Checking in for an international flight from the United States is a bit easier at United Airlines now that the airline is the first American carrier providing a mobile app to scan passport information.
The new feature aims to streamline the check-in process and is currently available for download on iOS and Android operating systems, the airline says.
Those wanting to use the passport scan feature for international flights can check-in 24 hours before scheduled departure, much like domestic passengers. Once the passenger uses the check-in feature on the app, they will then be allowed to confirm their passport information as well as physically scan the passport for documentation using a smartphone.
The scanned data is provided to a credentials management company, Jumio, which verifies the authenticity of the passport holder. If a visa is required, the passenger is still required to check-in at the airport before getting a boarding pass.
"The new passport-scanning feature saves valuable time and provides custom[er]s with more options to control their travel experience," said Scott Wilson, United Airlines' VP of merchandising and e-commerce.
The airlines noted that its check-in app already boasts more than 13 million downloads in the United States.
While smartphones are being endorsed as a technology by airlines when it comes to streamlining operations, the use of the devices remains a hot topic given regulatory review and airline guidelines on use of cell phones during flights.
A number of international airlines allow cell phones in flight, but American airlines, including United, have barred their use. Tech Times reported recently that the Department of Transportation was currently looking into a blanket ban on all cell phone use in American air space.
Despite the early rumors over the potential ban, a DOT spokesperson said the agency had no definitive plans as yet to ban cell phone use.
"At this point, there is no final determination...let alone a final rule," says a DOT spokesperson.
The DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration have been reviewing a series of in-flight regulations, including an October 2013 decision that allows passengers to leave devices powered on during the duration of a flight but in airplane mode only.
United has led the American airlines in technology development, being the first carrier to offer digital boarding passes in 2007.
