Alaska Airlines Adding New Touch-Free Options

As travelers take to the skies amidst the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Alaska Airlines has worked to introduce new touch-free options to keep passengers safe and help curb the possible spread of the virus.

Over the coming weeks, the carrier will be adding the improved technology and innovation to create more convenience and less contact among guests and employees during travel.

Alaska Airlines passengers will be able to enjoy a variety of touch-free options, such as pre-ordering meals, purchasing food and beverages using a stored credit card and printing bag tags to avoid check-in kiosks.

Other changes implemented by the carrier include agents standing six feet away to scan boarding passes and sending a text message instead of a printed boarding pass if they don’t have the Alaska Airlines mobile app.

Customers will also receive an emailed receipt for baggage instead of a printed receipt.

“These advancements help make the travel experience easy and almost entirely touch-free for our guests and are just part of the many ways we’re keeping our guests and employees safe during this time,” Alaska Airlines senior vice president Charu Jain said in a statement.

The carrier has also incorporated much of the flight process into its mobile app, allowing passengers to check-in for their flight, generate a mobile boarding pass, change seats and prepay for bags. Guests can also stay up to date on their flight status, gate changes and boarding notifications.

Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines announced it had done away with in-flight entertainment tablet rentals onboard its flights in the name of safety amid the coronavirus pandemic.