Outbound US flights and Passbook
 

When it's time to receive mobile boarding pass, I'm always asked to go to the check-in counter at JFK instead. Is this because I'm not an US citizen? This does not happen to me in any other countries or even flights going into the US.

I am not sure precisely what you mean, but CX has to do a document check at some point.

At HKG for example, you can get past security without CX/KA performing a document check (ie, you do OLCI and have a mobile boarding pass on your phone, which you show security to get airside). But CX/KA do need to verify your physical traveling documents before you board the plane. At HKG, you can proactively do this in the lounge, or more commonly you get pulled aside when boarding if you forget - to be fair, most passengers don't realize they need to do this. So getting pulled aside at boarding is the far more likely outcome at HKG. The light will go red and the agents there will perform the check.

I'm not sure about JFK protocol but this could be what you're referring to.

I have not been able to get a mobile boarding pass when departing the US.

I see.

I think in HKG, there are also some other rules whereby Cathay still needs to check the physical documents. One example I recall is if the ex-HKG boarding pass is printed by another airline at another airport (or something like that), Cathay will check the documentation themselves in HKG. Something like that. Perhaps that could be the case? Maybe a connecting flight?

Thanks but I doubt it's the traveling documentation they need to verify at JFK. I was referring to the last step when I'm done checking online via iPhone and adding Passbook. It is not a big deal since I usually travel with luggage. This does not happen to me when flying other airlines out of JFK, international or domestic.

Right, at the last step (if you checked-in more than 24 hours before the flight), you'll told you need to wait until 24 hours before the flight to request a boarding pass. Then at the 24 hour mark, it doesn't give you the option to get a mobile boarding pass.

In the past, I've encountered bugs where I have been issued a mobile boarding pass, but then I'm forced to get a paper pass to actually board the plane. Good thing they have printers at the gate!

Something must have changed, I was able to retrieve boarding pass and add to the passbook for US bound flight.

I'm also not able to get the mobile boarding pass on my US bound flight on CX.