United Airlines Rolls Out Passport Scanning for International Flights to iOS App

Thursday August 7, 2014 12:48 AM PDT by Richard Padilla
United Airlines today updated its official app for iOS with the ability to scan passports to check-in for international flights using a device's camera. The new feature can be accessed when a user checks in within 24 hours of a departing flight, as all passports uploaded are verified by credential management service Jumio. Once a passport is verified, users can obtain their boarding passes and save them to the app.
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- Customers can now use the United app to scan their passport for international check-in
- Upon check-in, verify your existing stored passport data (if already in our system) or scan your passport.
- Your device camera will be accessed, similar to many mobile banking deposit functions, and the scanned passport information will be verified for additional security. Once the image is validated, you will be able to complete your check-in and receive your boarding pass, saving you time at the airport.
United notes that flyers who require additional travel documentation such as a visa will still have to physically check-in at the airport. Passports that are scanned and uploaded can also be stored by United MileagePlus members for later flights. The app also includes additional bug fixes and more information on cards regarding flight boarding times.

United Airlines is a free app for iOS devices and can be downloaded through the App Store. [Direct Link]
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0007776
53 months ago

Fabulous. That will prevent falsification of documents. Or will it augment it?


It will make check in easier, you'll still have to show your passport at the gate and at customs. This just saves you one line at the airport so you can get your boarding pass.
Rating: 1 Votes
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ricci
53 months ago

gotta love being part of the EU sometimes. when i flew from Germany to Spain and later from Spain to Italy i didnt have to show any kind of ID. not even once, anyone could have flown having my boarding pass. i only realized it when i was actually back home looking at my expired id oop lol


And these Companies corporate heads wonder how the bad guys figure out how to take out an airplane ! :rolleyes:
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Rigby
53 months ago

I think we should get clarification on that. I highly doubt any of the Schengen area airports would let a person through security without showing some form of ID that matches the boarding pass.

I have flown extensively within the Schengen area (having lived in Germany until a few years ago). I rarely had to show an ID at the security checkpoints. Usually you have to produce an ID when checking in at the airline desk. But if you check in and print the boarding pass at a machine, it's usually enough to know the reservation number or put a known credit card into the machine. So quite often you can get on Schengen flights without ever showing an ID. And I don't really see a problem with that. It seems people have gotten used to the "security theater" that we have in the US these days. But there was a time when it was much less hassle here as well.
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