So we are flying Southwest tomorrow from Bradley in Hartford. We checked in this morning…and could NOT have our boarding passes emailed or texted to us. We had no choice but to print out a paper boarding pass. This hasn’t happened to me since they started using boarding passes on phones.
Oh…and we did this at 6:30 a.m. for a flight at 6:05 a.m tomorrow…s it’s not like we did it too late. We also had early boarding…and did get that just fine.
What’s up? Is there some change?
One time I remember Southwest had some sort of system outage and they couldn’t scan (?) digital boarding passes on phones. It created all sort of havoc. I wonder if there has been another outage of some sort.
maybe they dont have the scanners that can “read” your boarding pass on your iphone at the Bradley airport?
@menloparkmom I’ve been using boarding passes on my phone at Bradley for several years. Did so in March when I flew to Ohio. This is the first time in years I haven’t been able to get a text or email of my boarding pass. The option wasn’t even there.
I flew from BWI before they had the scanning capability…and even then, I was still able to get a mobile boarding pass. Problem was…when I got to the airport I had to print a boarding pass at the kiosk. But the option for mobile was available when I checked in.
This time…the option was not there…at all.
Oh…and I checked in on my phone.
some sort of Southwest app problem is what I would guess.
Ah , the joys of hi tech these days… when they work, that is!
I found this online…googled it! My husband and I are both on this itinerary. That doesn’t usually happen. And I think the last time we flew together, he printed out the boarding passes.
But really…they should get this fixed!
Ah, the joys of smartphones. I do not possess a smartphone & will hold out as long as I can. Once you get hooked, the smallest inconveniences are magnified.
Plus, I get to plead “no access to email” to keep myself from being expected to respond 24/7. That is the REAL reason I won’t make the switch. 
I’ll bet it is s security measure, not a glitch.
I now remember the same thing happened to us 2 months ago while traveling to LA
I was thinking a security change as well.
I asked…the SW agent said…no mobile boarding passes when more than one person is on the itinerary.
PITA…but there you go.
I’m not sure what the big deal is. I print out boarding passes every now and then, takes a minute and a little bit of ink. Or I check in online, and when I get to the airport, reprint my boarding pass from one of the kiosks. I don’t really care for mobile boarding passes, because you can always grab a paper one out of your bag immediately, and sometimes there’s a delay pulling it up on your cellphone, or an internet issue.
I say if this is your biggest problem for the day, you have an awesome life!
Ah, I don’t think this is thumper’s biggest problem, it’s just that CC is almost like a google search!
I had a heck of a time with a mobile check-in when I flew to Denver in February via Southwest. I was at the gate waiting for my group to be called, and had my phone on and the boarding pass showing when I accidentally deleted it! I was able to get it again but by then my group had gone in and I missed the better seat. From now on, I’m printing it out.
I knew there was a reason I had been avoiding relying on those mobile boarding passes! Thank you, @walkinghome
The way to avoid that problem is to take a photo of the mobile boarding pass with your smart phone.
That way if you delete it, cant retrieve it, etc, you can always show the photo of it. Works every time.
^^Unless the phone runs out of charge! 
there are ways to prevent that!
I am saying that the photo method is also not 100% fool-proof. One can keep charging the phone, have a spare battery on hand… But if you suddenly get a frantic Skype call from your kid while you are at the gate, and there are no available outlets for charging, and you hoped to charge yor phone on the plane… It happens.
Yes that has happened to me before, Bunsen, but not on Southwest. If there’s any airline worth printing it out for, it’s Southwest, because one little delay and you can lose that special seat. And that special seat is in the exit row, the window seat that has no seat in front of it. Mega leg room! I always go for it, and I can tell people behind me are going for it too. You delay and it’s gone.
Checked in today for a Delta flight. 3 people on the reservation. Delta said to receive mobile e-boarding pass, I had to check in each individually on separate devices. D2 doesn’t have a smartphone and I didn’t have S2s phone, so I just printed them.
While the photo is not 100% fool-proof, neither is a printed boarding pass. You can just as easily drop a piece of paper, lose it in the bottom of your purse/carryon, spill coffee all over it, etc. Nothing is foolproof.