DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates has always been leading the technological advancement in the region and same is the case when it comes to the aviation world.
The country’s famous airline, Emirates has announced that it will be phasing out paper based boarding passes from May 15 onwards.
The details reveal that the airline would require most passengers departing Dubai via Terminal 3 to use a mobile boarding pass instead of hard copy.
The passengers will receive their mobile boarding pass via email or SMS and for check in online, travelers can load their boarding pass onto their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, or retrieve their boarding pass on the Emirates App. The checked-in baggage receipt will also be emailed directly to passengers, or available in the Emirates App.
The facility would not end paper based boarding pass for now as some passengers will require a physical boarding pass. For instance, passengers travelling with infants, unaccompanied minors, those requiring special assistance, passengers with onwards flights on other airlines, and those on flights to the US will need paper based boarding passes.
The move would help reduce paper waste besides facilitating globetrotters with speedy digitised check in while reducing the risk of lost or misplaced boarding passes.
Interestingly, the mobile boarding pass would be usable throughout the travel journey – in Dubai Duty Free, at security and for boarding. The airline staff will scan the QR code on the mobile boarding pass as passengers move through the airport and onto the aircraft. Those who still need to keep a paper copy can get a print out on request from the Emirates’ agents.
Several airlines across the world including Alaska Airlines are switching to mobile version of boarding passes, eliminating one more item that travelers need to scramble for in order to get the security clearance.
The aviation world as a whole is undergoing transformation from Gulf to Europe and the needle is being pushed in favour of travelers. For instance, Prague Airport recently stated that soon passengers will not be bothered by the amount of liquids they can take on their carry-on luggage. Moreover, London City Airport has also ended the 100ml liquid limit rule by installing high-tech scanners which also allow electronics to be kept in hand luggage at security.
As per fresh regulations, travelers can now carry up to two liters of liquid while toiletries no longer have to be put in separate bags. The move comes with the installation of C3 scanners, first introduced at Teesside in March.
