Ryanair says 'fee will be gone' ahead of major rule change 'from May'

The controversial charge will be scrapped within the next six months, the Ryanair boss confirmed

Ryanair has confirmed it will be scrapping one of its controversial fees within the next six months. The change will affect around 20 per cent of Ryanair passengers.

The airline's chief executive confirmed plans to do away with paper boarding passes by summer 2025, meaning travellers will have no choice but to use their mobile phones.

At the moment, Ryanair charges passengers £55 extra to check in at the airport. Anyone who needs their boarding card reprinted also has to pay £20.

Read more: Ryanair updates its luggage fees with £60 cabin bag charge as passengers say 'rip off'

But Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said at a press conference last week that 'the airport check-in fee will be gone' by May next year. He said that eight out of ten people flying with the airline already use their mobile phones to store their boarding passes, meaning that only a small percentage of passengers will notice the change.

"I'm one of the last remaining people still showing up with my piece of paper," he said. "Everybody who travels with us has the app, the mobile boarding pass is on the app and we've got to move more and more people that way.

"It also means, once we get everyone onto the app, nobody will ever pay again for a boarding pass at an airport - the airport check-in fee will be gone. So I think it will be a smoother, easier journey for everyone."

Passengers are already told to ensure their electronic devices are charged when they arrive at the airport, as security staff can ask people to prove they're functional. If a person's phone does die, however, Mr O'Leary said they will still be able to check in.

"If your battery dies, we have your seat and your passport and we can do that at the boarding gates at the moment. We sometimes do that if someone's phone doesn't scan for some reason. Once we have the name and passport that's fine but everyone will be on the app."

Looking to upgrade your luggage before your next Ryanair flight? Luxury suitcase brand Antler has slashed £51 off the price of its Brixham Cabin Bag, which is the perfect size to be used as a 'large cabin bag' for Ryanair passengers who upgrade to Priority boarding. Ryanair passengers without Priority boarding can use Amazon's Underseat Cabin Bag, which is currently reduced to £22.95.