Got a couple of flights coming up (boring work stuff). I prefer to check in online, but won’t be near a printer while I’m travelling. Can you get through an aiport and onto a flight showing the .pdf of the boarding pass displayed on a phone? I’ve heard of it, not sure if it’s an urban myth or not?

Often, all they are after is a bar code/QR code. I don’t know if it’s possible to scan that on a phone screen.

Who are you flying with? Most airlines now offer a mobile phone check in service, which is what I use. Phone becomes boarding pass.

Not all airports operate scanners that will work with phones/tablets, though, but most major ones do. I’ve barely used a paper boarding pass in years!

Failing that, you can check in online, and then pick up a paper boarding pass at the airport, either at the desk or through one of the self service kiosks.

they’ll be more than happy to charge you to print one.

Past 3 business flights I’ve had I’v just flashed my phone and the QR code has been used. No problems at all – assuming the airline does Mobile check-in.

Thanks for all the answers. Flight I really need this for is Czech Airlines from Amsterdam Schipol (sp?) to Prague. But no mobile check in on their website, so looks like I’ll have to queue up or use a kiosk.

edit – wrong end of stick 😀

Check in online , select the collect at airport option.

Unless your flying from some hellhole. 😀 – west africa i always print out two copies of my boarding pass.

When flying out of aberdeen i rarely take a paper ticket – always use my phone these days.

I have in the past even had them scan an ipad when my phone battery ran out after a long train journey through holland.

Unless your flying from some hellhole…..such as when flying out of aberdeen

FTFY.

😉

from a londoner – thats a good un 😉 think ill head out the cairngorms wen i get back – either for some riding or some skiing …..

enjoy hampstead heath !

😀

Careful. IIRC on some you need to show the airlines mobile app version of the boarding pass, NOT just a PDF on your phone.

Checkin online, then go to the airport. If they’ve got a self service kiosk it should let you print out a boarding pass. BA certainly does, though I just flash the app version on my phone.

Do you collect air miles? Because often you need a paper pass in the event of a dispute, at least to comply with the resolution process. As one frequent flyer I know once said to me, “Friends don’t let friends use mobile boarding passes”

Do you collect air miles? Because often you need a paper pass in the event of a dispute, at least to comply with the resolution process. As one frequent flyer I know once said to me, “Friends don’t let friends use mobile boarding passes”

All my boarding passes are saved in the BA app until I don’t need them any more. So, not a problem at all.

So, this frequent flyer disagrees with the one you know! 🙂

Also, I’ve never had a single problem with BA/OneWorld sorting out my miles and Tier Points. Although it really hurt they took 1500 of the latter away….Then again, they did send me something to make up for it. 8)

ive never needed a paper copy of my boarding pass for a dispute

i just Ba , airfrance or lufthansa my name , date i flew and the flights eticket number.

get my points.

As a

frequent flyer

if I want a paper pass the nice lady in the lounge will print me one whilst I sip a free beer – but I mostly use a link to web page and open that. Only issue is phone going flat or lack of signal neither have been an issue in Europe.

PDF with no mobile bar code will NOT work in the airports I’ve used

Fair enough both. Used to be a major issue with BMI in particular. You had to post boarding passes all the time.

are bmi an airline or something 😉

Can you get through an aiport and onto a flight showing the .pdf of the boarding pass displayed on a phone?

You can with some airlines, eg KLM.

Doesn’t help if you need the boarding card as evidence of flying for expense purposes though…!

So, basically:

Some flights will
Some flights won’t
Some flights need a bit of paper, and
Some flights don’t

LOL @ squidlord.

I flew Czech airlines last year, no online checkin an no mobile app for your boarding pass. Had to check in a the airport. BA etc let you hold the pass on your mobile

BA have an app that shows the “barcode thingy” which they can scan at the gate. I tried it once and it worked fine but seems high risk to me if phone battery dies. I check in online and collect boarding pass at airport. Know some budget airlines (including they who shall not be named) require you to print before arrival but proper airlines don’t. I would have thought a PDF on a phone wouldn’t be enough at security.

@squidlord wins the Brotherhood of Man songwriters award 🙂

British Airways – definitely.
EasyJet – technically not. If you get to the aircraft with only a PDF boarding pass you won’t be allowed to board, but you will be given a replacement paper pass.