Ryanair is stirring up trouble again. This time, its new boarding pass rule is set to cause chaos for winter travellers. The budget airline is scrapping paper passes for good. If you’re flying Ryanair soon, listen up!
Say Goodbye to Paper Boarding Passes
From November 12, 2025, Ryanair will no longer accept paper boarding passes. The airline is going fully digital, meaning you’ll need to use the Ryanair app to check in and display your boarding pass on your phone.
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, says 85-90% of passengers already use digital passes, but if you Havenhaven’t switched yet, you’ll have to check in before you get to the airport or risk missing your flight. No Moremore printing tickets at home or collecting them at the airport.
When Does the Change Take Effect—and Are There Exceptions?
The official cut-off date is November 12, pushed Backback from an initial November 3 announcement to avoid peak travel chaos.
But not everyone’s on board yet. Passengers flying to Albania must still present paper boarding passes until March 2026 due to local rules. Morocco has also refused to switch, so Ryanair will allow paper passes for flights there.
No Phone? Don’t Panic, Ryanair Has a Backup Plan
Worried about your phone dying or getting lost? O’Leary assures passengers don’t need to fret.
“If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you’ve checked in before arriving at the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge,” he told The Independent’s travel podcast. “If your battery dies, we’ll still have your sequence number at england/Waleswales/the-gate/”>england/wales/the-gate/”>the gate to let you board.”
Bottom line: check in early or risk missing out.
Passengers Furious: ‘Age Discrimination’ and Boycotts Brewing
The switch to digital has sparked outrage, with many calling it unfair to passengers without smartphones.
But not everyone minds. Many passengers say they Havenhaven’t used paper boarding passes in years and find the app hassle-free.
Abhaya Ferdo Fulgosi said: “What seems to be the problem!? I haven’t had a paper pass in Overover five years!”
Ian Scott added: “Grow up, it’s so easy to use the app on your phone. Why should anyone want a paper boarding pass?”
If you’re flying Ryanair this winter, make sure you’re ready to ditch the paper or risk a rough start to your trip.
Read more from March.
