American Airlines Expands Mobile Boarding Passes to 19 Additional Airports for Use With Mobile Phones or PDAs

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines customers departing from select airports can choose to receive their boarding passes electronically on their mobile phones or PDAs, saving time and bypassing the need to print and present a paper boarding pass at the airport.

Passengers departing on domestic flights from 19 additional airports now have the option to use mobile boarding passes. New airports added are:

• Albuquerque International (ABQ)
• Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
• Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE)
• Denver International (DEN)
• El Paso International (ELP)
• Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
• Jacksonville International (JAX)
• Little Rock Adams Field (LIT)
• Memphis International (MEM)
• New York La Guardia (LGA)
• Oklahoma Will Rogers World (OKC)
• Orlando International (MCO)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
• Salt Lake City International (SLC)
• San Antonio International (SAT)
• San Diego International (SAN)
• San Francisco International (SFO)
• Tulsa International (TUL)
• Washington Dulles International (IAD)

Mobile boarding passes, which use a two-dimensional (2-D) barcode, were introduced by American in late 2008, and were previously available for passengers departing on domestic flights from Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS), Chicago's O'Hare International (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW), Los Angeles International (LAX), John Wayne Orange County (SNA), Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS), Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) and Minneapolis–St. Paul International (MSP) airports. American's mobile boarding pass program is in partnership with the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  The program will be extended to additional U.S. airports in the coming months.

"We are pleased to offer this great feature at additional airports, making travel as easy and convenient as possible for our customers," said Andrew Watson, American's Vice President – Customer Technology. "Customers who choose this option can bypass printing a boarding pass at their home, office or even at the airport. At the airport they can go straight to the security checkpoint and then to the aircraft. This is a great alternative for our customers on the go."

To use the mobile boarding pass option – either with the traditional desktop version of AA.com or the mobile version – customers must have an active e-mail address where their boarding pass may be sent and an Internet-enabled mobile device where the 2-D barcode can be received. At this time, customers may list only one person in their reservation. Domestic destinations include those within the United States, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The mobile boarding pass process is simple. When customers check in for their flight using American's Web site, AA.com – either the desktop or mobile versions – they have the option to receive their boarding passes on their cell phones or PDAs. With this option, they will receive an e-mail with an Internet link to the boarding pass. The mobile boarding pass contains a 2-D barcode that can be scanned at TSA security checkpoints and at American Airlines gates. At the airport, customers simply scan their cell phone or PDA screen when going through security (proper identification must be presented) and when boarding, just as they would with a traditional paper boarding pass.

Customers who wish to check bags can also use the option by scanning the boarding pass on their cell phone or PDA screen at American Airlines self-service machines or ticket counter check-in facilities.

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 may select "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 emailed 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 cell phone or mobile device, which can then be presented at the airport).

For more information on mobile boarding passes on American Airlines, including instructions on how to use the new system, visit www.aa.com/mobileboarding.

American Airlines is a founding member of the global oneworld® Alliance.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in more than 130 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, We know why you fly and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR)

SOURCE American Airlines