End of the BP?

[ejb]

From smh.com.au

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.

 

[simongr]

F
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.

Actually I recently had my first experience of OLCI and I was surprised at the effectiveness of it. Now with an iPod touch I can access the iPhone QF mini-site and hope to be able to get my BP there - somehow

the one "issue" for int'l PAX without checked luggage is that you will still need to get hold of an immigration and express immigration card.

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.

And now I wait for the cynics to chime in

 

[NM]

I wonder if you will need to fax you phone or post your phone in to the FF service centre to have missing flights credited?

 

[drron]

First cynic.I actually like talking to an agent.

 

[Shano]

I wonder if seat selection at time of booking will be a free for all like the AA system, or if status passengers get to select from "premium" locations?

The recent upgrade to OLCI may suggest that status passengers can choose from a larger pool of seats.

 

[Danger]

So if you don't chose your seat at time of booking, or even online using OLCI, would this mean top tier frequent flyers could find themselves with poor seats? That is, will 'premium' seats still be pre-allocated to, for example, WPs?

 

[simongr]

I wonder if you will need to fax you phone or post your phone in to the FF service centre to have missing flights credited?

Perhaps they could move to a system like AA that relies on the eticket number?

 

[Keith009]

This doesn't bode well for the longevity of my boarding pass collection.

 

[Shano]

Some further discussion on this on FT

 

[nlagalle]

This doesn't bode well for the longevity of my boarding pass collection.

I like the idea, but i love collecting my boarding passes! oh well. I guess they will all end up on my flightmemory page anyway!

 

[JohnK]

So does this mean that you can't board the aircraft if you do not have a mobile phone?

I like the idea, but i love collecting my boarding passes! oh well. I guess they will all end up on my flightmemory page anyway!

Last weekend I found some older boarding passes and noticed that they have faded badly to the point where it is difficult to get the full details of the flight. Not happy....

 

[Kendall Roy]

I will be checking in my Golf Clubs for the flight up to SYD tomorrow morning.

Ever since they implemented the 'enhanced' paper BPs, I always make an effort to ask the CSR at the QP Check-in for the old school BPs.

(Give them the usual line about printer not working after OLCI).

 

[nlagalle]

Last weekend I found some older boarding passes and noticed that they have faded badly to the point where it is difficult to get the full details of the flight. Not happy....

I keep mine in the safe and they aren't doing too bad.. although my ones from my 95 and 97 trips OS have faded away.

 

[Mal]

Why do people think that this will be the end of Boarding Passes?

Qantas will not scrap paper Boarding Passes anytime soon.

 

[medhead]

I wonder if you will need to fax you phone or post your phone in to the FF service centre to have missing flights credited?

sms the barcode back?

 

[straitman]

This doesn't bode well for the longevity of my boarding pass collection.

You'll just have to keep all your old mobile phones :!:

 

[Keith009]

Why do people think that this will be the end of Boarding Passes?

Qantas will not scrap paper Boarding Passes anytime soon.

Certainly the beginning of the end though...

Having said that I do like the paper BPs you now get from SSCI. Can fold them and keep them in pockets easy when not carrying a bag around, like my recent quick trip to a party in SYD. Yet they seem more durable than the DJ BPs.

 

[JohnK]

What about people that do not have a mobile phone?

 

[straitman]

What about people that do not have a mobile phone?

They won't be able to fly Qantas :!:

 

[medhead]

What about people that do not have a mobile phone?

If you read the stoy, or perhaps the version I read in the Australian on Friday, there will be 3 options, sms barcode, OLCI, and airport check in - from memory.

Mobile phones and PDFs to act as Qantas boarding passes | The Australian