Ryanair passengers share their fury over change to boarding passes that 'forces people to pay for seats'

5 December 2023, 08:13

Ryanair appears to have made 'stealth' changes to the way boarding passes are issued, in a move that sparked fury amongst air passengers.

Only passengers who pay extra to pick a seat will be able to download a mobile boarding pass or print one at home.

People who refuse to pay for a seat and instead allow to have one allocated on check-in will have to queue up at the airport to be issued with a boarding pass.

Charges for a reserved seat range from £4.50-£15.50.

Ryanair yesterday denied passengers will be made to pay to download boarding passes.

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"All Ryanair passengers can pay for a reserved seat if they so wish or if passengers wish to avoid this seat fee, they can select a randomly allocated seat entirely free of charge," a Ryanair spokesperson said.

Passengers took to social media to complain that if they chose the option of a randomly allocated seat they were told they would have to queue to pick up a paper boarding pass at the airport.

One angry passenger wrote: “"When and why did you start this carry on? I now have to QUEUE to collect my boarding pass at the airport?" 

Another said: “Another passenger said: "I just can't believe your new policy of not allowing passengers to create a boarding pass (mobile or print-out) unless they buy a seat, forcing them to join a check-in queue (30m or longer) to do so for no other reason for you to make a few quid. Scandalous."

Neil Buckley said: “The app said if I opted for a free random seat I'd have to go to check-in to get a paper boarding pass, which I've never seen before.

"If you wanted a digital boarding pass, it said you had to pay for a reserved seat. I was really annoyed that I had to pay to avoid the inconvenience of queueing at check-in.”

Passengers who have been issued a boarding pass but lost it, or do not have a phone, are already charged £20 by Ryanair to have it printed at the airport. If a passenger fails to check-in at home, they must pay £55 at the airport.

Passengers have complained the move effectively forces them to pay for a seat, or face the inconvenience of having to queue at the airport.