It seems the days of needing a physical airline ticket when flying is numbered as the Mobile phone takes on the role of checking in onto your flight. American Airlines is apparently doing a trial with mobile boarding passes for domestic flyers flying from certain American airports,

American Airlines is hoping this technology “takes off” (excuse the pun) as it will not only cut paper waste but will also make the check in procedure much faster. How it works is when you book your flight, American Airline sends a 2 dimensional barcode to the passenger’s mobile phone from the American Airlines website.

The traveller then checks in online via either their mobile phone or computer, and then they will receive a link to their virtual boarding pass that can be scanned from their mobile phone just before they go through airport security.

Currently this new virtual boarding pass mobile phone system is being trialed at Chicago’s O’Hare airport and from November 17th from the John Wayne Orange County, and Los Angeles International airports.

Source – pocket-lint