Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

jtripm
Explorer C

I read through a couple posts about boarding passes not available on mobile devices if there are multiple passengers on the same reservation.

 

If I save a PDF of the printable boarding pass would this scan when boarding and be allowed at security check-in?

 

thank you,

 

j

19 REPLIES 19

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

SWA-lover
Explorer A

I would like to emphasize the widespread inconvenience of not being able to travel with mobile boarding passes unless you are a single traveller. It appears that Southwest is not giving this issue priority. Every proposed option is an inconvenient work-around and falls short of any standard set by all competing airlines.

Booking separately will allow individual mobile passes, but results in separated boarding positions for travellers wishing to stay together. Carrying printed passes from home or visiting the airport check-in counter cancells the convenience and defeats the basic purpose and advantage of the industry standard mobile boarding pass.

I love Southwest as I'm sure most of you do. If you forget why, try booking your next flight on United or Delta and you will quickly remember. 

So, Southwest, we love you, but the time has come for you to respond to our simple request; please fix this issue.

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager
Solution

Hi @jtripm,

 

Saving the boarding passes as PDFs should work as long as the QR code(s) is scannable. 

 

@SWA-lover given that this has been one of the hottest topics in the forums, I can understand and appreciate where you're coming from. I do have good news - the Teams involved in the mobile boarding pass product have been made aware of the conversations in this Community and have acknowledged that it is a passion point for our Customers. That said, I can offer you assurance that the feedback is being taken seriously.

 

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

jtripm
Explorer C

Hi Lindsey

 

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the scannable code on the paper/pdf boarding pass isn't the same format as the QR code on the mobil boarding pass. I guess it might still work but I'm not going take the chance without verification first.

 

Glad to know that the team is working on it, seems like most of the other airline apps allow for multiple passes via the iphone wallet.

 

regards

 

j

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

SWA-lover
Explorer A

Thanks for the update Lindsey. A feature that works well for us when using our mobile boarding passes is easy access to this document thru Apple Wallet. When passing thru TSA checkpoints and boarding gates, our hands are full of suitcases, carry-ons and children. Mobile boarding passes are much faster and less cumbersome than paper passes, or trying to scroll thru a rotating cell phone screen to display a pdf document. 

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

busy_traveler
Explorer C

I have not flown Southwest in a whie, using business planned travel normally.  Just taking a trip with my wife to Texas and seeing that I can not log in to my southwest app and see a boarding pass, and her doing the same on her phone seems ludicrous.  I do the same on most every other airline I fly.  Telling couples and families they need to stand in line at the airport when they want to try and save some time in the silly airports is just backwards.

 

Saying its coming when this comment has been here for a couple of years now by my reading is lacking to say the least.

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager

Hi @busy_traveler,

 

Thanks for posting in the Southwest Airlines Community. We've only been around since July 2016, so it wouldn't be possible for a comment to have been here for a couple years. That said, we know that multiple mobile boarding passes is an extremely important function to our Customers, and we're working toward making that possible. 

 

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

adidasno21
Explorer C

Hi @LindseyD,

 

I just signed up for a community account to log in my comments on this issue.  Not being able to use a mobile boarding pass, because of multiple travelers on one reservation is embarassing for Southwest.  Many have mentioned other carriers who can handle this seamlessly.

 

The issue started in late August of 2016, according to the other post.  On Sept. 1st you responded with the list of reasons a passenger would not be able to use a mobile boarding pass.

 

Fast forward, 5+ months ... and there is no response.  It is great to know that our feedback is taken seriously ... but how about an UPDATE?

 

Does SWA have any real interest in aleviating this inconvenience?

Is there a timeline to resolve this?

 

I travel alone, with my wife, and with my children (5 & 7). I regarded SWA highly, and recommended it to other families.  This is 2017, and not being able to offer a standard mobile boarding pass is laughable.  

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager

Hi @adidasno21

 

Thank you for coming to the Southwest Community and letting us hear your voice on this topic. Our Marketing Department is aware that this is truly a passion point for our Customers, and they're continuing to research options and possibilities for future enhancements. 

 

Re: Mobile pass not available... would a PDF of boarding pass scan?

Cherbearaz
Explorer C

The fact this is still unresolved demonstrates it's of no importance to Southwest. Traveling with 3 children, two of which are toddlers, plus car seats, plus carryons, this is more than a simple inconvenience. I really miss the days when Southwest was my airline of choice, and was very attentive to customer needs. That was nearly 2 decades ago unfortunately.