Pack a Phone or Pay €55: Ryanair Ditches Paper Passes in Portugal

Passengers leaving Lisbon, Porto or Faro next week may notice something missing at security: the familiar piece of paper with a barcode. Ryanair is pressing ahead with its plan to abolish printed boarding passes on 12 November, a move the Irish carrier says will streamline boarding but which Portuguese consumer groups insist will penalise travellers who are not digitally savvy. The confrontation now involves aviation regulators and prosecutors, highlighting a broader debate over how far airlines can push the paperless revolution.

Why the change matters for travellers flying out of Portugal

On most mornings in Lisbon Airport’s Terminal 2, Ryanair handles more departures than any other airline. From Friday, every one of those customers will need to present a digital cartão de embarque generated inside the company’s app. Ryanair argues that more than 90 % of its clients already do so, yet the switch eliminates a safety net cherished by many Portuguese holiday-makers, especially older passengers who still prefer to tuck a printed pass into their passport. Campaigners worry that new queues could form at the airline’s help desks, precisely the bottlenecks the carrier claims the policy will remove.

How Ryanair justifies the switch

In corporate briefings the airline frames the decision as environmentally responsible, projecting savings of 300 tonnes of paper each year. Executives also highlight faster turnaround times: cabin crew can scan phones while passengers are still on the jet bridge, shaving minutes off ground operations and, in theory, reducing delays. Ryanair stresses that anyone who has checked in online but loses battery power will be issued a replacement pass at no extra charge, though the company quietly retains its €55 airport check-in fee for those who arrive unprepared.

Consumer advocates cry foul

DECO Proteste, Portugal’s most influential consumer association, brands the policy “abusive” and “discriminatory.” Its lawyers argue that forcing customers to download a proprietary app amounts to an unsolicited contract term. They point to passengers without smartphones, as well as tourists who rely on roaming-free text messages rather than mobile data. DECO also recalls Ryanair’s history of controversial add-on fees, warning that cash-strapped travellers may face yet more surcharges if glitches occur. The group’s statement, released on Wednesday, calls the initiative “another barrier inserted by a company known for monetising inconvenience.”

Legal and regulatory avenues

Within hours of DECO’s complaint, the National Civil Aviation Authority—ANAC—confirmed it is reviewing whether the measure infringes EU Regulation 261/2004, which protects passengers from unfair treatment. Separately, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is assessing whether the mandatory app clause violates Portugal’s Consumer Protection Law. Legal specialists note that previous European cases against Ryanair have centred on refund delays and marketing practices rather than boarding-pass formats, so the coming weeks could set a precedent for digital-only travel policies. Any interim injunction would need to prove irreparable harm, a threshold some jurists say might be difficult if alternative assistance is available at the airport.

What to do if your phone fails — practical advice

TAP, easyJet and other carriers still accept printed documents, meaning families on multi-airline itineraries should keep screenshot copies or e-mail PDFs just in case. For Ryanair segments, the airline recommends adding the pass to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet so it remains accessible offline. Travellers without a suitable device can still check in online from a desktop, print the confirmation page and request a free boarding card at the airport—provided they are already checked in. ANA Aeroportos staff confirm that ground agents will issue these cards, though passengers will not receive real-time gate changes or disruption alerts, functions available only through the app.

The broader race toward paperless aviation

Ryanair’s leap contrasts with TAP’s cautious path: Portugal’s flag-carrier is testing biometrics at Lisbon and Porto, allowing flyers to walk through security using facial recognition instead of flashing a pass. ANA plans to expand the Biometric Experience to Faro and Madeira in 2026, effectively bypassing the printed-versus-digital debate. Industry consultants believe that, over time, paper boarding passes will disappear across Europe, yet they caution that regulators must guarantee accessibility for all passengers, mirroring rules that ensured boarding bridges were wheelchair-friendly two decades ago.

Outlook for the busy Christmas season

With winter holidays approaching, charter flights to Madeira and ski routes to France are filling fast. Ryanair maintains that its app-only rule will cut queues by Christmas, but DECO is preparing an emergency petition that could force a temporary rollback if courts agree the policy infringes consumer rights. For now, Portuguese travellers booked on Ryanair should assume their smartphone is as essential as their passport—and that forgetting a charging cable could prove more costly than excess baggage.