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Budget airline Ryanair to scrap the option for passengers to print out and use a paper boarding pass

Ryanair passengers will be forced to use digital boarding passes only from next week.

The budget airline issued update to remind customers, ahead of the big change from Wednesday November 12. From that date, passengers will no longer be able to download and print a physical paper boarding pass.

Instead, they will have to use the digital boarding pass generated in the “myRyanair” app on their mobile device – smartphone or tablet – during check-in process to board any of its flights.

Ryanair insisted the “vast majority” of people already use digital boarding in this way, adding that nearly 80% of its more than 207 million passengers annually did so. But that still means that around 40 million passengers who prefer other methods, including printing their pass, will be impacted.

Dara Brady, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer, said: “While over 80% of passengers already use digital boarding passes, and therefore won’t be affected by this progressive change, we remind the small number of passengers who still print boarding passes to download the myRyanair app ahead of the move to 100% digital boarding passes from Wednesday, 12 November.

“Moving fully digital means a faster, smarter, and greener experience for passengers, whilst also providing easier access to a range of innovative in-app features, including ‘Order to Seat’, live flight information and direct updates during disruption. We look forward to delivering an enhanced travel experience for 100% of our customers, streamlined through our best-in-class myRyanair app.”

Ryanair insisted the move would mean lower airport costs and so fares for all Ryanair passengers, as well as saving 300 tonnes of paper annually.

But it has already had to reassurance customers who fear they will be caught out. For instance, it says that if passengers lose their smartphone or tablet they can get a free boarding pass at the airport, but assuming they have already checked-in to their flight online. The same is true if their battery runs out before they get through airport security, it says, while if it packs up before boarding then they “will be assisted at the gate.”

Then there is the question of what happens if a customer does not have a smartphone with the Ryanair app. The airline says: “If passengers don’t have a smartphone or tablet, as long as they have already checked-in online before arriving at the airport, they will receive a free of charge boarding pass at the airport.”

Ryanair added that, as long as passengers have checked-in online, the digital boarding pass will be available regardless of whether they have a mobile signal or not.

This week voters across California received a suspicious text message saying they’d failed to turn in their ballots for the Nov. 4 statewide special election on redistricting.

The message may appear official. It includes the voter’s name and address and links to an official website providing information on early voting and vote-by-mall ballot drop-off locations.

But it’s not from the state, and officials urge caution.

The office of the California secretary of state received numerous reports from voters of “inaccurate text messages from Ballot Now,” according to a news release.

“This has caused voters to believe their returned ballots have not been received or processed by county elections officials,” Shirley Weber, secretary of state, stated in the release. “Let me be clear: Ballot Now is not in any way affiliated with the California Office of the Secretary of State.”

Weber’s office told The Times it doesn’t know the intent behind the Ballot Now text messages, and “we are trying to get to the bottom of it.”

Ballot Now did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Where voters can get trustworthy answers to their elections questions

Voters can find accurate information on elections and voting at the state secretary’s website or at their county election office. The secretary’s website includes the complete list of county election offices.

Questions that the secretary of state’s website can assist with include:

How do I check my voter status? By entering some personal information, you can see if you are registered to vote, where you’re registered, and check that your political party and language preference are correct at the website’s voter status page.

How do I track my ballot? You can sign up to track your ballot through the state’s online site Ballottrax.

• By signing up on Ballottrax, voters receive automatic updates when their county elections office: mails their ballot to them, receives their ballot, counts their ballot, or when the office has any issues with the ballot.
• Updates are available in 10 languages — including Spanish, Japanese and Tagalog — and you can choose to be texted, emailed or called with voice alert updates.

Where can I return my ballot? Los Angeles County residents can look for official vote-by-mail ballot drop-box locations or voter centers on the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk website.

How to report something fishy

If you believe you’re the victim of election fraud or have witnessed a violation of the California Elections Code, you can submit a complaint form or call the secretary of state’s office.

Fill out an online form, download a PDF version of the form and mail it, or call the office — English speakers can call (916) 657-2166 or (800) 345-8683; Spanish speakers can call (800) 232-8682.

The physical form can be mailed to the California Secretary of State Elections Division at 1500 11th St., 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 or faxed to (916) 653-3214.

Los Angeles County residents are encouraged to call the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk’s call center with any questions or concerns they have, said Mike Sanchez, spokesperson for the office.

The registrar of voters can be reached at (800) 815-2666, and the number for voter center information is (800) 815-2666; choose option No. 1.

The Irish airline has decided to make a major change that will impact their passengers from 12 November onwards. Here’s everything you need to know about the new system

Ryanair passengers have been given a last-minute warning about a major change the airline is making in a matter of days.

Passengers flying with the Irish airline any time from 12 November onwards will need to follow a new rule – and not everyone is happy about it.

The budget airline has announced it is ditching physical boarding passes and going completely digital, which means paper print-outs will be a thing of the past. Travellers will now be required to show their boarding passes through the Ryanair app.

The company hopes to cut around 300 tonnes of paper annually by switching to digital, with Ryanair CMO Dara Brady explaining the airline settled on November 12 because it’s a quieter time for travel.

However, many have expressed concern about the potential challenges for elderly passengers who might not use the internet or possess smartphones.

Ryanair’s boss, Michael O’Leary, has now sought to reassure passengers with anxieties about the compulsory smartphone boarding passes. He said: “Almost 100 per cent of passengers have smartphones, and we want to move everybody onto the smartphone technology.

“The big concern that people have is: ‘What happens if I lose my battery or whatever, I lose my phone?’ reports Wales Online.

“If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you’ve checked in before you get to the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge. But you have to check in before you get to the airport.

“Also, if your battery dies or something happens, once you’ve checked in, we’ll have your sequence number anyway at the boarding gate, we’ll take you, you’ll get on. So nobody should worry about it.

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

Guidance on Ryanair’s website echoes this, adding: “If you have already checked in online and you lose your smartphone or tablet (or it dies), your details are already on our system and you will be assisted at the gate.”

The website also emphasises the importance of completing their online check-in. “All Ryanair passengers will still receive email reminders to check-in online 48 and 24hrs pre-departure.

“If any passenger arrives at the airport but hasn’t checked in online (having ignored these reminders), they will still be required to pay the airport check-in fee.”

Currently, the fee is set at £55/€55 per passenger for most flights. However, passengers flying out of Spain are obliged to pay £30/€30, while those departing from Austria will be hit with a £40/€40 charge.

There are two exceptions to the new digital boarding pass rule; the first is passengers flying to Albania. Authorities there have insisted passengers present paper passes until March 2026, after which they’ve agreed passes can be digital.

Morocco has the same paper pass policy as Albania, however, it won’t be changing its rules to fit Ryanair’s new paperless policy. Michael O’Leary has confirmed the airline will make exceptions in this case and accept physical passes for flights to the African country.

The budget airline is making a big change to tickets at most airports

Ryanair is set to make a significant change to its ticketing system, effective from November 12. Starting from this date, the airline will only issue ‘100% Digital Boarding Passes’ (DBP), and physical tickets will no longer be accepted at most airports.

This scheme, initially scheduled for May 2025, seeks to help eliminate certain charges and save around 300 tonnes of paper each year, while allowing travellers to receive direct flight updates. But if you’re concerned about the practical aspects, don’t worry.

The Mirror has summarised three main questions and answers regarding the upcoming change, using official information from Ryanair. You can also learn more about the boarding pass change on the airline’s website here

1. How can I get a digital boarding pass?

Ryanair passengers can check in online at Ryanair.com or via the Ryanair App, which is available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The Express reports that passengers should complete this process before arriving at the airport to avoid extra charges.

After check-in, a DBP will automatically appear in the Ryanair App. You should present this at airport security and the boarding gate before your flight. The budget airline stated that this method is ‘quicker, easier,’ and results in ‘less stress’ compared to using paper tickets.

2. What happens if my phone dies or I lose it before boarding?

Losing your mobile phone can be a stressful experience, but according to Ryanair’s boss Michael O’Leary, it won’t stop you from catching your flight.

In a conversation on The Independent’s daily travel podcast, he explained: “The big concern that people have is: ‘What happens if I lose my battery or what if I lose my phone?’

“…If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you’ve checked in before you got to the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge.”

Even if your mobile runs out of juice, O’Leary pointed out that staff will have each passenger’s ‘sequence number’ at the departure gate. This means you should still be able to board without it, so ‘nobody should worry’.

Guidance on Ryanair’s website echoes this, adding: “If you have already checked in online and you lose your smartphone or tablet (or it dies), your details are already on our system and you will be assisted at the gate.”

3. What if the airport Wi-Fi is poor, or I have no mobile data?

Ryanair has reassured passengers that once they’ve completed online check-in, their DBP will be accessible offline within the Ryanair App. However, its website guidance emphasises: “All Ryanair passengers will still receive email reminders to check-in online 48 and 24hrs predeparture.

“If any passenger arrives at airport but hasn’t checked in online (having ignored these reminders), they will still be required to pay the airport check-in fee.”

Currently, the fee is set at £55/€55 per passenger for most flights. However, passengers flying out of Spain are obliged to pay £30/€30, while those departing from Austria will be hit with a £40/€40 charge.

Going through airport security can be stressful and time consuming but if you carry one item in particular it can get a whole lot worse as you risk ruining it forever

A fresh wave of travellers are swapping high tech and digital devices for the nostalgic charm of disposable film cameras, creating spontaneous memories and old-school shots. However, this can all be lost by one mistake at the airport.

This summer, the trend for retro-style photos has taken off, with TikTok hashtags like #DisposableCamera and #DisposableCameraSummer garnering nearly 900,000 views combined. Meanwhile, Google searches for “disposable camera” have also reached 389,000 worldwide in just the past month.

TikTok creators have been sharing dreamy holiday photo dumps with the caption: “This is your sign to take a disposable camera on holiday this summer.” Think white sand beaches, film grain, and perfectly imperfect snapshots that feel straight out of the ’90s.

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It’s all about capturing the moment without the pressure of perfection. The unpredictable outcome of the photos, due to not being able to check how you look and delete, delete, delete, makes them genuine moments that capture honest emotions, spontaneity, and the story behind each shot.

But not every story ends well. One TikTok video came with a warning after a traveller’s excitement turned to heartbreak when her film was ruined after going through airport security scanners. Captioned, “crashing out but lesson learned”, the video was a painful admission that her 39 grainy memories were gone forever.

It’s likely that radiation from the high-powered X-ray scanners at airport security fogged or overexposed the undeveloped film, leaving it streaked, cloudy, or completely blank.

While disposable cameras offer effortlessly cool and authentic vintage photos, all-inclusive holiday provider Travel Republic (www.travelrepublic.co.uk) warns there are some crucial dos and don’ts to keep in mind when taking one on your travels. From dodging airport X-ray damage to mastering the lighting, making the most of your analogue shots takes more than just pressing the shutter.

3 common mistakes to avoid when using a disposable camera

Putting your camera through airport X-ray scanners

Disposable cameras loaded with film are sensitive to X-rays, and newer CT scanners at many airports can be even harsher on film. These scanners emit higher doses of radiation, which can penetrate the camera casing and react with the unprocessed film inside.

Frequent exposure, especially on multi-flight trips and checked baggage scanners (which emit stronger rays), can fog or degrade your images, leaving your holiday memories blurred before you even get home.

To help prevent this, the holiday experts at Travel Republic recommend: “Rather than carrying your disposable camera in checked baggage, have it easily accessible in your hand luggage. You can also request a hand inspection at airport security instead of putting the camera through the X-ray scanners. Lead-lined film bags can also help to shield your camera against X-ray exposure if needed.”

Shooting in the wrong lighting

Most disposable cameras have weak built-in flashes that only work well within a few metres. While bright daylight delivers crisp photos, it often leads to overexposure (images that appear washed out or unnaturally bright), especially with pale skin tones or reflective surfaces. On the flip side, indoor or nighttime shots without proper flash use often come out blurry, dim, or underexposed.

Expecting digital-quality images

Disposable cameras are simple by design. They often produce grainier photos with unpredictable colours and limited contrast, especially in low light, so don’t expect the sharpness and clarity of your smartphone or digital camera.

“To get the clearest images, stick to shooting in bright, natural daylight. If you decide to use the flash indoors or at night, get close to your subject when taking pictures to avoid blurred imagery. Avoiding strong backlighting will also help to stop the camera from confusing exposure and causing silhouettes,” says a Travel Republic expert.

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