American Airlines passengers hopping on an international flight can now go straight to the gate thanks to a passport scanning function on its app.
The airline is the first to offer scanning of information electronically embedded in the passport in a move designed to make checking-in easier for international passengers.
The app scans the Near Field Communication (NFC) chip embedded in the passport and transmits it securely to the airline.
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This means they no longer need to have their passports rechecked at the airport, currently a requirement even if the customer has uploaded a photo of their passport to the airline’s app.
The new feature means they will be prompted to enter their passport information and then scan their passport on their iOS or Android device.
“We are continuously adding features to our app to make travel easier and worry-free for our customers,” American chief information officer Maya Leibman said.
“Mobile passport scanning removes a time-consuming step, providing our customers with a smoother check-in experience for international flights.”
With this new enhancement, the customer will be prompted to enter their passport information and then scan their passport with an iOS or Android device. The app provides easy-to-follow instructions for the process.
Other recent innovations in the American app include boarding notifications and Siri shortcuts and a dark mode option.
Additional services to improve the travel experience include biometric international boarding and virtual 3D aircraft tours online as well as a redesigned self-service kiosk menu that simplifies the check-in process.
There is also an improved family seating approach, which ensures adults and kids under 14 traveling together on the same reservation are seated together.
American offers customers 6,800 daily flights to more than 365 destinations in 61 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C
