Boarding pass - Wikipedia

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A boarding pass is a document provided by an airline during check-in, giving a passenger the authority to board an aircraft. As a minimum, it identifies the passenger, the flight number, and the date and scheduled time for departure. In some cases, flyers can check in "on-line" and print the boarding passes themselves.

Generally a passenger with an electronic ticket will only need a boarding pass. If a passenger has a paper airline ticket, that ticket (or flight coupon) may be required to be attached to the boarding pass for him or her to board the aircraft. The paper boarding pass (and ticket, if any), or portions, are sometimes collected and counted for cross-check of passenger counts by gate agents, but more frequently are scanned (via barcode or magnetic stripe). The standards for bar codes and magnetic stripes on boarding passes are published by IATA. The bar code standard (BCBP) defines the 2D bar code printed on paper boarding passes or sent to mobile phones for electronic boarding passes. The magnetic stripe standard (ATB2) will expire in 2010. For "connecting flights" there will be a boarding pass needed for each new flight (distinguished by a different flight number) regardless of whether a different aircraft is boarded.

Most airports and airlines have automatic readers that will verify the validity of the boarding pass at the jetway door or boarding gate. This also automatically updates the airline's database that shows the passenger has boarded and the seat is used, and that the checked baggage for that passenger may stay aboard. This speeds up the paperwork process at the gate, but requires passengers with paper tickets to check in, surrender the ticket and receive the digitized boarding pass.

Many airlines have moved to issuing electronic boarding passes, whereby the passenger checks in either online or on a mobile device, and the boarding pass is then sent to the mobile device as a SMS or e-mail; airlines that issue electronic boarding passes include AirAsia (The first airline to introduce SMS boarding passes), Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, WestJet (the first in North America to do so), Cathay Pacific Airways, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Jetstar Airways, Iberia and KLM (selected destinations only).

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Airlines	Airline codes Airline holding companies Cargo airline Charter airlines Flag carriers Low-cost airlines Non-scheduled airline Passenger airlines Regional airlines
Alliances	Oneworld SkyTeam Star Alliance Value Alliance Vanilla Alliance U-FLY Alliance
Trade groups	International ACO ATAG IATA IATAN ISTAT United States A4A RAA Europe A4E EBAA ERA Other regions AACO AAPA AFRAA RAAA
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Airliner	Travel class First class Business class Premium economy class Economy class Basic economy class Aircraft cabin Aircraft lavatory Aircraft seat map Airline meal Airline seat Buy on board Crew rest compartment In-flight entertainment Inflight smoking Galley Sickness bag
Airport	Aerodrome Airline hub Airport check-in Airport lounge Airport rail link Airport terminal Airside pass Airstair Boarding Domestic airport Gate International airport Jet bridge Low-cost carrier terminal Runway Transit hotel
Customs / Immigration	Arrival card Border control (internal) Departure card Passport Timatic Travel document Travel visa (Electronic)
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Baggage	Bag tag Baggage allowance Baggage carousel Baggage cart Baggage reclaim Baggage handler Baggage handling system Baggage sizer Checked baggage Hand luggage Lost luggage (WorldTracer) Luggage lock
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Airline tickets	Airline booking ploys Airline reservations system Airline ticket Airline timetable Bereavement flight Boarding pass Codeshare agreement Continent pass Electronic ticket Fare basis code Flight cancellation and delay Frequent-flyer program Government contract flight One-way travel Open-jaw ticket Overbooking (Overselling) Passenger name record Red-eye flight Round-the-world ticket Standby Tracking Travel agency Travel website
Ground crew	Aircraft maintenance technician Aircraft ground handling Baggage handler Flight dispatcher
Miscellaneous	Air cargo Air travel Aviation taxation and subsidies Mile high club

See also