Here’s an intriguing possibility. Having barely got to grips with
e-ticketing – though to be fair, most majors airports are now
relativley e-savvy – China may turn its attentions to hand-held
devices. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has
announced a new global standard that paves the way for mobile phone
check-in using two-dimensional bar codes.
Mobile phone check-in will enable airlines to send 2D bar codes
directly to a passenger’s mobile phone, personal digital assistant or
smart phone. Passengers simply register their mobile number with their
airline at the time of booking to receive a text message with a 2D bar
code, or instructions to download it. The bar code becomes the
passenger’s boarding pass, and it is read directly from the screen of
the mobile device, eliminating paper completely from the check-in
process.
Historically, airline global applications for mobile phone technology
have been restricted due to different regional formats. The IATA
standard uses existing codes: Aztec and Datamatrix, which are used
extensively in Europe and North America; and QR which is widely used in
Japan.
But the global standard will also reach out to mobile-phone receptive
nations – and rising travel and tourism giants – like China and India.
“The creation of a standard code is only part of the solution,” said
Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “In the next
months, we will be working with our members to develop standardised
processes and guidelines that facilitate global implementation.”
IATA has set a 2010 deadline to implement 100 per cent global bar coded
boarding passes, which could save the industry more than USD500m
annually.
News & Interviews 
(0 vote)
