Mobile Phone Use Could Decrease Airport Woes

The use of mobile phones on for flight check-ins could cut delays and save passengers money, research has found.

Airline IT provider SITA and Cambridge University claim that by using handsets to track passengers or inform them of gate changes, the number of flights delayed because of passengers will be vastly reduced, saving around £300 million (US$600 million) a year.

SITA also highlighted that mobile phones could also be used to store boarding passes, baggage tracking information and payment data.

"Our research shows that these mobile services will be available to all travellers worldwide over the next five years. In fact, by the end of 2010, 67 percent of airlines plan to offer mobile check-in. By then 82 percent of airlines also plan to offer notification services on mobiles," said Jim Peters, chief technology officer at SITA.

Francesco Violante, SITA's chief executive officer, added: "The air transport industry needs to embrace these disruptive technologies."