pass option for a select group of flights. Travelers would have the option of showing their boarding pass barcode on their mobile device to TSA personnel at security and to airline personnel at the gate in lieu of a paper boarding pass printed at check in. Gavin Lew, Managing Director at User Centric, a Chicago-based user experience consulting firm, tried this new process within days of the initial launch.

"Mobile boarding passes represent the potential of improved convenience, but the user experience is not yet perfect," says Lew, who tried the mobile boarding pass because he is a heavy mobile user and a frequent traveler.

The online check-in process begins with a normal login to the AA.com site but the traveler now has three options for their boarding pass: print, print later, or using the mobile pass.

Lew was dismayed to discover that not only must travelers have a phone that can receive emails (and not simply a text or picture message), but their device must also have mobile Internet to download the boarding pass bar code. These are key requirements to using the new service that are not fully described.

"I must admit that I was really surprised. First I thought my phone would get a picture message. Then I needed to access email through my phone. Then I needed to open a browser and get the boarding pass from the Internet. This is a very cool concept, but American Airlines just needs to set expectations for the user with clearer instructions -- especially because your trip may depend on it. This is not a receipt, but access to your seat on a plane that leaves within hours," said Lew.

Lew said there was a minor hiccup at the TSA security checkpoint when it took three attempts to scan the mobile boarding pass. The major hurdle came at the gate. The mobile boarding pass did not include the seating group assignment and the gate agent was unable to scan the mobile boarding pass.

Lew noted, "After about 20 seconds of trying different display angles and experimenting with turning on and off the backlight, another American Airlines attendant assisted by entering my seat assignment into a standard terminal. I was then cleared to board. The delay experienced at the gate, while it generated some disgruntled stares from those behind me, was minimal."

Overall, the experience could not be considered a complete success. Although Lew cleared through security and boarded the plane, manual intervention was required at the gate. Although Lew says the mobile concept remains very compelling, he says he will still print a backup boarding pass for now.

"There are just too many dependencies that American Airlines cannot control, such as the chance that there will be different scanners at different airports, the possibility my phone might go to sleep or reboot right when I am checking in, and the strength of my mobile Internet signal at the airport (which can be sometimes dodgy)."

Lew says that American Airlines should still get credit for their innovative approach to using mobile passes. "For traveling professionals and students who rely on their mobile devices, American's efforts to support the mobile user are definitely steps in the right direction."

To view the full article including recommendations, visit http://www.usercentric.com/news/boardingpass.

About User Centric, Inc.

User Centric is a global consulting firm that focuses on improving user experience. Services include user research, user interface design consulting, information architecture, usability testing, user interface evaluations, eye tracking, and online surveys. User Centric is a founding member of the User Experience Alliance, an international network for user experience. With over 220 professionals worldwide, and managing over 40 testing facilities, the UXalliance has experience across a broad range of technologies and sectors.

Information Source:    PRNewswire