Airline, TSA Using New System At New York’s LaGuardia As First Step

Aimed at reducing lines at the airport and making it easier for passengers to navigate security and the check-in process, Delta Airlines began testing a new mobile phone boarding pass program at LaGuardia Airport.

InformationWeek reported last week the carrier, in partnership with the Transportation Security Administration, is allowing passengers departing from LGA to download a paperless electronic boarding pass directly on their Internet-enabled mobile phones.

"Passengers can now quickly check in for their flight while en route to the airport in a taxi or walking from the parking lot to the terminal," said Steve Gorman, executive VP at Delta, in a statement. "The check-in process now can take place from anywhere, at any time within 24 hours of flight departure.

Customers can bypass the check-in kiosks and counters and proceed directly to TSA security checkpoints where agents would scan the pass from the phone. Passengers still need to show identification before passing through security.

After the security checkpoint passengers present the electronic boarding pass at the departure gate, and then board the aircraft. The test program is only currently available for domestic flights.

Delta said it has plans to utilize mobile devices for additional services in the future. These are expected to include standby upgrades, round-trip check-in, and using text messaging for checking in.

The new check-in method eventually could help airlines save money by reducing printing costs while increasing customer satisfaction by lessening long waits. Continental Airlines tested a similar system last December, becoming the first airline to use the mobile phone boarding pass program.

To prevent fraudulent boarding passes and possible security breaches, the airlines worked with the TSA to develop an encryption plan for the mobile device boarding passes.

FMI: www.delta.com, www.tsa.gov