, but the elderly are very wary and uncomfortable with digital technology, and many of them prefer paper, because it´s physical and therefore touchable. I´m amazed to still see so many supermarket customers paying cash in 2025, and consuming everyone´s time by fumbling for small change at the bottom of their purse. Paying by card is so much more efifcient. It´s uncanny that people resist and fight modern technology, as if it were a danger to their way of life. It saves us time and money, but the dinosaurs still want to fight it. I put it down to prejudice, people resisting what they don´t know.
By Billy Bissett from Porto on 29 Oct 2025, 11:29
Why not allow simply a pdf with barcodes stored on the phone?
Why should we be forced to put their app, so they display ads, retrieve information about us, etc?
By Michael Blesh from Algarve on 29 Oct 2025, 19:57
Hard no here. Always have a paper backup. Alaska right this minute is having an IT meltdown and their boarding pass app is not workng....
Think it can't happen to you, Ryanair?
By Mark from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2025, 22:16
Re tge above comment concerning the posters shock at people still using cash.
I spend more time queuing due to people fiddling with their phones to find their digital wallet than people searching g for coins.
It's important to keep cash alive, especially when paying independent, local businesses.
By Tony L from Algarve on 30 Oct 2025, 09:11