‍DALLAS — Irish Low-cost carrier Ryanair (FR) will discontinue the issuance of printed boarding passes and eradicate check-in counters at airports. FR’s objective is a complete digitalization of its check-in processes by May 2025.

The new measure will impact all the check-in desks of the Irish airline. During an event in Dublin, FR’s CEO Michael O’Leary disclosed that passengers can check in exclusively online starting in May next year. This practice has already been adopted by 60% of customers. FR believes that this figure will rapidly grow to 80%. 

Passengers who check in at the airport gates a few hours before their flight are currently obligated to pay an additional charge, which can reach as high as €40. However, this fee will soon be eliminated.

“Our goal is to eliminate check-in counters at the airport, just as we did with baggage counters. Everything will be done through the app, making the process completely digital and eliminating paper,” said O’Leary.

Self-service Check-in

According to a 2017 SITA Passengers IT Trends Survey, almost 98% of passengers carry at least one mobile device while traveling. Seven years later, it is reasonable to assume everyone would be delighted to utilize mobile check-in. 

However, this is not, in fact, the case. Face-to-face check-ins continue to be preferred by a third of air travelers. Before the pandemic, only about 39% of passengers used online check-in via computer, tablet, or mobile device, and that number has changed slightly.

The transition to online check-in is underway, but it is proceeding slower than anticipated, as the process can be frustrating and stressful at times for older travelers. However, the study saw that those who opt for personal contact with an agent in a traditional check-in line are less satisfied than those who check in through websites, self-service kiosks, or mobile apps.

The QR Code Boarding Pass

In 2007, Continental Airlines, now part of United Airlines (UA), became one of the first major carriers to test mobile boarding passes with QR codes, following approval by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that same year. In the next decade, the technology gained traction as more airlines began offering QR code boarding passes, driven by the rapid rise in smartphone usage.

In 2011, IATA introduced a global standard for mobile boarding passes, which further streamlined and accelerated industry-wide adoption. The use of contactless technologies, including QR code boarding passes, received an additional boost during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Contactless options will likely remain popular in the post-COVID era, further driving mobile check-in adoption. However, while the digital divide may not exist for FR, other airlines will surely maintain alternative check-in options.