Lufthansa Quick Boarding Gates

Lufthansa has started an interesting new twist on the whole airline boarding process. The airline is using new “Quick Boarding” machines for customers with electronic tickets.

Quick Boarding Gates look (and work) somewhat like the machines you walk through to enter the subway in many cities. You swipe your ticket (with the bar code face down), and after verification you’re allowed through. If your seat has changed since you printed out your ticket, the Quick Boarding machine will print out a new boarding pass with your new seat assignment.

The whole idea is to save time, not unlike the kiosks used for checking in these days.

Quick Boarding Gates are now available at certain gates in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin-Tegel, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Hamburg and Bremen.

On the upgrade list or standby list? No worries. There will be an electronic screen showing seat upgrades and standbys in the waiting area. So there’s no question where you stand and no reason to hassle the gate agent.

In Frankfurt, you can even go through Border Control using an automated system after registering for the program.

I think this type of system would lead to pandemonium in the U.S., but it should work nicely for the Europeans.