Irish travellers could be hit with extra fees as Ryanair announces one major change from this week

Ryanair has issued an urgent notice to all travellers this week ahead of a major update in their system which could cause disruptions for some flyers.

From tomorrow, Wednesday November 12, the Irish budget airline will stop accepting printed boarding so travellers will need to present a digital boarding pass via the airline's app.

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Ryanair's official help centre states,

"Ryanair are moving to 100% digital boarding passes (DBP) from 12 November, 2025. This means paper boarding passes will no longer be issued."

From tomorrow, when you check-in online, you will receive your DBP in the app, which you'll need to present at security and your boarding gate.

The move comes as Ryanair's goal is to become "the world's first paperless airline", reducing waste (over 300 tonnes of paper a year) and lowering airport and boarding costs.

For many frequent flyers with smartphones, this will come as no big change as over 80% of all Ryanair passengers reportedly already use a DBP. But for those who are used to printing their boarding pass at home, this could cause delays, disruptions, or unplanned fees, if the correct DBP isn't produced at the airport.

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If something goes wrong in the airport, like your phone/tablet battery dies or you lose connectivity, you may still be able to board, but only under strict and certain conditions.

If you have already checked-in online, you may still get assistance to board, but you'll need to show your booking details and the system must recognise you.

If you haven't checked-in online prior to arriving at the airport, the airline states that you'll still be required to pay any relevant airport check-in fee.

Some destinations, including Morocco, still have regulations the require a boarding pass so it's recommended to check regulations before travelling.

If you booked your Ryanair flight through a third party site, there may be extra verification steps required to ensure your booking is correctly linked to your DBP.

What you should do before travelling

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• Download and install the Ryanair app ahead of your trip - make sure you've logged in and linked your booking
• Check-in online within the check-in window
• Ensure your boarding pass is visible in the app and you know how to access it
• Charge your phone fully before arriving at the airport and bring a portable charger
• Bring a printed backup plan - even though printed passes are no longer required, it may help to take a screen shot of your boarding pass as proof
• Check if your destination has any exemptions or special requirements
• Arrive early to avoid any disruptions
• If you don't have a smartphone or are not comfortable with digital boarding, contact Ryanair in advance to ask about alternative arrangements. The airline says that passengers without a smartphone may receive a free boarding pass at the airport provided they have checked-in online