American Airlines Expands Mobile Boarding Passes To Eight More Airports
Now at 50 airports, including newly introduced Zürich Airport
American Airlines customers departing from Zürich Airport (ZRH) will now be able to save time and paper by receiving their boarding passes electronically on their mobile phones.
London Heathrow was the first international airport from where American's customers could select the mobile boarding pass option after it was implemented in June this year. With the introduction of Zürich and seven other airports, American's customers will now be able to select the paper-free option from 50 airports located both internationally and domestically within the U.S.
New airports offering mobile boarding passes from 15 September:
- Barcelona (BCN), Spain
- Frankfurt (FRA), Germany
- Manchester (MAN), UK
- Milan (MXP), Italy
- New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), US
- Rome (FCO), Italy
- San Juan (SJU), Puerto Rico
- Zürich (ZRH), Switzerland
Mobile boarding passes use a two-dimensional (2-D) barcode and were rolled out domestically in partnership with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in 2008. American Airlines is one of the first U.S. carriers to roll out the mobile boarding pass technology in the U.K, as well as in Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
"This is an exciting time for American Airlines, as we work to dramatically enhance the customer experience by giving our customers the options they want and need when and where they need them," said Andrew Watson, American's Vice President - Customer Technology. "With the addition of New York's JFK Airport and San Juan, plus six international airports, an even greater number of our customers will be able to select the option to display their boarding pass on their mobile phone - speeding the process at the airport and eliminating the need for a paper boarding pass."
The mobile boarding pass process is simple. When customers check in for their flight using AA.com and opt to receive their boarding pass on their mobile phone, they will receive an e-mail with an Internet link to the boarding pass. Customers must have an active e-mail address where their boarding pass can be sent and an Internet-enabled mobile phone where the 2-D barcode can be received. The mobile boarding pass contains a 2-D barcode that can be scanned both at security checkpoints and American Airlines gates.
At the airport customers simply scan their mobile phone screen with the 2-D barcode displayed on it when going through security (a passport must also be presented) and when boarding, just as they would a traditional paper boarding pass. Customers who wish to check bags can still use this mobile option by scanning the 2-D barcode on their mobile phone screen at any of the American Airlines self-service machines or ticket counters located in the 50 participating airports.
Customers who opt to use the mobile boarding pass option may only list only one person in their reservation. They must also be travelling on American or American Eagle flights from any one of the 50 participating airports on a nonstop or connecting flight through a participating mobile-boarding airport.
Customers who check in online and wish to print a paper boarding pass are still able to do so. At the end of the online check-in process on AA.com, customers can choose how they would like to receive their boarding pass by selecting either "Print" (customers can print the pass at that time, or use a self-service check-in machine to print at the airport), "E-mail for Print" (boarding pass is e-mailed and customers can print at their convenience), or "E-mail for use on Cell Phone or Other Device" (customers receive an electronic boarding pass via e-mail on their mobile phone or mobile device).
