There have been a lot of announcements at LaGuardia Airport the past few weeks – three pretty big improvements to your wait times in our terminal. Frequent fliers (especially out of LGA), tell us what you think!
1. Paperless Check In
First, I’ll tell you about my experience using paperless check-in and boarding yesterday, which we’re currently testing at LGA. This program has made me even MORE convinced of the importance of having my Blackberry nowadays. I was flying out of LaGuardia and running a little late, as usual. I checked in at mobile.delta.com before I got to the airport and received my boarding pass on my BB.
Once I got to the airport I showed my BB to the TSA security officer, who scanned my BB and let me through. It was a breeze! Thinking the hard part was yet ahead, I got ready to board the plane thinking to myself, “how in the world will this work?” I was AMAZED. The Delta agent scanned my BB just like they had in the past with my paper boarding pass, and on the plane I went. It was too easy. I just want to know when this will go to all airports – especially Atlanta!
2. TSA Self-Selecting Lanes
The Transportation Security Administration launched a new screening system for passengers at LaGuardia last week allowing people to sort themselves into one of three lines. So far, twenty-five U.S. airports already have the three-lane system at their terminals. Here is the breakdown:
- Green circle: for families with small children and strollers, groups, people needing special assistance and people who are new to flying.
- Blue square: for casual travelers familiar with security check-in procedures and carrying multiple bags.
- Black diamond: for expert travelers who know to wear shoes that can be flipped off easily and travel light.
3. Clear Registered Traveler Program
Earlier this month, we announced a partnership with Clear to operate separate fast lanes our JFK and LGA terminals. As you may have heard, the Clear system allows the TSA to prescreen passengers with iris and fingerprint images and then receive a card that allows them to access Clear’s designated security lanes. Learn more about Clear here.
Will these enhancements speed up check-in procedures? Which do you think will be most helpful on your next trip?
Karen
Manager
Delta Technology
June 30th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I love the paperless boarding idea. That will be a success for sure and will soon be at every airport in the U.S. The self-select lanes are OK… for the simple reason that while they may reduce a security line, they still pose confusion to many travelers and many travelers more than likely select a lane they’re not supposed to be in. As for Clear, while it is a good idea for now, I think it will ultimately fail 5 years from now. The TSA introduced checkpoint evolution at BMI, which is a very streamlined checkpoint which has been raved about because how fast and easy the process is. If this expands to many airports in the coming years (which it probably will), I think the Clear lane will become obsolete and a somewhat waste of money. Well, that’s my opinion.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I tried using paperless boarding on my iPhone today at LGA. First, the Agent at the baggage drop didn’t know how to use it. She tried to scan it unsuccessfully. I was told that in the future, I should scan it at a kiosk and receive a paper baggage card (??). If that’s true, how does this save time or paper?
Then, I got to the TSA checkpoint. The first agent wanted to know where my boarding pass and reluctantly let me enter the line when I explained that it was on my iPhone. Then, the TSA agent checking IDs said it was the first one she had ever seen and clearly wasn’t sure how it worked. She finally tried to scan it, but got an “Unable to Scan” error. So, I had to go back to the kiosk and print a paper boarding pass.
NOT a time saver AT ALL for me!
June 30th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
As a person who flies >250,000 miles/year, mostly for business, initiatives like this are excellent.
I am very pleased to see that DL is going to offer mobile boarding passes. Brilliant, in so many ways. I always have my mobile device with me. Mobile boarding passes will save me from rustling around for a piece of paper, and help me reduce my paper/printing costs, good for my budget, and the environment. And since it means I’m less likely to need to print a boarding pass at a DL kiosk when this rolls out, it’s good for DL’s bottom line as well.
I have the Clear card already, and will vouch for its value. Despite problems using Clear’s airport hardware, Clear definitely saves me vast amounts of time (even with “premium line” access) and reduces the hassle of airport passenger screening.
Learning that DL is going to work with Clear is another feather in the airline’s already festooned cap. It is another proof point to me that DL is serious about serving “road warriors” like me by improving the on-ground experience. Maybe now, DL, you can turn your attention to improving your sub-standard domestic F product — please?
July 1st, 2008 at 1:32 am
I want paperless boarding at JFK. I hate LGA
plus for some reason I never am on a Delta flight out of LGA. 
July 1st, 2008 at 1:37 am
[...] BTW I love Delta so yeah I’ll get over it. But atleast her home base airport, LaGuardia has a lot of Delta Good News. [...]
July 1st, 2008 at 3:36 am
[...] started off reading about Delta’s test of truly paperless check in and boarding - that lets you use your blackberry as your ticket!! It’s being tested out of NY’s [...]
July 1st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
All I can say is “wow”! I like fast, easy, convenient. It is overdue and welcome. Travel is so hard today and anything to make things convenient and comfortable for the heavy traveler is welcome.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pm
golich17
Thank you for your feedback. Yes, I do agree that Paperless Boarding Pass is the way of the future and anything the airlines and the TSA can do to make travel faster and less frustrating the better. Please let me know if you get out to LGA.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:00 pm
AdamATL,
Thank you for your feedback. I am very sorry to hear about your experience in LGA with our paperless boarding pass process. I appreciate your feedback as it tells me we have more work to do in this pilot phase to make this a fast and smooth process for all of our passengers. I will be out in LaGuardia next Monday and Thursday to work with our team and the TSA to mitigate some of these issues. In the meantime, we are in constant communication with LGA and have voiced these concerns.
If your travels bring you out of LGA on Monday or Thursday of next week, please let me know. I would love for your next travel experience with this process and technology to be smooth and enjoyable.
Thank you, Karen
July 1st, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Thank you all for your feedback and I hope you all get an opportunity to check this new process out and provide your experience…. Your feedback helps us become better. As soon as we work out the kinks in this pilot, we look forward to rolling this out to an airport near you, and yes JFK too
Please keep the comments/feedback coming.
Thank you, Karen