Ryanair to scrap paper boarding passes - passengers will need to use their phone

[cakeorwine]

Are print off Ryanair boarding passes really being scrapped? - Which? News

40% of people still use paper boarding passes. I am one of those people. I do have it on my phone but I do have a worry / what if with phone power, losing phone etc - where as having a paper copy is a good back up.

What happens if your phone dies?

Ryanair hasn’t yet answered this question fully. Though it has said that it can print boarding passes on the gate if necessary, based on passport information, it did not clarify what would happen if a traveller’s phone dies before they are able to pass through security in an airport where Ryanair has removed the check-in desks.
We contacted Ryanair to check if there are plans to introduce any fees for boarding passes printed at the gate, but the airline did not respond.

Flown with Ryanair a bit recently - it's fine. I can see issues at airports for people who may have phone issues, especially power - and after a flight delay. Power can go down quickly.

I hate ryanair but I can live with this

when I travel I always take a power pack with me so no substantial risk of running out of battery, at airports you can usually find chargers anyway

I agree that if you lose your phone you’re in a tricky position

I have it on my phone and on paper.

But there is something tactile about handing over a piece of paper.

(I like vinyl records as well)

Fair enough. The decreasing number of people with this approach will just have to pay more for their travel.

Like I said in my post. It's folded up and in my passport. You know, the one thing that you absolutely need to keep hold of and look after, or else you're going nowhere. Plus the details are in my phone,which is likely safely in my bag during boarding.

If Ryanair enforce 100% electronic boarding passes I foresee an increase in the time it takes to board while everyone faffs with their phones, not just 60% of them as well as an increase in the number of people who's boarding pass is unavailable when they come to board.

And we all know how Ryanair values its turnaround time and its "on time landings and departures"

It might reduce the number of check in staff needed but it could have effects elsewhere.

Exactly this. It’s like charging for hold luggage. They don’t do this because they want more of your money. They want to put you off taking luggage.

Yep, you’ll still need the wranglers gate staff.

However for all its claimed faults Ryanair is an absolutely hard headed, cut costs => cut ticket prices operation….

If this isn’t just a rumour and FR really are going to eliminate paper boarding cards then somebody has worked out that somewhere in the transactional processes there’s a minute amount of money to be made.

If you’re carrying close to 200 million passengers a year a saving of say 0.1 p on the costs per pax carried is worth having.

Download it at home before leaving.
Or at a hotel/accommodation if you've travelled for longer than the 'check in' duration.
Or use the airport WiFi.

For those desperate to stick to a printed version - for the actual airport bits I guess there's no reason why you couldn't just down,pad the digital version and print the barcode image. Then just scan that when you go through the barriers.

I can't see they're really going to even stop you using a printed version at the Ryan air gate either tbh.

You'd just have to print the screenshot of your bar or QR code I guess,

And why on earth do you need an app to charge an electric car, when you don't need one to fill the car with petrol?

You often don't need an app any more.

Many are just contactless payment, increasingly so. The different apps was a pain but we've found most chargers no longer need them.

We do have an app for our electric cars but that's to do things like turn the heating on or pre-program the sat nav. Some petrol cars also have these app features too.

That doesn't explain it. Why can't people use a card reader. Many petrol pumps have card readers.

I see from the next poster that many do now allow payment by card. That's useful to know.

If you pay less than £10 for a power bank it's not going to last 5 minutes. You get what you pay for. However, it might be enough to keep enough power to let people use a digital boarding pass.

Apologies, but doesn't your username mean a hundred anuses without the ñ?

I have long advocated a new Consumer Act, for a variety of things. To recognise the digital world without failing those who cannot use it, be it a one-off or on a longer term basis.

Just outlaw refusing travel if you have a printed boarding pass. Penalty being loss of a landing slot for the airline, for every offence.

@AwardGiselePelicotTheNobelPeacePrize 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

"Entered by" 😂

“Which” piece on this subject from a few months ago:

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/are-print-off-ryanair-boarding-passes-being-scrapped-airaH2e1x3Uo

…and seeing as the Ryanair pile on continues I’ll also going to chuck in the link again that points out that MNs almost favorite airline, Emirates, have been doing similar for a while - ( and TBH I can’t see HMG rushing to remove airports slots from them)..

It looks like Emirates do have a fall back option, haven’t heard if Ryanair will do similar - this from the Emirates press release:

“The option to print a boarding pass is available by request to Emirates agents at check-in counters, if passengers do not have a mobile device, or if they are unable to access the information on their devices for reasons such as: running out of battery power, a system breakdown or glitch, message delivery delay, or inability to access WIFI, network or a data package.”

www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-goes-digital-phases-out-paper-boarding-passes-for-flights-departing-dubai/#:~:text=Dubai%2C%20UAE%2C%2012%20May%202023,version%2C%20from%2015%20May%20onwards.

I see lots of probs with this as l mentioned up thread, no phone, lost phone, cracked screen etc. But those citing flat battery is a separate issue. You are not permitted to board an aircraft, regardless of the carrier, if your phone will not turn on.

I can't see Ryanair doing away with staffed gates - they'll still need to check baggage sizes.

Not pileing on on RyanAir. Flown with them several times recently and never had a problem.

And always used my paper tickets and gone to a check in desk.

Never heard or seen that in all my many flights. How on earth would they police it?

@cakeorwine

Not pileing on on RyanAir.

Oh I know you weren’t but anything mentioning Ryanair seems to trigger an almost Pavlovian response from quite a few posters. It’s interesting that another high profile airline has got a pass on this very issue (SWIDT).

I tend not to fly with Ryanair (“wrong” airports as much as anything) but when I have they’ve been OK and in keeping with expectation - then again I’ve worked in the industry and know what it’s reasonable to expect for the money these days.

Well as you point out Emirates does let you print if there's a problem, whereas Ryanair charges an extortionate fee to do the same thing, so I am not surprised Ryanair is copping the flak.

This will be a potential disaster and take longer than paper boarding passes. Broken/uncharged phones, people with disabilities, people who aren't tech savvy, people who don't use smart phones for religious reasons etc.