Exact date Ryanair will scrap paper boarding passes confirmed

Ryanair is hitting pause on ditching physical boarding passes, pushing back its paperless plans by six months. The budget-friendly flyer dropped the news on Wednesday (March 5), saying it's now aiming for the start of its Winter timetable on November 3 for the big switch.

The move was first announced by chief executive Michael O'Leary in an October press conference, where he mentioned they were "working towards May 1". Once the change kicks in, Ryanair travellers will wave goodbye to printing out boarding passes and instead flash their digital pass from the "myRyanair" app when checking in.

The airline's latest word claims a whopping 80 per cent of its 200 million passengers are already using digital passes. Their statement said: "As a result of this customer initiative, Ryanair expects to eliminate almost all airport check-in fees from Nov 2025, as all passengers will have checked-in online/in-app to generate their digital boarding pass."

Ryanair reckons this eco-friendly shift "will enable passengers to reduce their carbon footprintby eliminating unnecessary paper, saving over 300 tonnes in paper waste each year." The "myRyanair" app is also set to make flying smoother with nifty in-app features and support - especially handy when travel is disrupted, reports the Express.

Ryanair's CMO, Dara Brady, has announced a game-changing move to 100 per cent paperless boarding passes by November 2025, promising an upgraded travel experience through the myRyanair app. The new features include an innovative 'order to seat' service for in-flight purchases, live updates on flights, and real-time alternative arrangements during disruptions.

Brady said: "Ryanair is Europe's No.1 airline for choice, low fares, and customer service. This move to 100% paperless boarding passes from November 2025 will allow us to deliver an enhanced travel experience for customers, streamlined through the myRyanair app during our less busy Winter schedule."

He added,: "This will be particularly useful to passengers during disruptions as it will facilitate real-time updates from our Ops Centre directly to passengers' phones, and will also provide them with alternative flight options, and offer transfers or hotel accommodation options when necessary."

Brady also highlighted the environmental benefits and the trend towards digital solutions: "Like other ticket industries (concert, sports venues, rail, etc.) there has been a massive switch to using mobile, and with almost 80 per cent of Ryanair customers already using the myRyanair app, it is time to transition the remaining passengers to digital, which will see them reduce their carbon footprint and receive a smoother and enhanced travel experience from November 2025 as Ryanair continues to grow to 300m passengers over the next decade."

Despite these advancements, some critics are calling the change unnecessary and a recipe for chaos, with one detractor commenting: "What a ridiculous rule. They are trying to make things difficult for absolutely no reason."

Metro reports that readers are voicing their opinions loud and clear, with one commenting: "People should just boycott... Not everyone has a smartphone or apps..." and another chiming in with, "Just Boycott them, go easyJet, Jet2 instead". The sentiment is echoed by others who highlight the challenges faced by older individuals who might not own a smartphone, making it difficult to adapt to the new regulations.

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