Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has announced his latest move in the travel industry. Next year, the airline will transform to a paperless system. Here’s what it means for customers
Ryanair is set to introduce a major change which will require additional planning for travellers in 2025. The budget airline has announced its plans to revolutionise its check-in process by scrapping paper boarding passes altogether. As part of the move, the company will transition to a digitalised strategy.Europe’s leading low-cost carrier will require all passengers to check in through its website or a mobile app. Michael O’Leary, Ryanair Group CEO, believes the change will make travel “smoother” and “easier”.
In a recent conference, he discussed the plans and said passengers would still be able to check in their bags at the airport. Despite the move being considered new, the airline already encourages online check-in.
Currently, only Flexi Plus ticket holders are allowed to check in at the airport without being charged an additional fee. Speaking about the move, Mr O’Leary said: “We want to get rid of airport checks in the same way we got rid of bag [desks]. We are working towards from May 1 that everything will be done on the app, nothing will be done on paper anymore. I have been reluctant to go on the app because I am terrified to get on a flight without a piece of paper, but it works so well. [The app] tells you your gate and if there is a delay. The customers who want the piece of paper are the same demographic that when we first moved over to the internet they wouldn’t move over but were then the first ones to switch to the internet for cheaper airfares.”
The airline boss also addressed concerns about relying on mobile phones to get through check-in. It comes as 60% of passengers already use the app. He expects the number to increase to 80% by the end of the year. He added: “If your battery dies we have your seat and your passport and we can do that at the boarding gates at the moment. We sometimes do that if someone’s phone doesn’t scan for some reason. Once we have the name and passport that’s fine but everyone will be on the app.”