Ryanair confirms new launch date for major change affecting all passengers

Ryanair have confirmed a new start date for their switch to only accepting digital boarding passes going forward.

The original date for the switch was set for Monday, November 3 but they have now pushed it back until Wednesday, November 12 as the airline believes it will provide a more seamless transition during a less busy travel period after the busy mid-term break.

The switch to digital boarding passes means passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical boarding pass from November 12 onwards. They will instead need to use a digital boarding pass generated in the 'myRyanair' app during the check-in process to successfully board any Ryanair flights in the future.

The move is the next step in Ryanair's digital transformation, they have already rolled out several new in-app features and initiatives to enhance the travelling experiences amongst their customer base of over 200 million.  

The new features include a function for customers to order food and drink from their seats through the app to get served first as well as live flight information such as real-time updates on boarding gates and delays.

There has also been new initiatives added to the app surrounding direct disruption updates which will offer passengers live notifications from Ryanair's operation centre during disruptions. 

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Ryanair are following in the footsteps of other key ticket industries such as festivals, concerts and sporting events in making the move towards digital-only ticketing. 80% of the airline's customers already use digital boarding passes but that number will reach 100% after the complete switch to digital board passes commences from November 12. 

Speaking on the new launch plans, Ryanair CMO Dara Brady said: "To ensure a seamless transition to 100% digital boarding passes for our customers, we will make the switch from Wednesday, November 12 , which is traditionally a slightly quieter time for travel following the busy mid-term break period", 

Brady continued "Ryanair's move to 100% digital boarding passes will mean a faster, smarter and greener travel experience for our customers, streamlined through our best-in-class 'myRyanair' app, where passengers will also benefit from helpful in-app features, like order to seat and live flight information".