AA doesn't let us check-in online, but all boarding passes are either barcode scanned or run through the EGR (depending on what type of boarding pass it is).

People who check-in over the telephone have to put their elite card in the EGR.

The EGR then says the person's name and seat assignment on it.

Basically, if they're paying attention you wouldn't be able to forge it. I don't know how NW does it, if you print your own boarding pass and they don't always check the name in the computer, that would be a pretty big security hole.

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