From today (28 April) Lufthansa passengers can use a new mobile telephone boarding pass service on flights from Hamburg to Munich or Frankfurt, erasing the need for printed tickets.

Travellers need to have internet-enabled phones, and must select the ‘Mobile Boarding Pass’ option after checking in online at mobile.lufthansa.com. After inputting details they will be sent an email with their flight data plus a 2-D barcode which can be read by a scanner at the departure gate. Passengers not checking in bags will therefore skip straight to the security checkpoint, making journeys slightly quicker.

An SMS link can also be sent to customers’ phones which will connect them straight to an internet page with the barcode.

The scheme will be extended gradually on most of the carrier’s domestic routes this summer – from August the electronic boarding option will be available on the usual Lufthansa.com site.

From May, online check-in will become available on flights to Canada, Mexico, South America and selected Middle East and African destinations. For identification, passengers can then use a credit card, Miles & More card, or the equivalent frequent flyer card for fellow Star Alliance members including US Airways, TAP Air Portugal or Spanair.

• Lufthansa is boosting services from Milan Malpensa from the beginning of 2009 – six new Embraer 195 jets will be stationed there and operated by the airline’s Italian subsidiary Air Dolomiti.

To be deployed on European routes, Lufthansa executive vice president services and human resources Karl Ulrich Garnadt said: “Milan and the Lombardy region are among the strongest and most important regions in Europe and have a high passenger volume.

“We will be able to provide an even denser network of routes to attractive destinations in Europe for our Italian customers in future.”

Lufthansa has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the airport operator in order to provide infrastructure and the conditions required.