Holidaymakers are being warned about an easy-to-make but potentially disastrous mistake with boarding passes that could see them lose their seats on a flight. One seasoned flyer took to social media to share an important piece of advice for those relying on digital boarding passes, urging: “Always screenshot your boarding pass from the app. Call me paranoid, but I take that extra step just in case.”
This tip, shared on Reddit, was accompanied by a story that served as a stark reminder of why it’s a good idea.
The individual explained how they were first given an upgrade after boarding only to have it rescinded and their original seat taken by another passenger. They recounted: “I finally get to first class and settle in, only for another flight attendant to come and tell me that it was a mistake and the upgrade was not available. Annoying but I guess whatever, maybe the gate agent made a mistake.”
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Issues further compounded when they discovered their original seat was filled and their boarding pass had been altered to the now non-existent first-class spot.
They went on: “Good thing I had the screenshot of the original pass and showed it to her and to the flight attendant, who then moved her somewhere in the back. A complete snafu, which of course they had no explanation for, but if I had not had that screenshot, it would have been me in the back”. Bristol Live has the full scoop on this travel hiccup, reports the Mirror.
One avid traveller sparked a flurry of positive responses after sharing a smart travel hack. An enthusiastic user commented: “That’s awful! Great idea about the screenshot.”
Someone else added: “I often wondered about that. So many seat changes seem to happen before a flight.”
Another agreed with the tip, stating: “I do it every single time, just in case my phone or the app has a connectivity issue at the wrong time.”
A different voice contributed another piece of advice: “I put mine on the wallet as well but if the seat changes it updates on the wallet too. Hence screenshot.”
In related news, Ryanair has announced plans to scrap traditional paper boarding passes for good. The carrier’s boss, Michael O’Leary, revealed the aim is to have this new approach rolled out by May and highlighted that currently, 60 percent of passengers are already using mobile boarding.
At the moment, customers can still get a boarding pass at Ryanair airport counters, although a £55 charge is applied for those who don’t check in and download their passes before getting to the airport. With the forthcoming system shift, checking in at airport desks will become obsolete, with these services set to be completely removed.