Is there a mobile board pass in your clients' future? Amadeus has announced a test of a new device, Pass and Fly, as part of a pilot project that simplifies passenger recognition, the crediting of airport passenger points and airplane boarding, through the use of a mobile phone that is Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled. Amadeus says it is the first time in air travel that NFC, a short-range, wireless connectivity technology is used to enable mobile boarding passes. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, Air France, Amadeus and IER, a technology company, have partnered to test the new mobile boarding pass until October 30.
NFC integrates wireless technology into mobile phones, allowing interaction among electronic devices, Amadeus explains. This means it enables the passenger to be identified and also obtain a digital boarding pass when they swipe their mobile phone across a reader that is set up at the airport.
How does Pass and Fly work? The traveler checks in through any of the channels enabled by Air France (Internet, mobile phone or self-service kiosk). At the airport, the traveler needs to carry an NFC-enabled mobile phone which holds their frequent flyer information. The NFC component is either integrated in the mobile phone or on a sticker that communicates with the phone.
The traveler can go through a fast lane access to security inspection by swiping their mobile phone past the Pass and Fly reader. The machine identifies the passenger and finds their boarding pass corresponding to a flight departing from Nice in the next few hours. The digital boarding pass is then uploaded onto the mobile phone.
At security inspection, the traveler swipes their mobile phone across a second NFC reader which displays their boarding pass to the security staff without the need to display their mobile phone screen. This enables an instant check compared to the traditional manual check.
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