Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In

First came the kiosk, a strange addition to airport terminals when Continental Airlines began offering it as a check-in option in 1995. It was followed by Web check-in, introduced by Alaska Airlines in 1999.

Now, with 80 percent of passengers using these self-service options, the next step is electronic boarding passes, which essentially turn the hand-held devices and mobile phones of travelers into their boarding passes.

At least half a dozen airlines in the United States currently allow customers to check in using their mobile devices, including American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest and Alaska.

But so far, Continental is the only carrier in the United States to begin testing the electronic passes, allowing those travelers to pass through security and board the plane without handling a piece of paper. Their boarding pass is an image of an encrypted bar code displayed on the phone’s screen, which can be scanned by gate agents and security personnel.

翻译:
Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In
手机登机牌取代了纸质登机牌

First came the kiosk, a strange addition to airport terminals when Continental Airlines began offering it as a check-in option in 1995. It was followed by Web check-in, introduced by Alaska Airlines in 1999.
首先出现的是小亭子？一种奇怪的附加在机场终端的装置，在1995年，美国大陆航空公司开始将它作为一种登机检查的方式，之后出现的是1999年由阿拉斯加航空公司采用的网络办理登机服务。

Now, with 80 percent of passengers using these self-service options, the next step is electronic boarding passes, which essentially turn the hand-held devices and mobile phones of travelers into their boarding passes.
现在，百分之八十的旅客使用这些自助服务，而下一步将采用电子登机牌，实质上是将旅客手中的手持设备或者移动电话作为登机牌。

At least half a dozen airlines in the United States currently allow customers to check in using their mobile devices, including American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest and Alaska.
至少半数的美国航空公司允许旅客使用他们的移动设备作为登机牌，包括美国航空，大陆航空，DELTA航空,西北航空，西南航空和阿拉斯加航空。

But so far, Continental is the only carrier in the United States to begin testing the electronic passes, allowing those travelers to pass through security and board the plane without handling a piece of paper. Their boarding pass is an image of an encrypted bar code displayed on the phone’s screen, which can be scanned by gate agents and security personnel.
但是到目前为止，美国大陆航空是美国唯一一家开始测试电子登机牌的航空公司，旅客可以通过安检，登上飞机，同时手里不再需要拿着一张纸质登机牌。他们的登机牌就是一个显示在手机屏幕上的加密条形码，可以通过安检人员的的扫描。