People may grumble about the hassles of taking a flight these days, but Delta Air Lines is trying to make it easier by allowing passengers flying from LaGuardia to check in before they even get to the airport.

All you need is a

mobile device that can download the boarding pass electronically. At the airport, a Transportation Security Administration security employee will scan the electronic boarding pass and check the passenger’s ID.

Here’s the text of Delta’s press release on the service:

Delta Partners with TSA to Launch Paperless Mobile Check-in at New York-LaGuardia
Customers checking in at LaGuardia and traveling within the U.S. can now check-in on the go with Web-enabled devices
NEW YORK, June 17, 2008 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is putting even greater convenience in the hands of its New York-LaGuardia customers by partnering with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to launch paperless mobile check-in for domestic travel on Delta and Delta Connection flights departing from Delta’s main terminal at LaGuardia Airport, effective today.

Customers will have the option of using their mobile device to check-in and receive an electronic boarding pass via their Web-enabled devices.

“Delta’s time-saving technology puts customers in control of their experience and provides them with valuable convenience,” said Steve Gorman, Delta’s executive vice president – Operations. “Passengers can now quickly check in for their flight while en route to the airport in a taxi or walking from the parking lot to the terminal. The check-in process now can take place from anywhere, any time within 24 hours of flight departure.”

How it works:
Customers traveling in the U.S., checking in at LaGuardia may simply download their boarding pass to their mobile devices via delta.com and proceed directly to the airport security screening area.
Customers checking bags should drop their bags at the baggage drop counter location prior to proceeding to the security checkpoint.
At the security checkpoint, TSA will scan the electronic boarding pass, check the customer’s ID and process the customer through security.
Customers can then proceed to their departure gate, present their electronic boarding pass to the gate agent at boarding time and board with their designated zone.

Future enhancements include standby upgrades and same day, round trip check-in on delta.com, mobile and SMS check-in.
Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 324 destinations in 62 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 43 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers 600 weekly flights to 62 destinations. Delta’s marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 16,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 474 worldwide destinations in 104 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
Currently, Delta’s mobile check-in option is limited to its main LGA terminal. It does not include DL Shuttle Marine Air terminal.