TSA and Continental Airlines Expand Paperless Boarding Pass Program to LaGuardia Airport

Market Wire, October, 2008

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Continental Airlines announced today the rollout of the Paperless Boarding Pass pilot program to LaGuardia Airport (LGA). This innovative approach will allow passengers to receive boarding passes electronically on their cell phones or PDAs, which will then be scanned by TSA security officers at the checkpoint, eliminating the need for a paper boarding pass.

Ten airports are now piloting this technology: George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH), Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Logan International Airport in Boston (BOS), Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), San Antonio International Airport (SAT), Indianapolis International Airport (IND), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), and LaGuardia in New York.

Continental was the first U.S. carrier to test paperless boarding passes. Continental Airlines passengers can use the electronic boarding pass at George Bush Intercontinental, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Newark Liberty, Logan, Austin-Bergstrom, San Antonio and Cleveland Hopkins airports.

Each paperless boarding pass will display an encrypted two-dimensional bar code along with passenger and flight information that will identify the traveler. TSA travel document checkers will use hand-held scanners to validate the authenticity of the paperless boarding pass sent to Continental passengers. The new technology heightens the ability to detect fraudulent boarding passes while improving customer service and reducing paper use.

"The deployment of the paperless technology, with Continental Airlines, signifies TSA's ongoing commitment to develop and execute new technologies within aviation while enhancing security," said Mike Scott, federal security director, LaGuardia Airport. "These paperless boarding pass pilots are significant steps towards ensuring that fraudulent boarding passes cannot be used to gain access to the sterile side of airports."

TSA created the concept of how to scan the paperless boarding passes and Continental Airlines developed an implementation plan that involved encrypting the paperless boarding pass to ensure authenticity. "We are pleased to take part in this pioneering concept that provides enhanced security and customer service to our passengers," said Mark Bergsrud, Continental Airlines senior vice president, Marketing Programs and Distribution. "Continental Airlines is committed to innovation and leveraging technology to the benefit of our customers."

The paperless boarding pass pilot is consistent with the global standard of the International Air Transport Association for bar coding of passenger boarding passes. This joint effort between Continental Airlines and TSA will enable the airline industry to look forward to a paperless check-in process.

For more information regarding TSA, please visit the agency's Web site at www.tsa.gov .