Continental Airlines in the USA have been testing out new ways of checking in customers. Customers can now pass through security and board their planes by flashing their mobile phones. Security and airline staff can scan barcodes that are displayed on a phone in the same way they scan paper passes today.
As mobile devices become more sophisticated and applications for smaller screens evolve and with air-traveling becoming so accessible and stressful, perhaps airline passengers will be able to use their phones, BlackBerrys and other mobile devices for a growing number of services, like re-booking a ticket after a missed connection, switching seats, checking standby status or seeking an upgrade.
