Ryanair has issued a reminder to passengers as it prepares to implement a new rule, which may impact older travellers the most. The low-cost airline is phasing out paper boarding passes, and will only accept digital ones from November 3.

This means that passengers can no longer use printed boarding passes and must check-in online prior to departure. Customers have been warned they will have to download the myRyanair app to access their digital boarding passes before departure. Appearing as a gust on The Independent's Travel Podcast, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary explained: "We're getting rid of the paper boarding passes.

"At the moment, between 85 and 90 per cent of passengers show up with smartphones. Almost 100 per cent of passengers have smartphones, and we want to move everybody onto that the smartphone technology."

The company hopes to save around 300 tonnes of paper annually by making the switch to digital.

However, there are fears that the move may cause serious problems for older passengers who do not use the internet or smartphones, GB News reports.

According to figures from Age UK, those aged 65 and over are the age group with the lowest rates of smartphone usage. In 2024, 67% of Britons from this category used a smartphone, compared to almost 100% of younger people in the 16-24 age group.

Mr O'Leary said the app would help people to have "all travel documents accessible in one convenient place". He also stressed that there should be no problem if people lose their phones, as long as they have already checked-in online.

"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," he said.

"Just make sure you check in online before you get to the airport and then all will be fine. We'll take you, you'll get on... So nobody should worry about it."

A number of tourists destinations are still insisting on paper boarding passes - two such are Morocco and Albania, both popular with holidaying Brits.

Mr O'Leary said that Ryanair had "reached an agreement" with Albania, which will also switch to digital passes from March. Morocco, though, has yet to agree and passengers will still need to print out their boarding passes before travelling to the airport.

Ryanair currently charges up to £55 to reissue a printed boarding pass under its current rules.