Ryanair has moved to digital-only boarding passes from today, meaning passengers can no longer print their boarding pass at home or at the airport. The budget airline says 20% of travellers previously used printed passes, and those arriving without a digital version risk a £55 fee.
The change applies to all flights, with check-in desks no longer offering printing services. Ryanair states that 206 million passengers already use digital passes, but around 40 million journeys could be affected. The airline says it will be 'reasonably forgiving' over Christmas and into January for those with paper passes.
Concerns have been raised about elderly and less tech-savvy passengers. Data from MoneySuperMarket shows 2.06 million Brits over 55 do not own a smartphone. Dennis Reed of Silver Voices called the move 'disgraceful' and 'discriminatory', while some readers told The Mirror they fear older relatives will struggle.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary dismissed the criticism as patronising, noting his 86-year-old mother uses the app. He said passengers who check in online but lose their phone will be manually boarded at the gate, avoiding fees. The switch was delayed by a week to avoid half-term.
