Qantas mulls Apple Passbook support for mobile boarding passes
By David Flynn, September 20 2012
Qantas is looking to follow Virgin Australia in making its mobile boarding passes work with the new Passbook app in Apple's iOS 6 software and the iPhone 5.
"Qantas is currently exploring the opportunity of mobile boarding passes supporting the Passbook application on the iPhone 5 and iOS software" a spokesperson for the airline told Australian Business Traveller.
Of course, the airline already offers mobile check-in and boarding passes for all mobile devices via qantas.com.au, but integration with Passbook – a 'digital wallet' capable of storing boarding passes, movie tickets and membership cards – will certainly streamline the journey for frequent flyers.
It's not just about having your boarding pass in a cool app alongside your frequent flyer and hotel loyalty cards: Passbook can also offer live updates such as flight delays and changes to the airport boarding gate.
As previously reported, Virgin Australia has already upgraded its mobile boarding pass system to work with Passbook, along with US airlines Amerian, United and Delta.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 789
Personally I'm not too keen on mobile boarding passes - after handing my precious to a hurried gate agent last month she gave it a good whack onto the horizontal bar code reader. If I didn't have a screen protector that would have been expensive. Although I avoid JQ as much as possible I like their self-scan readers at the gate.
Qantas
10 Sep 2011
Total posts 162
This is why Near Field Communication (NFC), Google Wallet and MS Wallet Hub makes so much sense. No mucking around with barcodes, just tap and go - much like you can do with your RFID Qantas Cards for Qantas Club and Higher now onto the Qantas Near Field Communication readers.
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