Budget airline Ryanair has announced it will delay its physical boarding pass disposal and plans to become completely paperless for six months. In a statement released on Wednesday (March 5), the airline confirmed it would delay travel until the start of its winter schedule on November 3rd.
The move, which sparked debate among travelers, was first announced by CEO Michael O'Leary at a press conference in October, revealing that they are “working for May 1st.” Once installed, Ryanair passengers will no longer download and print physical boarding passes, but instead use the digital pass generated by the “Myryanair” app during check-in.
Almost 80% of Ryanair's 200 million passengers already use the digital boarding pass, according to the statement.
“As a result of this customer initiative, Ryanair expects to eliminate almost all airport check-in fees from November 2025, as all passengers will check in online/apps and generate digital boarding passes.”
The move was stated by the airline: “Passers can save more than 300 tons of paper waste each year and reduce carbon emissions that eliminate unnecessary paper.
“As well as being environmentally friendly, the Myryanair app enhances the travel experience for our customers.
These include new orders that allow passengers to order directly from their seats and initially provide live flight information, terminals, gates and boarding status updates, and real-time alternative flight options during suspension.
“We've been working hard to get the most out of our business,” said Dara Brady, CMO, Ryanair. The transition to 100% paperless boarding pass from November 2025 allows us to offer a streamlined customer-friendly travel experience through the Myryanair app during less busy winter schedules.
“This is especially useful for passengers in times of confusion as real-time updates from the OPS centre are promoted directly to passenger mobile phones. It also offers alternative flight options and offers forwarding or hotel accommodation options if necessary.
“Like other ticketing industries (concerts, sports venues, railroads, etc.), there is a massive switch to mobile use, with almost 80% of Ryanair customers already using the Myryanair app, so it's time to move the remaining passengers digitally.
However, many people declare a public invitation to confusion because change is unnecessary. People said: “What a ridiculous rule. They're trying to make things difficult for no reason at all.”
According to Metro, one reader wrote: “People just boycott…not everyone has a smartphone or app…” another reader added, “Boycott, EasyJet, Jet2 instead.”
Others point out that older people who may not have smartphones will struggle with the new rules.
