MH rolls out iPad kiosks

[thewinchester]

An interesting item, and an ideal way to get self-service technology deployed with a far reduced capital cost:

MAS rolls out iPad kiosks
By Ghim-Lay Yeo, Flightglobal on June 23, 2010 6:12 PM

Booking a flight with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) just got a bit cooler. Riding on the popularity of Apple's iPad and iPhone, the airline is now offering passengers the ability to book flights and check in for them on the gadgets.

The carrier unveiled their new iPad kiosks today, found at MAS' ticket office in downtown Kuala Lumpur. "It is as simple as ABC. You select your itinerary, pay with a credit card, and receive confirmation via SMS and email. There is no printing and no admin fee," says MAS' managing director and CEO Azmil Zahruddin.

MAS worked with IT specialist SITA on the kiosks, and the two also partnered on an upcoming iPhone application that passengers can use to locate their nearest airports and view the flight deals from those airports.

As SITA's chief technology officer Jim Peters puts it: "It's a fun and interactive way to choose your destination, book a ticket and then fly."

 

[Mal]

Yet another example of fan-boi's ensuring that their favourite technology gets chosen - regardless of other technologies being more suitable or not.

I wish I was in KUL right now to highlight where they'd stuffed up in their implementation, but alas I'm not. Perhaps it's really well done, perhaps it isn't, but based on my impressions of the iPad (and yes I've used them) I really wonder how they managed to make it happen.

 

[simongr]

Umm how do you know other tech is more suitable? Also why would it be fan bois? I would see this as a marketing gimmick at worse not some hidden pro apple agenda (I am yet to find someone working in Corporate IT with an Apple agenda).

In fact I think this is a good use of the device. A simple app would be nice and easy to book flights on.

There isnt another tactle easy to hold product out that could be used for this sort of thing.

 

[thewinchester]

Firstly, I'm no 'fan boy'. Anyone who knows me will tell you I fit into the platform agnostic camp (best tool, that's most fit for the intended purpose).

That out of the way, there's not much they'd have to do to deploy it - and the price point of the device puts it streets ahead of other interactive kiosk solutions. The real advantage is that they don't need printers or paper for the transactions they're using it for, and that removes a whole other layer of complexity from the configuration.

And pretty much all of what they'd need to do would be delivered using existing web-based technologies - the IT guys would just add on the iPad UI kit for that device and its pretty much done.

The advantage of being able to use web technologies is that they're not having to get in programmers to learn Objective C to write an app, and in the process learn all the companies systems and deal with issues that have already been visited on other platforms.

Delivering it with web technologies means they already have everything they need in house, just repurpose it for this specific task/need.

Perfect use of technology, at a overall pricepoint and delivery timeframe that puts itself streets ahead of any other possible market solution - and a deployment method that makes delivery a breeze.

I can't think of a better win-win particularly in a competitive and cut throat industry such as air travel.

 

[Mal]

Umm how do you know other tech is more suitable? Also why would it be fan bois? I would see this as a marketing gimmick at worse not some hidden pro apple agenda (I am yet to find someone working in Corporate IT with an Apple agenda).

I didn't say that other tech is more suitable - I said "regardless of other technologies being more suitable or not."

Here are some of the potential problems I see with an iPad implementation:
- How do they lock down the browser to just their booking site? (The best way would be to use a wireless network with the lock down being done at the router end or similar. But who knows what they've done - I've seen some very dodgy things done in certain countries).
- How do they lock down the iPad in general to stop people from doing other things?
- Assuming Wireless is used - Is the transfer of credit card data done securely? As customers are entering credit card numbers on the device, I'm not sure that meets merchant regulations for the handling of credit card data.

Anyway I'm *sure* they've chosen the best solution and it's world class. Anything Apple is world class and can't be bad. As I said, I'd love to be in KUL right now and have a look at the system myself. Then I could find more things wrong with it.

 

[samh004]

Yet another example of fan-boi's ensuring that their favourite technology gets chosen - regardless of other technologies being more suitable or not.

I would sort of agree here. Why can’t they develop a touch-screen system on their own like everyone else does, why do they need to use an iPad. It just comes across as lazy, and a bit of marketing/using the hype surrounding the device to draw idiots in.

Probably the cheapest implementation though.

 

[simongr]

Anyway I'm *sure* they've chosen the best solution and it's world class. Anything Apple is world class and can't be bad. As I said, I'd love to be in KUL right now and have a look at the system myself. Then I could find more things wrong with it.

Sorry but your anti-Apple bias is as bad as pro-apple fan-boi bias. Once you can get over that maybe we can have a discussion about this.

I would sort of agree here. Why can’t they develop a touch-screen system on their own like everyone else does, why do they need to use an iPad. It just comes across as lazy, and a bit of marketing/using the hype surrounding the device to draw idiots in.

Probably the cheapest implementation though.

Umm apart from the iPad and JooJoo what are the alternatives providing a touch screen tablet form?

 

[thewinchester]

The video from the airline tech company SITA explains all the questions raised quite well:

Malaysia Airlines now offers iPad check-in (video) -- Engadget

Also, the company already had an existing iPod app for most of the functionality. Simple extension and security assurance did the job from the looks of things.