Up to 2010 it will be possible to check in via mobile phone world wide, no matter with which airline you’re on the way. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced a global standard that paves the way for this. Instead of a paper ticket, the air passenger receives a text message with a 2D-barcode which is to be scanned from the mobile phone’s display at the check-in desk.
Up to now, this basically easy process has not been realizable because of a lack of standardization. The IATA writes:

„Historically, airline global applications for mobile phone technology have been restricted due to differerent regional formats. The IATA standard uses existing codes: Aztec and Datamatrix which are used extensively in Europe and North America; and QR which is widely used in Japan. All three are proven technologies and can be read by a single scanner type that is cost effective and readily available globally.

‘The creation of a standard code is only part of the solution,’ said Bisignani. ‘In the next months we will be working with our members to develop standardised processes and guidelines that facilitate global implementation.’

The industry has set a deadline of the end of 2010 to implement 100% bar coded boarding passes (BCBP). Upon full implementation, BCBP will save the industry over US$500 million annually. A 2D standard for paper bar coded passes was established in 2005 and is the basis for web check-in. Both standards (mobile and paper based) can be issued and accepted by airlines worldwide.“

For everyone who wants a „real“ ticket anyway to be on the safe side, there’s still to be the possibility to print it at home. It is said that there are human-beings who don’t like mobiles or are just no technophiles…