Overview
Taking off on that overseas adventure just got much simpler and a whole lot faster, with electronic boarding passes for international flights now available at airports across the country.
Changes made by the government today mean passengers will now be able to check into international flights via their smartphone, just as they've been doing on domestic routes.
Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge announced the move this morning, and hopes the new system will reduce costs to airlines, save on paper and slash time spent moving through the airport. We're already dreaming about the extra sleep-in time we'll score for those early-morning flights.
"Last financial year more than 21.4 million travellers were cleared through the border departing Australian international airports," Mr Tudge said in a statement. "These increasing volumes mean we are always looking for ways to clear legitimate travellers efficiently and seek out those of interest to law enforcement. This change will cut out the need to visit the check-in desk to show your passport and collect your paper boarding pass."
The new mobile check-in system has already been trialled for international travel by Qantas, Air New Zealand, Emirates and Singapore Airlines, and is expected to be rolled out across all flights and airlines in the coming months.
Check-ins could become simpler again, if biometric trials at Sydney airport are deemed a success. The trials, which started in May, saw some international travellers check into flights using a simplified six-step process using their face and fingerprints.