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New policy? Carry your boarding pass on board...

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New policy? Carry your boarding pass on board...

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Old May 10, 2018, 1:44 pm
  #1  
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New policy? Carry your boarding pass on board...

Last night at LAX all passengers were required to carry their paper boarding pass with them when boarding. Anomaly or new policy?
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Old May 10, 2018, 1:47 pm
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I've had that happen a few times. No reason I can see nor is it consistent.
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Old May 10, 2018, 1:53 pm
  #3  
nsx
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I think it _is_ a new policy. I've seen it consistently for the past week or so.
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Old May 10, 2018, 2:02 pm
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Have seen it multiple times recently, but less often than not
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Old May 10, 2018, 2:16 pm
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It is to embarrass people that still use paper boarding passes.
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Old May 10, 2018, 2:55 pm
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In Vegas yesterday, they mentioned that handing boarding passes back was a new Southwest policy that was started on 5/3.

My guess is that they are doing this to avoid the privacy and security risks from throwing the passes with name, FF #, and locator # in the trash like they used to.
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Old May 10, 2018, 4:44 pm
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Originally Posted by AFAM-DFW
In Vegas yesterday, they mentioned that handing boarding passes back was a new Southwest policy that was started on 5/3.

My guess is that they are doing this to avoid the privacy and security risks from throwing the passes with name, FF #, and locator # in the trash like they used to.
Instead they will reside in seat back pockets for several more flights, then into trash collected by flight attendants. Not recycled, as on the ground.

Sign me,

Unembarrassed paper boarding pass user (based on real experience and on impatience watching electronic passes slowing down the boarding process)
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Old May 10, 2018, 5:39 pm
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Announced as new policy by gate agents at DTW and BWI for my flights this week.
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Old May 10, 2018, 5:40 pm
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Originally Posted by Blitzjb
It is to embarrass people that still use paper boarding passes.
I still use the paper boarding pass at the airport. I find they scan better than the mobile boarding passes, especially with the screen protectors and if your brightness isn't set just right. Besides, I don't like using my a percent or two of my battery life just to save Southwest the cost of 1 piece of paper. Battery conservation sometimes is needed especially since I can't charge my device on board. I still do check in either on my phone or online the day prior to get the better boarding position.
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Old May 10, 2018, 6:12 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Seat13c
I still use the paper boarding pass at the airport. I find they scan better than the mobile boarding passes, especially with the screen protectors and if your brightness isn't set just right. Besides, I don't like using my a percent or two of my battery life just to save Southwest the cost of 1 piece of paper. Battery conservation sometimes is needed especially since I can't charge my device on board. I still do check in either on my phone or online the day prior to get the better boarding position.
My phone has crap battery life. What am I supposed to do when it dies on me?

And electronic BPs don’t solve an actual problem anyway.
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Old May 10, 2018, 6:20 pm
  #11  
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As someone who switches back and forth, I usually find paper boarding passes to be less of a hassle (and less draining on my phone's terrible battery). Plus I know it's usually cheap receipt paper but I enjoy having a memento of the flight as well.
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Old May 10, 2018, 7:02 pm
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Always wondered why they took them. Maybe because you do not need them since there is no seat assignment on them.

One time we had to unload due to equipment problems. Major hassle to reboard since nobody had their paper boarding passes. In those cases, it is really needed.
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Old May 10, 2018, 7:13 pm
  #13  
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Why would someone not carry their boarding pass on board and, in fact, keep it for reimburasement purposes or until FF credit posts? Are passengers dropping them on the floor of the jetway? There's always a chance that a flight will return to the gate and cancel, in which case it would be convenient to have a boarding pass when being rebooked.
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Old May 10, 2018, 7:20 pm
  #14  
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The policy change makes it quicker to do a hand count when the gate reader vs. FA headcount is off. In the first pass after a mismatch, passengers can simply be asked to hold out their BP, whether paper or electronic. Knocks a good 20-30 minutes off and there is no particular reason for WN to collect the paper as it serves no purpose.
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Old May 10, 2018, 7:39 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by Often1
The policy change makes it quicker to do a hand count when the gate reader vs. FA headcount is off. In the first pass after a mismatch, passengers can simply be asked to hold out their BP, whether paper or electronic. Knocks a good 20-30 minutes off and there is no particular reason for WN to collect the paper as it serves no purpose.
Oh, for the "good old days" prior to 9/11. I remember a discussion between the ground crew and senior flight attendant aboard a USAir flight in ~ 1995 ---> Gate agent; "we are off by three <passengers>".

Flight attendant: "Close enough!"

Door closed and off we went.
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