Qantas boarding passes go digital

[Justin L]

Interesting read. I like the idea of web check-in for International.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/q...857790840.html

Qantas boarding passes go digital
Asher Moses
September 12, 2008 - 9:59AM


Qantas has signaled the end for paper boarding passes and will offer customers the ability to board using a mobile phone or other handheld device from early next year.

And for the first time, Qantas international customers will be able to check in to their flights over the internet, a feature previously offered only to those travelling on domestic flights.

Flyers could also select their seats online either at the point of booking or later via the Qantas.com website.

Qantas said mobile boarding passes would be sent to the device as a 2D barcode a day before the flight, but the option was only offered to those who selected their seats online before departure.

Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said the move would allow customers to have a completely paperless booking and boarding experience.

He specifically named the iPhone 3G as a device Qantas was working to support.

"Customers with baggage [who have already checked in] can proceed directly to the bag-drop facilities before heading straight to their flight," Borghetti said.

But while the move towards barcode boarding passes will lead to a faster, smoother boarding experience for passengers, it is also designed to cut Qantas' personnel costs, such as at check-in counters.

[Philip Argy]

Right now I save my boarding passes as pdf documents and often only print them in the QF lounge just before boarding. I can view the pdf on my Palm too, but I think the reflectivity of a PDA screen and/or the reduced scale of the barcode could make it hard to scan.

I assume that the proposed solution will allow the scanners to recognise the barcode at various reductions below 100% that are likely on PDA displays.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by Philip Argy

Right now I save my boarding passes as pdf documents and often only print them in the QF lounge just before boarding. I can view the pdf on my Palm too, but I think the reflectivity of a PDA screen and/or the reduced scale of the barcode could make it hard to scan.

I assume that the proposed solution will allow the scanners to recognise the barcode at various reductions below 100% that are likely on PDA displays.

I have used the same technology to get into a concert at the O2 in London. This was using a Nokia N73 phone. It worked no problem at all.

[Philip Argy]

Originally Posted by Ash W

I have used the same technology to get into a concert at the O2 in London. This was using a Nokia N73 phone. It worked no problem at all.

An Aussie small business called P-Code did the same thing for CeBIT Australia entry tickets earlier this year. I notice that P-Code was runner up in last night's Pearcey Award for innovative technology.

[Rhys Xanthis]

Lets hope they make the seat selecter available for already purchased bookings.

Got a booking to singapore return with qantas in June/July next year...its nice to be able to choose seats at time of booking, like we did with Qatar airways for the flight out of singapore when we booked a few weeks ago.

[Philip Argy]

Very irritating - since 0920 today all I can get is this message when I try to go directly to online checkin:

Sorry
The site is experiencing difficulties at present. We apologise for the delay and will endeavour to restore operations as soon as possible. Please try again in a short while. In the meantime you can contact your nearest Qantas office for all other enquiries.

And the view booking display is missing the Online Checkin button!

[Erik H. Bakke]

I work with barcoding systems for a living, and indeed most of the current-generation PDAs and smartphones have screens that scan easily.

Digital ticketing is one of the specific uses for the software I design, so I think the use of this type of technology for boarding passes is something that is going to get more and more widespread.

One thing I recommend to my clients is to print a human-readable copy of the reference number encoded in the barcode below the barcode. If for some reason the barcode doesn't scan properly off the device, the operator can then key in the alphanumeric information instead. That way, you don't risk your ticket/boarding pass being rejected if it doesn't scan correctly.

[Lukas M]

Curious to know if anyone has done online checkin and got someone else's booking??. I typed in all my info, clicked "View Bookings" to print PNR also, and apparently I was going to Brisbane, flying in Business Class, as well as having 90,000 frequent flyer points. I went back and refreshed everything, its all fine now, but has this ever happened to anyone else??

[Kelvin R]

Hi Lukas this sounds like a cache control issue from either your web browser or a proxy and not something within QF control.

[David Ramsay]

This week NZ have gone with RFID tags for their frequent flyers.

Stick it on the back of your cellphone or some other item you carry with you and pass it by the reader.

Can be used for ID at self check in, also for boarding.