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-   -   Can TSA check Mobile boarding passes? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/practical-travel-safety-security-issues/1321350-can-tsa-check-mobile-boarding-passes.html)

jcwoman Mar 5, 2012 9:33 am

Can TSA check Mobile boarding passes?
 
So I'm on the first trip in a couple years and slightly behind the times. Ua gave me the option to use my cellphone as a boarding pass which is cool. I've seen guys hold their phones up to the scanner at the gate to get on the plane. But I'm a bit confused how the tsa id checkers handle it. They like to scribble on the boarding pass and they obviously can't scribble on my phone. Do you have to print a copy for their artwork? If so that seems to defeat the purpose of the mobile pass which saves trees. What am I missing?

zigzagg900 Mar 5, 2012 9:43 am

TSA has a scanner at most all stations, which looks like a small version of what you see at the supermarket. They just check your name, flight info against your ID. Also if the wifi or phone signal is poor, it might take a bit to pull up the barcode, because you get an email with a link after checking in. You press that link to get the bar coded boarding pass.

If you have the UA mobile app, a link to your boarding pass can appear on the home page of your mobile app profile.

I use it all the time. Just remember to have your phone charged up.

bitburgr Mar 5, 2012 11:03 am


Originally Posted by jcwoman (Post 18137952)
But I'm a bit confused how the tsa id checkers handle it. They like to scribble on the boarding pass and they obviously can't scribble on my phone. Do you have to print a copy for their artwork? If so that seems to defeat the purpose of the mobile pass which saves trees. What am I missing?

When you have a mobile boarding pass, there's nothing to write on (as you noted) so they don't write anything. No worries.

Now, some people do carry a back-up paper copy of their boarding pass in case the scanner is kaput. Defeats the purpose of the mobile boarding pass, but saves time from having to get out of line to print one.

MKEbound Mar 5, 2012 12:02 pm

They can, just watch to ensure they don't try to write on the screen of your phone. More than one Flyertalker has stopped them from absentmindedly trying to scribble on the screen!

mahohmei Mar 5, 2012 1:44 pm


Originally Posted by MKEbound (Post 18139020)
They can, just watch to ensure they don't try to write on the screen of your phone. More than one Flyertalker has stopped them from absentmindedly trying to scribble on the screen!

I have refused to use a mobile boarding pass for the primary reason that I do not want the TDC to break or steal my phone--or exit the boarding pass app and start looking through the phone's contents--or even ask me what I think about my certain model of phone.

At TLH, a TS"O" had to swab my Motorola Xoom tablet computer in an OtterBox Defender series case for explosives because I left it in my bag; he asked me how I liked the Xoom/OtterBox combo, and I just shrugged and mumbled. I was accused of being hypersensitive for this, but I _really_ did not like being asked that, as it's nobody's business how I "like" the stuff I travel with.

TheRoadie Mar 5, 2012 4:49 pm

Not sure about elsewhere, but in SAN Terminal 2, the scanner is on the passenger's side of the podium and the screener doesn't get to hold or touch your phone. They didn't have those sorts of podiums at the commuter terminal, though. So you needed paper.

The scribbling is now proven to add no value, since they can't scribble on phones. So why did they EVER do it?

Global_Hi_Flyer Mar 5, 2012 6:02 pm


Originally Posted by TheRoadie (Post 18141136)
Not sure about elsewhere, but in SAN Terminal 2, the scanner is on the passenger's side of the podium and the screener doesn't get to hold or touch your phone. They didn't have those sorts of podiums at the commuter terminal, though. So you needed paper.

The scribbling is now proven to add no value, since they can't scribble on phones. So why did they EVER do it?

In some places it's not a scribble, it's a rubber stamp.

SNA_Flyer Mar 5, 2012 6:07 pm

I've never had one want to handle my phone. I always maintain control of it and scan it myself.

Only have had an issue at ORD where the same clerk wanted to see the screen of my phone to know my destination. Told her it was none of her business (in the nicest way possible) and continued towards the lanes.

jcwoman Mar 6, 2012 7:48 am


Originally Posted by TheRoadie (Post 18141136)
Not sure about elsewhere, but in SAN Terminal 2, the scanner is on the passenger's side of the podium and the screener doesn't get to hold or touch your phone. They didn't have those sorts of podiums at the commuter terminal, though. So you needed paper.

The scribbling is now proven to add no value, since they can't scribble on phones. So why did they EVER do it?

Yep, it's make-work. Thanks for the answers. I think I'll still print a boarding pass.

Critic Mar 6, 2012 11:54 am

I've never had any issue with a mobile BP. On the rare occasion that I've run into a non-scanner equipped TDC, I've simply held the screen up to them so they could read my name, flight number and travel date and they've sent me on my way.

NEVER EVER EVER EVER hand your phone over. You're under no obligation to do so, and the TDC would be breaking SOP to ask you for it (since it becomes a liability issue if they break your phone).

mahohmei Mar 6, 2012 11:58 am

You're also under no obligation to explain why you have checks written to yourself, Arabic flash cards, or empty breast-milk bottles and a breast-milk pump, but that doesn't stop the TS"O"s.


Originally Posted by Critic (Post 18146385)
NEVER EVER EVER EVER hand your phone over. You're under no obligation to do so, and the TDC would be breaking SOP to ask you for it (since it becomes a liability issue if they break your phone).


Global_Hi_Flyer Mar 6, 2012 5:10 pm


Originally Posted by Critic (Post 18146385)
I've never had any issue with a mobile BP. On the rare occasion that I've run into a non-scanner equipped TDC, I've simply held the screen up to them so they could read my name, flight number and travel date and they've sent me on my way.

You're lucky. I have seen TSA send people back to the ticket counter for a BP when 1) readers are not installed or 2) readers are not working. I've seen that happen at IAD, ORD, BWI, and LAX.

goalie Mar 7, 2012 7:38 am


Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer (Post 18148607)
You're lucky. I have seen TSA send people back to the ticket counter for a BP when 1) readers are not installed or 2) readers are not working. I've seen that happen at IAD, ORD, BWI, and LAX.

Which is why I still carry a printed copy of my bp "just in case"

BStrauss3 Mar 7, 2012 9:32 pm


Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer (Post 18148607)
You're lucky. I have seen TSA send people back to the ticket counter for a BP when 1) readers are not installed or 2) readers are not working. I've seen that happen at IAD, ORD, BWI, and LAX.

SEA: Rejected valid BP because the scanner was set (apparently manually) to the wrong date.

jpmcdonough Mar 10, 2012 12:44 pm

Your airline won't issue a mobile boarding pass if you are leaving from an airport that doesn't have the scanners. Some airports have very user-friendly scanners at the TSA check point, but others (notably Seattle) don't, and the checkers have to go find one, borrow one, etc.

My own personal take on it is that the mobile boarding pass is close but not 100% there yet. It's good to take a paper backup just in case.

tkey75 Mar 11, 2012 8:51 am

Do the scanners transmit or record info in any way? Or do they just decode the barcode and temporarily display info on the screen? Worry of that has made me stop using e-boarding passes.

reamworks Mar 11, 2012 9:08 am

At MCO airport it's a hassle
 
I fly out of MCO (the worst domestic airport IMHO) about once a month, and it's always a very early flight, the 6:05am MCO->SFO.

CLEAR isn't open at boarding time (despite what they say on their website, the Clear station isn't manned until after 6:00am), so I have to wait on the World's Slowest Moving Security line. It typically takes a full hour to move through this line. (Yes, for a domestic flight at 5:00am!)

If I present the ID checker with a mobile boarding pass, he closes the line, walks over to an area where he has a scanner, scans it, then walks back to the line (slowly, because he's usually obese) and opens the line up again. So every time someone uses a Mobile Boarding Pass, it holds everyone else up a minute. I think he's just annoyed that he can't color on it with his magic marker.

(I think when there are more lines open it may go smoother. But when I fly, there's only one boarding pass checker, and he likes to park himself on the line where there's no scanner)

BStrauss3 Mar 11, 2012 11:30 am


Originally Posted by tkey75 (Post 18178025)
Do the scanners transmit or record info in any way? Or do they just decode the barcode and temporarily display info on the screen? Worry of that has made me stop using e-boarding passes.

Start here http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/stb/bcbp/Pages/index.aspx - there is a pdf that has the details of what can be in the bar code.

tkey75 Mar 11, 2012 5:34 pm


Originally Posted by BStrauss3 (Post 18178830)
Start here http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/stb/bcbp/Pages/index.aspx - there is a pdf that has the details of what can be in the bar code.

So, basically they can know pretty much everything about me and my travels.

It doesn't answer the question as to whether the TSA is storing the info their barcode readers get. I intend to ask.

N1120A Mar 13, 2012 7:40 pm


Originally Posted by tkey75 (Post 18178025)
Do the scanners transmit or record info in any way? Or do they just decode the barcode and temporarily display info on the screen? Worry of that has made me stop using e-boarding passes.

The bar code readers are basically the same as at the gate, but not connected to a reservation computer.

BStrauss3 Mar 13, 2012 7:40 pm


Originally Posted by tkey75 (Post 18180627)
So, basically they can know pretty much everything about me and my travels.

"We" already do - good luck getting an aisle seat on that flight next week :-)

[QUOTE=tkey75;18180627It doesn't answer the question as to whether the TSA is storing the info their barcode readers get. I intend to ask.[/QUOTE]

Seriously, it's a decent question - there are limitations on the creation of records of PII (personally identifying information) - for example they can't note down details of your ID in a notebook without creating an illegal record.

There were threads back a couple years on what ICE/CBP has about you when you cross a border. Not sure I've ever seen anyone try a FOIA request on TSA... but it might be fun to try.

jcwoman Mar 14, 2012 2:21 pm

Just to update, I used the mobile pass on my return trip home last week from Las Vegas to IAD. I was about to hold it up for the Id checker in Vegas but she pointed at the scanner, so I used that instead. She looked at the screen, at my ID, and sent me on my way. It took about 2 seconds - wayyy less than the silly artwork-on-paper ID checking method.

It was also fun going "boop" at the gate and looking oh-so-technological. :cool: The only problem I had was the gate at my connection in Denver because the scanner was broken. But the gate agent just typed in my info and away I went.

Off topic, but I also encountered the friendliest gate agent ever, in Denver. He was laughing and jovial and gave most of the women passengers a brief hug as we entered the jetway. Didn't get his name, but this was on United. Go figure!

tkey75 Mar 15, 2012 7:11 pm


Originally Posted by BStrauss3 (Post 18195857)

Seriously, it's a decent question - there are limitations on the creation of records of PII (personally identifying information) - for example they can't note down details of your ID in a notebook without creating an illegal record.

Though we all know that doesn't stop them from doing it. For example, after opting out in LIH, they readily pulled out a notebook (with a long list already on it), a pen and asked for my ID and BP.


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