RYANAIR HAS DELAYED plans to ditch physical boarding passes and move to a paperless option.

It is understood that the move was due to come into effect in May, ahead of the busy summer season.

However, in a statement this week the airline said the change will instead come into force from 3 November, ahead of the winter schedule.

This means that from 3 November, Ryanair passengers will no longer be able download and print a physical paper boarding pass but will instead use the digital boarding pass generated in the “myRyanair” app during check-in.

Ryanair customers can check-in at the airport, but at a sizable cost – €55 per passenger, or €30 for flights from Spain.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said that close to 80% of Ryanair’s 200 million passengers already use digital boarding passes.

The spokesperson added that Ryanair “expects to eliminate almost all airport check-in fees from November” as a result of the change, as all passengers will have checked-in online or in-app to generate their digital boarding pass.

Ryanair added that the move to paperless boarding will “eliminate unnecessary paper” and save over 300 tonnes in paper waste each year.

The spokesperson also noted that the myRyanair app includes features such as live flight information and updates, direct updates from Ryanair’s operations centre during disruption, and real-time alternative flight options during disruption.

Ryanair CMO Dara Brady said the move to 100% paperless boarding passes will allow the airline to “deliver an enhanced travel experience for customers, streamlined through the myRyanair app during our less busy Winter schedule”.

He noted that the app is “particularly useful to passengers during disruptions as it will facilitate real-time updates and provide them with alternative flight options, and offer transfers or hotel accommodation options when necessary”.

Brady also noted that there has been a “massive switch to using mobile” in other ticket industries, such as concerts and sporting events, and that there has been a “massive switch” among Ryanair customers, with almost 80% 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,” said Brady.

The Ryanair spokesperson meanwhile noted that the lead passenger can download boarding passes for all passengers on their booking and share them digitally with others.

The spokesperson also said that if a passenger has already checked-in and downloaded a boarding pass, but their smartphone dies or is lost, they will be assisted free of charge at the airport.