Time-conscious British Airways customers can now make catching their flights even speedier thanks to the integration of Apple’s Passbook into the British Airways app.

Now, whenever a customer downloads a mobile boarding pass, they can add it to Passbook, Apple’s virtual wallet that is pre-loaded on all Apple iPhones.

The mobile boarding pass will now also appear automatically on the iPhone’s ‘locked’ screen for up to three hours before departure, making it quicker and easier to find.

Passbook boarding passes can be used are immediately available at more than 100 airports across the world that already accept British Airways’ mobile boarding pass.

More airports are being added every month as part of a rolling programme of enhancements.

Downloads of the British Airways boarding pass have now topped the five million mark, since they became available in 2008.

Kevin McQuillan, British Airways’ head of ba.com, said: “British Airways customers already love the ease of checking flight information, making bookings and checking in online through their smartphones.

“The introduction of the Passbook function will make their journey even smoother.

“As technology improves and the pace of mobile integration increases, we are absolutely committed to exploring more ways to innovate and make the British Airways app an essential aid to the modern traveller.”

Customers can chose to view the mobile boarding pass either through the British Airways app or Apple’s Passbook, once it has been downloaded.

The mobile boarding pass has been modified to make the barcode bigger and brighter to make it easier to scan.

Extra travel information can also be accessed on the ‘back’ of the pass by tapping the information icon at the bottom front right.

Improvements to mobile technology for customers are part of a £5 billion investment by British Airways over the next five years in new aircraft, smarter cabins, elegant lounges, and new technologies to make life more comfortable in the air and on the ground.