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.

Thanks for that spectacular insight.

Of course I can, I prefer not to, for the reasons outlined upthread.

Going round in circles here, so I will leave it. Have a good evening, all.

...because I flew to Malta for £30 return for a fortnight, the flight times from Stansted suited me. I can happily go away with everything in a small bag to a huge variety of destinations and I've not had a negative experience with them in 20+ years.

For example

We use Ryanair a lot. No complaints at all, it does what it says on the tin and if you observe their T+Cs everything will be fine. It's when idiots chance it, e.g. a bigger bag, don't check in online or whatever that the problems begin. But those issues are very well flagged so it's really a question of observing the rules.

My DH and I travel around Europe a good bit with Ryanair. DH had two knee replacements so we booked assistance when organising our flights. Seamless service and NO EXTRA COST. Check in was done for us fast tracked (we check in bags for ease of movement and don't need to worry about scrambling for the overheads). Then a buggy straight to fast track security, took three minutes to be checked. Then wheelchair right down to the gate. All free of charge. Same at the arrival airport apart from check in obv! I could use the buggy also as far as it could go within the airport, but had to walk beside the assistant who pushed his wheelchair. No problem at all. We are 67me and 76 him. We have no issues with QR, smart phones, tablets, desktops etc.

There may well be a facility for blind or otherwise impaired passengers to board without a QR, They will not discriminate, they can't. It may be that such passengers must use the disabled assistance service from the time of booking, which would be a good compromise.

How can they stop you from scanning the QR code in your paper pass? the scans are the same for all airlines and they will take paper and phone

Last year, Tirana airport did not have the technology to use QR Codes/mobile boarding passes, and passengers were referred to the check-in desk where Ryanair would print them.... at £30! I managed to spot this and printed my boarding pass out before I flew out, but not sure if this is now possible

Paper can be harder to scan (I had a bit of difficulty last time), so the code must be less clear than on the phone.

How they will force this through though (if they do) will be interesting.

Yes an app, it’s excellent. I barely get my wallet out my handbag these days.

The BA app also knows when you’re at the airport and shows the boarding pass as a notification on the Lock Screen. Unlock your phone and it’s there.

Well if people can’t board planes without it they’ll probably succeed quite nicely.

It can be a condition of buying a ticket that you or a member of your party will use the Ryanair app or pay £50 each for a paper boarding pass.

Definitely needs to be a back up. What if a phone gets lost or broken whilst travelling for example?

This is just plain discrimination.

its ok for people who are technologically minded but people like my mum with a phone that she can take photos, phone, text and that’s about her capacity. She’s 76, very independent, travels far and wide but wouldn’t have a clue about downloading or apps for boarding passes.

So teach her.

If she can take photos she can download a boarding pass with your help and take a photo of it.

Just because people are in a certain age cohort doesn't mean they can't learn new things! I think a lot of that boils down to infantilising them. Well meaning people can assume that anyone over a certain age are incapable and can be short and impatient with those new to apps etc. and can often ridicule them as doddery old mares. "Here, let me do that, you won't be able to do it" kind of attitude. Be patient, show them.

There is a distasteful amount of ageism on this thread which wouldn't be tolerated if the subjects were physically or intellectually disabled. I'm 67 so feck off the lot of you, I know how to use apps, and when I got stuck at the beginning of my app education I asked to be shown, I was and it is now so easy to download and use any app I feel I need or might be useful. The screens on the phone can be rather full of icons now!

A lot of negativity here too. Get over yourselves, learn, ask or show others.

My dad is nearly 80 and doesn’t have a smartphone so what are they going to do for these travellers. Just now my sister or I print out his boarding pass but I think it would be really unfair to charge a fee for those individuals who don’t have a smartphone.

I don't need to learn. I am very capable of doing this.

I just like paper tickets.

That's Albanian policy, you must have paper as they have no facilities for screen at TIA. They print them at the desk AT NO CHARGE, all airlines including Ryanair. Unfortunately there is very limited info online about this, we panicked back in April when we heard about it, but all was fine.

That's fine. Do you like them enough to have to pay extra for a paper version??

My dad is 82, also autistic, and also refuses to carry a phone. That's not ageist, it's a fact. He flies all the time (still working in special interest field). Not sure how they will get round that. My autistic sister also refuses to use a smart phone. Also perfectly capable of travelling independently.

There's obviously a theme in my family....but it's a significant issue and possible ableist as a policy.

I have a printer
It's very easy

I press print

If you want to use a low cost airline then you need to ensure your phone can do what it needs to to do.
Fly BA and you can still use a piece of paper I'm sure.

I'm older (61) and work really hard at keeping up with new technology because it's really easy to suddenly get 'left behind'.
Cheap flights are cheap because the operators look at every penny and remove expense wherever they can.

No good grumbling and being pedantic about it. Either upgrade your tech hardware or get left behind.

Last time we flew, our screenshots wouldn’t scan, only the original web page .

My parents still travel lots but do not have smart phones. I can't comprehend this being allowed as it's clearly discriminatory of those with reasons - age or otherwise for not owning a smartphone. Me or DSis or their travel agent print them off each time and they are otherwise completely independent and capable.

I hate Ryanair with a passion and every time they trash one of my holidays I vow to never fly with them again. But the problem is they have most of the flights. It’s actually quite hard to find flights that aren’t Ryanair unless you live near to London, which I don’t. So I end up using them as they’re the only airline flying to and from the destination I want. Then inevitably they screw me over in some way, and I vow never to use them again!

Can you maybe give some examples of how they screwed you over, and if that was the result of something you did or didn't do according to their T+Cs?

Diverts, delays and cancellations can be compensated for under the rules, and happen in all airlines. Just wondered what the reasons were for your Ryanair troubles.

I'm no shill, and they are no saints either, but I use them all the time and have never had a problem apart from the occasional delay here and there, and diverts (due to misbehaving passengers or medical emergencies). They are cheap, they have add ons and penalties but we are told about them. Just curious.

He'll have to pay for Ryan air to pint it off for him which will probably cost more than the flight

There is a massive difference between can’t and won’t use a smartphone. Most of the examples here are won’t. Which is fair enough but it’s daft to then complain you don’t have access to modern services.