FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) has reprogrammed their self-service kiosks to no longer automatically print boarding passes for customers who checked in prior to arriving at the airport.
The change, effective March 31, 2025, aims to promote digital boarding pass usage through the airline’s website and mobile app.
Photo: By Alex Steffler (alex-s) – originally posted to Flickr as American Airlines, the official airline of Latin America :), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9341808American Airlines Digital Boarding
This eco-friendly initiative is projected to eliminate approximately 12.5 million paper boarding passes annually, resulting in an estimated cost savings of $175,000 per year for American Airlines (AA) while supporting their sustainability efforts at airports across their network.
The modification to American Airlines’ self-service kiosks represents a strategic move toward increased digitalization of the passenger experience, ViewfromtheWing reported.
While the kiosks will no longer automatically print boarding passes during bag check-in for pre-checked customers, passengers can still obtain paper boarding passes if needed by selecting the ‘print boarding pass’ option from the kiosk’s mini menu. This adjustment maintains accessibility while encouraging digital adoption.
The initiative aligns with American Airlines CEO Robert Isom’s cost-efficiency directive to “never spend a dollar more than needed.” By reducing unnecessary paper usage, the airline addresses both financial and environmental considerations simultaneously.
The anticipated annual savings of $175,000 might seem modest for a major carrier, but it reflects the airline’s attention to operational efficiency across all aspects of its business.
Photo: JFK SpottingEnvironmental Impact and Customer Experience
This change represents more than just cost savings. By eliminating millions of paper boarding passes, American Airlines (AA) is making a meaningful environmental contribution while simplifying the passenger journey. Digital boarding passes offer several advantages:
- Reduced risk of lost boarding passes
- Faster movement through security checkpoints
- Real-time gate and departure updates
- Decreased paper waste at airports
The transition builds upon American’s broader sustainability initiatives while encouraging passengers to utilize modern technology for a streamlined airport experience. This change follows industry trends as more airlines move toward paperless operations across Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and other major hubs.
Photo: American AirlinesSimilar Measures
American Airlines has a long history of identifying seemingly small operational changes that yield significant cumulative savings.
Industry lore references former CEO Bob Crandall’s famous cost-cutting decision in the 1980s to remove a single olive from first-class salads, reportedly saving the airline $40,000 annually (equivalent to over $150,000 today).
This latest boarding pass initiative continues that tradition of scrutinizing operational details for efficiency opportunities. While the programming changes required initial investment in IT resources, the ongoing annual savings represent a net positive for the airline’s operational expenses in the long term.
Feature Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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The post American Airlines Will Save $175,000 with this New Change appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
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