Pass thru security with paper ticket and no BP?
 

Sunday is my first flight since 9/11, so I've yet to experience the brave new world.

I have always used paper tickets rather then e-tickets. Will security let me through with my paper ticket as proof of travel, or do I need to go to the UA counter for a boarding pass. Does UA still issue boarding passes at the gate?

Seems that the powers that be have often dictated that a BP is required! Who knows exactly why? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

The "official" rules say you need any ONE of the following - 1) a paper ticket, 2) a boarding pass, 3) an e-ticket receipt, 4) an itinerary on travel agency letterhead with the e-ticket ticket number printed on it, 5) a printout of the confirmation from the airline website.

As Doc says, however, enforcement is not uniform from airport to airport or even security guard to security guard.

This morning in ATL, Delta required my brother to get a boarding pass at the main counter even though he didn't check a bag.
May have been because he was with a group of 24 on a long weekend trip.

I use paper tickets and in seven flights since 9/11 I have yet to check-in up front. On the stub portion of a UA ticket it does say "Boarding Pass," which seems to be sufficient for security.

In the event security lines are very long, it could be wise to check-in at the front though so they know you did check-in on time and are coming. Some people have reported planes being held because so many people who had checked-in for the flight were held up by security. If you haven't checked-in, but are in the security line, they have no idea that you're there.

I was standby on a flight from FRA to ATL last week and they let me through 3 checkpoints without a boarding pass.