Mobile Check-In Takes Off for Spanair

With the introduction of a paperless ticketing service by Spanish carrier Spanair Airlines, paper boarding passes have been replaced by an electronic 2D barcode received via MMS and stored in the passenger’s mobile phone.

 

The system is enabled by NeoMedia Technologies, which has to date installed its EXIO scanners in eleven Spanish airports. The scanners read the 2D codes on the phones at the airport terminal check-in desks and security points.

 

Based on returns from the service so far, Spanair thinks that 800,000 2D barcode mobile tickets will be issued in 2009. If so, that would account for ten per cent of its total ticketing transactions.

 

In May, TMC’s Arvind Arora reported that NeoMedia appointed Iain McCready as CEO and Chairman of its Board of Directors, “expected to bring the next phase of growth to NeoMedia,” and “responsible for operations and business strategy of the company.”

 

After running the numbers, some industry analysts think widespread adoption of mobile check-in can save the airline industry up to $500 million each year. Which will, no doubt, be reflected in lower ticket prices, more on-time flights, shorter lines at the airport, better coffee in the business lounge, tastier food on flights, more cheerful customer service marked by the extra mile and okay, I’ll stop now?

 

Earlier this year, industry analysts Juniper Research (News - Alert) estimated that transport-based mobile ticketing will grow from 37.4 million transactions in 2007 to just over 1.8 billion by 2011, with some 2.6 billion mobile tickets in total being issued by 2011 to 208 million mobile phone users.

 

Iain McCready, CEO of NeoMedia, said the scanners can be integrated into many different systems and used for a wide variety of mobile CRM products, including ticketing, couponing and loyalty, and payment systems.