Delta Rolls Out PDA Boarding Pass

In a previous post I talked about using your iPhone as a boarding pass for flights. There I mentioned that American Airlines and Continental were jumping on board -- and speculated about Delta. I wasn't aware that Delta had also announced a similar program a couple of months ago.

Not only might Delta be able to read your boarding pass barcode as I described (if they have a barcode "gun" or "wand" anywhere) but now they're explicitly testing the idea in New York's La Guardia. Delta posted a blog entry on their site dated June 24th that reads,

"Just last week, Delta Air Lines, in partnership with the Federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA), began testing paperless mobile check-in for customers traveling from New York-LaGuardia (LGA) to any U. S. destination. What this means is that you have the option of bypassing the lobby by using their PDA and other Web-enabled device to check in for domestic travel from LGA to any U. S. airport. How great does this sound? You can use your electronic boarding pass, displayed on your mobile device - no paper! - to proceed to the security checkpoint, and then straight to the gate to board your flight."

The author, Brian T. Rutter, Director - Sales & Marketing for Delta in New York, says they're anxious to get feedback and roll this out across the entire United States:

"After the test is successfully completed in LaGuardia, we hope to leverage paperless check-in across our domestic system, to and from any U. S. airport.

"If you’re heading out of LaGuardia on Delta, first of all, thank you. Secondly, experience our newest check-in technology by giving paperless mobile check-in a try. And let us know how what you think. We’re listening."

Sounds like a great idea to me!

Thanks Nina for the heads up!

[Please see the follow-on post with my later personal experience.]

-Forsyth