American Airlines just made it easier to check in for international flights.
American on Wednesday introduced passport chip scanning to the app, which will eliminate the need to have an American agent scan the passport at the airport.
The carrier said it is the first airline to use near field communication (NFC) technology to securely transmit passport information. It is the same technology behind cashless payment systems like Apple Pay. Initially it will only be available for trips with one person on the reservation. It will eventually be expanded to reservations with multiple travelers, including families.
Travelers checking in for an international flight on the American app will be asked to enter some basic passport information and then use their smartphone or other iOS or Android mobile device to scan the chip on the back page of the passport.The passport will still need to be shown at the airport during boarding, but it won't have to be open and scanned, saving passengers and employees time, the airline says. the new feature will especially help with cases where passports weren't scanned on the domestic leg of an international trip with a connection, say Albuquerque to Santiago, Chile, via Dallas Fort Worth.
