Ryanair new boarding pass requirements: French flights impacted

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has clarified incoming rules about the end of physical boarding passes on the vast majority of its flights, including all those to or from France. 

From November 3, passengers will no longer be able to board flights with a physical, printed, boarding pass but will instead need a digital pass via the airline”s ‘myRyanair’ smartphone application. 

Originally set to come into force in May 2025, it was pushed back to coincide with the start of the winter season.

The end of paper boarding passes also means passengers will need to check-in digitally by downloading their passes through the app before reaching the airport. 

Those that do not check-in digitally and require Ryanair staff assistance face a charge of €55/£55 (dropped to €30/£30 for flights to and from Spain and €40/£40 to and from Austria).

It is the latest in a series of major overhauls for the airline, including a change earlier this month to baggage limits. 

Airline looks to alleviate fears

The rules will apply on all flights to and from France, as well as the vast majority of its routes.

Flights to Morocco and Albania will still allow printing boarding passes to comply with national rules, however digital boarding passes will be needed from March 2026 onwards for flights to Tirana.

The airline has previously said that up to 80% of passengers already checked in digitally through the app, and that by making this mandatory could save up to 300 tonnes of paper per year as well as remove Ryanair airport check-in desks, potentially cutting ticket prices for passengers.

The airline has clarified rules around the procedure in an attempt to lessen passenger concerns. 

“Between 85 and 90 per cent of passengers show up with smartphones. Almost 100 per cent of passengers have smartphones, and we want to move everybody onto the smartphone technology,” said Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary to British media The Independent via its travel podcast. 

“The big concern that people have is: “What happens if I lose my battery or whatever I lose my phone?”

“If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you have checked in before you got to the airport, we will reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge. But you have to have checked in before you got to the airport,” he said. 

From November 3, the airline’s €20 fee for reissuing boarding passes will be waived, allowing those facing circumstances as above to receive a pass without charge. 

“If your [phone] battery dies or something happens once you have checked in, we will have your sequence number anyway at the boarding gate… you will get on [the flight]. So nobody should worry about it,” he added.

‘Just make sure to check in before’

“Just make sure you check in online before you get to the airport and then all will be fine,” Mr O’Leary said. 

The use of the airline’s app will also allow for passengers to receive live information about the flight, including any delays or cancellation, and in the case of the latter co-ordinate new flights to help people reach their destination. 

Mr O’Leary acknowledged that “there may be some teething problems,” with the new format. 

In cases where people do not have a smartphone, the airline says that “Passengers… can ask a friend or family member to download the boarding pass for them.”

“Once a passenger is checked in they will be provided assistance at the airport where necessary.”