Travellers have slammed a major change set to be introduced by Ryanair in May, claiming it will cause ‘chaos’ at the airport.
The budget airline recently announced plans to fully transition to digital check-ins, completely eliminating paper boarding passes ahead of the summer holidays.
Ryanair group CEO Michael O’Leary said the move is intended to streamline the boarding process and reduce paper waste.
However, many passengers are sceptical, with some flocking to social media to express concerns.
In a TikTok video, British content creator @sabrinaescapes shared the news with her followers, prompting hundreds of angry responses.
‘How will this affect the older generation who are not tech savvy?’ commented @skatkatzenberg. ‘And when airline systems are down? It’s a great idea until systems go down.’
Another, @antisocial_butterfly, said: ‘So if there are any issues with your phone, that’s it, you’re not flying. What a ridiculous rule. They are trying to make things difficult for absolutely no reason.’
‘Ridiculous as some older people do not have smartphones,’ added @colonia1912, while @kimmybrown27 agreed, writing: ‘I think it will cause chaos, especially for older people.’
There were some who were more welcoming of the change though, including @jomacofficial who replied: ‘Great idea. Saves time for everyone. But it’s always a good idea to have paper copies of everything just in case technology fails or your phone gets nicked.’
Another, @matthall2586, claimed: ‘Online system is the way forward [the] older generation need to get used to the fact. Times are changing. It’s not hard to adapt.’
This seems to be the idea behind Ryanair’s decision, first announced at a press conference in Dublin in September last year.
The firm’s CEO highlighted that 60% of its passengers already use digital passes and that procedures are already in place for any potential digital hiccups.
‘If your battery dies, we know your seat, we have your travel documents, and we can do everything at the boarding gate,’ O’Leary said. ‘We already do this when we can’t scan someone’s phone for any reason. Once we get your name and passport, it’s fine, and everything will be on the app.’
The airline has not yet confirmed how it will implement the changes or which airports will be affected.
We asked Metro readers what they think
Some passengers are furious about the change to boarding passes, with some urging other flyers to boycott the airline in protest.
Meanwhile, those who are used to using digital boarding passes are unfazed by the new rules.
Youssef Ka: ‘People should just boycott… Not everyone has a smart phone or apps…’
Raymond Skinner: ‘Just Boycott them, go easyJet, Jet2 instead’.
Julie Ciantar: ‘Why put more anxiety on people? If the phone or app doesn’t work, a tech glitch, what then?’
Abhaya Ferdo Fulgosi: ‘What seems to be the problem!? I haven’t had a paper pass in over five years!’
Ian Scott: ‘Grow up, it’s so easy to use the app on your phone. Why should anyone want a paper boarding pass?’
One stumbling block is that not every airport served by Ryanair currently accepts mobile boarding passes, including all airports in Turkey (except Dalaman), Morocco and Tirana.
According to the airline’s website, customers travelling from these destinations must check-in online and print out a paper boarding pass for their flights.
But on the plus side, eliminating paper passes may mean fewer people are slapped with fees for forgetting to check in online – at present, Ryanair charges up to £55 per passenger if you need your boarding pass printed off at the gate.
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Despite being the first airline to announce the switch to fully paperless boarding passes, several other carriers have been pushing a similar approach.
Last year, Emirates announced it would require the majority of passengers departing Dubai International Airport to use mobile passes instead of printed ones.
‘This initiative will significantly reduce paper waste while simultaneously offering a convenient and speedy digitised check-in experience for passengers departing Dubai,’ the company stated at the time. ‘It reduces the risk of lost or misplaced boarding passes, giving passengers peace of mind when travelling.’
Meanwhile, other airports, including Singapore Changi, have been introducing facial-recognition technology, which allows you to pass security without showing your passport.
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