Paperless Travel Check-In

The drive for a paperless planet may soon receive a boost—from travelers. A handful of U.S. airlines are set to begin testing a form of electronic check-in bar codes which are scanned directly from passenger mobile devices. “We definitely see this as the wave of the future,” said Andrea McCauley, a T.S.A. spokeswoman. “It’s something we are very enthusiastic about pursuing.” However, the Transportation Security Administration has yet to give the new procedure its approval. Continental Airlines is testing a two-dimensional bar code technology which is highly secure as opposed to the one-dimensional version which is printed and used today by most airlines.

Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In (New York Times)
First came the kiosk, a strange addition to airport terminals when Continental Airlines began offering it as a check-in option in 1995. It was followed by Web check-in, introduced by Alaska Airlines in 1999.