Ryanair goes totally digital. No paper bording passes.

[sam]

It's not just old people who are put out by this kind of rule, and Ryanair have long been cynical in trying to find a way to make extra coin out of their cheap headline fares. Not as cheap as they used to be either.

But... While I salute those who choose to forgo technology (and see that many just can't embrace it) I have to say for me the apps generally make life easier. Less to go wrong. Printers are a pain!

[Fraufruit]

@editorL

I'm sorry, Daddy.

[bethannbitt]

But... While I salute those who choose to forgo technology (and see that many just can't embrace it) I have to say for me the apps generally make life easier. Less to go wrong. Printers are a pain!

We traveled with Swiss, United, and Southwest in September on our US trip. (Zurich-Chicago-Kansas City-Denver-Chicago-Zurich). I decided in advance to learn how to use apps for all three airlines and saw how easy it made things. Printers weren't necessary and travel updates were all readily accessible. I had to invest some time learning, but it paid off. I now use only apps for train tickets too. I get the frustration though, as it feels some days like once I adjust then the rules of the game change. But such is life I think.

[kiplette]

Also sometimes the apps go down.

Always worth screenshotting anything you think you might need access to if that happens.

[pappnase]

You can take screenshots and paper copies if you like, but if the app goes down, it goes down for everyone and it becomes a RyanAir problem.
They can find you based on the details in your passport and process you onboard that way, it just takes longer and is more work.

[bethannbitt]

Also sometimes the apps go down.
Always worth screenshotting anything you think you might need access to if that happens.

We keep the boarding passes in the Apple (me) and Android (him) wallet as a backup.

[kiplette]

You can take screenshots and paper copies if you like, but if the app goes down, it goes down for everyone and it becomes a RyanAir problem.
They can find you based on the details in your passport and process you onboard that way, it just takes longer and is more work.

With us it's been a train app the kids use which gives them job related free travel under certain conditions, and when it's down, you've hit a wall immediately - bit brutal. Luckily they both have Deutschland tickets so they can still get to work/back home, just veeerrry ssllooowwllyy....

[pappnase]

DB != Ryanair. The point I was making was that sice this is a thread about Ryanair and they have said that everyone needs to use the app, so if the app is down it's a Ryanair problem.

Other apps/other services require other backup plans. I never get on a train without a paper copy, just because their systems are so unreliable and the staff so uncaring of problems.

[colincostello]

Ryanair have stated that one of the reasons for these changes is to speed boarding up. Yet my own observations do not bear this out. I am a frequent flyer and I have never seen a printed boarding pass cause a delay at the boarding gate. The same cannot be said of smart phones. While most passangers with smart phones do get thru the boarding gate without delay, there are always one or two who seem to have trouble getting thru.Their smart phones seem to let them down at just the wrong moment. They then have to step aside from the queue and let the rest of us carry on. Then they begin fidgeting with their phones , trying to sort things out.
Delays at he boarding gate are caused by smart phones, not by printed boarding passes.
Has anyone else noticed this?

[pappnase]

Totally agree with you there, it's not going to speed up anything at the gate, it just gives them another avenue to sell you upgrades and gather metrics and data from you.
Many, many, people struggle with using their phones, people get flustered, screen-savers kick in etc.
With a paper boarding card you can get things ready while you are sitting waiting and then have it in your hand when you get to the gate.

Where it does save me time, and why I like digital boarding is that when I have been away, and I need to check-in for the return journey, I don't have to do it at the airport (like you used to do before self-check-in) and I don't have to find a working printer (like you had to do after self-check-in but before digital boarding passes).

If you are traveling with checked baggage then that time-saving is lost, but when I go for a work trip and can pack everything in my carry-on, it's a game-changer.

That said, I won't fly Ryanair for work, if I'm going for business then someone else can pay and I'll fly with a better airline.

[Fraufruit]

Ryanair have stated that one of the reasons for these changes is to speed boarding up. Yet my own observations do not bear this out. I am a frequent flyer and I have never seen a printed boarding pass cause a delay at the boarding gate. The same cannot be said of smart phones. While most passangers with smart phones do get thru the boarding gate without delay, there are always one or two who seem to have trouble getting thru.Their smart phones seem to let them down at just the wrong moment. They then have to step aside from the queue and let the rest of us carry on. Then they begin fidgeting with their phones , trying to sort things out.
Delays at he boarding gate are caused by smart phones, not by printed boarding passes.
Has anyone else noticed this?

This is why you take a screen shot of the boarding pass and just open your photo gallery at the gate while on the line. No wifi/etc. needed. Before I got the airline apps, I would take a photo of my QR code on my PC with my phone. Ticket then in my gallery.

[bethannbitt]

This is why you take a screen shot of the boarding pass and just open your photo gallery at the gate while on the line. No wifi/etc. needed. Before I got the airline apps, I would take a photo of my QR code on my PC with my phone. Ticket then in my gallery.

Exactly! or as I said above, put it in your smartphone's digital wallet. You can even set the phone up to automatically put plane/train/... tickets in the wallet. The 17 yo consultant in my house showed me this.

[colincostello]

Age UK have asked Ryanair to not forget about the 4.3 million older people who do not use a smartphone and recommends that there must always be an alternative to digital processing.

[LeonG]

Age UK have asked Ryanair to not forget about the 4.3 million older people who do not use a smartphone and recommends that there must always be an alternative to digital processing.

As quoted on the first reply on this thread, you do not need a smart phone. You can check in online on a computer and get a boarding pass free of charge at the airport. Don't have a computer? How did you buy the ticket? Somebody helped you buy the ticket? The same person can check you in. They don't even have to be in the same country as long as you can talk to them on the phone.

Worst case scenario, you can show up at the airport and pay a check in fee. So ok, maybe the fee is a bit high but that's low budget airlines for you. The tickets are cheap because they make money on everything else.

[colincostello]

But going to the airport without a printed boarding pass does not appeal to me. With my printed boarding pass in my pocket, I can pass thru security and go directly to the gate as I only have a small packback.
Without it , what must I do? Where do I get my boading pass printed? At a check in desk? The queues can be long. And what documentation must I show?

[yesterday]

But going to the airport without a printed boarding pass does not appeal to me. With my printed boarding pass in my pocket, I can pass thru security and go directly to the gate as I only have a small packback.
Without it , what must I do? Where do I get my boading pass printed? At a check in desk? The queues can be long. And what documentation must I show?

I think you would have to check in online at least 2 hours before departure and not early than 24 hours, at your internet cafe.

Then travel to the airport and go to the check in counter for ryan air, show them you passport ( and travel documentation, flight Nr etc ), they will print of a board card for you, then you can go through the security cue, to the departure gate. When asked show them the printed boarding card and passport, just like before, get on the plane.

This is just what I would think you have to do, and yes, you will have to cue will all the other passengers who are checking in luggage. I would allow extra time for this.

I am sorry, if you will not get a smart phone or tablet/ maybe laptop that's just what you have to do from now on with Ryan air. So yes you can still travel, but its probably going to be more hassle and more time waiting around. Maybe that's not acceptable for you, but sorry that's the way it is now. Yes I would imagine other low cost operators will do this in future.

It does not make sense to me for them to do this, but it seems like that's the rules now.

Re reading some of the other posts, you might be able to get your boarding pass, from the Ticket counter not the luggage counter ( if they are separated ), which may have a shorter cue, I would try at the shortest cue

[editorL]

But going to the airport without a printed boarding pass does not appeal to me.

Then find an airline that appeals to you and stay away from Ryanair.