Paperless boarding pass trial
May 9, 2008, 1:54 am
#1
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
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Paperless boarding pass trial
New on the DC website, specially for all you Crackberry addicts out there :
I wonder how you submit one of these for a missing mileage credit ?
Originally Posted by bmi
We’re delighted to announce this month bmi will be the first UK airline to launch a 3 month trial for passengers wanting to receive their boarding pass directly onto their mobile phone or PDA.
Now, when you check-in online at flybmi.com, you can choose to receive an electronic boarding pass on selected flights*. Our new boarding pass feature introduces a new and efficient way to improve your flying experience, from the moment you check-in, to boarding at the gate - which means the elimination of the ‘paper boarding pass’, making your flying experience quicker, smoother and more enjoyable when proceeding directly to security.
You will receive an MMS message (a picture message) to confirm your check-in, along with a 2D barcode image. Once at the airport simply present your mobile at all stages of your journey, instead of a paper boarding card.
Check-in online here.
*currently being trialled on departures from Edinburgh to London Heathrow — Manchester to London Heathrow (one way) and Belfast city to London Heathrow (return). Please check flybmi.com regularly for additional routes
Now, when you check-in online at flybmi.com, you can choose to receive an electronic boarding pass on selected flights*. Our new boarding pass feature introduces a new and efficient way to improve your flying experience, from the moment you check-in, to boarding at the gate - which means the elimination of the ‘paper boarding pass’, making your flying experience quicker, smoother and more enjoyable when proceeding directly to security.
You will receive an MMS message (a picture message) to confirm your check-in, along with a 2D barcode image. Once at the airport simply present your mobile at all stages of your journey, instead of a paper boarding card.
Check-in online here.
*currently being trialled on departures from Edinburgh to London Heathrow — Manchester to London Heathrow (one way) and Belfast city to London Heathrow (return). Please check flybmi.com regularly for additional routes
May 9, 2008, 2:32 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
I am doing EDI-LHR on Tuesday so will give it a shot. I think my phone can receive MMS but it's an old nokia with a tiny screen so will see how it works.
Hopefully I can print a backup boarding pass out as I don't want to get to security at EDI, find it doesn't work and then go back to the desk to get a proper BP.
Will report back next week on how it works.
Do you have a link for the web page with the information?
They have been trialling some technology @ EDI recently I have noticed. Now when you handover your BP @ the gate they scan it and a printer similar to those used in check-outs but a bit bigger prints out your name and seat. Your are then given back your complete boarding pass. Wonder if this is what is going to be used for the paperless trials too.
Last edited by LiviLion; May 9, 2008 at 3:29 am Reason: more info
May 9, 2008, 4:11 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
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They have been trialling some technology @ EDI recently I have noticed. Now when you handover your BP @ the gate they scan it and a printer similar to those used in check-outs but a bit bigger prints out your name and seat. Your are then given back your complete boarding pass. Wonder if this is what is going to be used for the paperless trials too.
May 9, 2008, 9:36 am
#4
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About time too! Chiltern Railways (and WSMR) have been using this system very successfully for some time, so I hope it will catch on for the airlines as well.
May 9, 2008, 11:14 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: East Lothian
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Posts: 733
hmm, I wonder if NXEC will accept these MMS barcode glyphs for this offer...?
I tried to use this kind of system once before, on the Aircoach service in Dublin. Not only was the MMS incompatible with the phone I had at the time, but pressing a second phone into service proved futile, as the driver on the bus had never heard of the system, as a result of which the barcode reader provided wasn't plugged in to the lighter socket
I tried to use this kind of system once before, on the Aircoach service in Dublin. Not only was the MMS incompatible with the phone I had at the time, but pressing a second phone into service proved futile, as the driver on the bus had never heard of the system, as a result of which the barcode reader provided wasn't plugged in to the lighter socket
May 10, 2008, 4:02 am
#6
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Like stut, I used it on Chiltern without problem.
I suspect the biggest issue in for airlines is going to be airports and the need for BPs to be checked/scanned before being given access to airside. Until the systems are updated to accept MMS barcodes, like Chiltern e-gates at Marylebone, that cannot really work.
I suspect the biggest issue in for airlines is going to be airports and the need for BPs to be checked/scanned before being given access to airside. Until the systems are updated to accept MMS barcodes, like Chiltern e-gates at Marylebone, that cannot really work.
May 13, 2008, 2:45 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
I have OLCI'd for a flight from EDI-LHR later this evening.
Turns out that my phone will accept MMS but the sim card is not configured for GPRS or something that is needed to receive a MMS message.
I then sent it to my wifes phone (pay and go) and it worked fine. You get a 2 page message. The first page has text showing name, flight, FF Number. The second page has a gif with a barcode type thing on it.
I put my wifes sim in my phone and got the pay and go settings and now have the MMS on my phone.
There is no limit on the number of times you send the mms or to which numbers. When you OLCI there are now 3 buttons for your BP. Print, email and send to mobile.
You can also PYOBP which I have done in case of problems at security.
I will update later on live from the EDI lounge with details of how it went.
Turns out that my phone will accept MMS but the sim card is not configured for GPRS or something that is needed to receive a MMS message.
I then sent it to my wifes phone (pay and go) and it worked fine. You get a 2 page message. The first page has text showing name, flight, FF Number. The second page has a gif with a barcode type thing on it.
I put my wifes sim in my phone and got the pay and go settings and now have the MMS on my phone.
There is no limit on the number of times you send the mms or to which numbers. When you OLCI there are now 3 buttons for your BP. Print, email and send to mobile.
You can also PYOBP which I have done in case of problems at security.
I will update later on live from the EDI lounge with details of how it went.
May 13, 2008, 3:05 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
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Posts: 2,706
Failed at MAN
Sent my BP to my phone. Presented it at Security.
Security: "Boarding pass please"
Me: "Here it is on my phone - isn't technology wonderful"
Security: "Don't know anything about this (Shouts) Anyone seen these?"
Security Crowd: "NO?"
Me: "Try scanning it anyway"
Predictably, the BP fails to scan and I present my backup paper copy. Experience with bmi and IT has always taught me to have a backup.
Not a cock-up on the scale of T5, but not a good start.
Security: "Boarding pass please"
Me: "Here it is on my phone - isn't technology wonderful"
Security: "Don't know anything about this (Shouts) Anyone seen these?"
Security Crowd: "NO?"
Me: "Try scanning it anyway"
Predictably, the BP fails to scan and I present my backup paper copy. Experience with bmi and IT has always taught me to have a backup.
Not a cock-up on the scale of T5, but not a good start.
May 13, 2008, 10:07 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
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Posts: 1,774
Success @ EDI
Handed over phone to security man and he said I was the first person he had seen with this but was aware of the trial.
Barcode scanned fine (it's actually an animated gif with a few different sizes) and through I went.
At the BMI lounge I was told I was the 2nd person today to use the mobile boarding pass.
Hooray.
Barcode scanned fine (it's actually an animated gif with a few different sizes) and through I went.
At the BMI lounge I was told I was the 2nd person today to use the mobile boarding pass.
Hooray.
May 13, 2008, 11:48 am
#10
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Just tried to use this for a MAN-LHR tomorrow and it says 'Website unavailable' (on the main web page, after opening a popup with some info on boarding procedures) 
Printed one as a backup anyway, will try again later. Just for the novelty value 
Printed one as a backup anyway, will try again later. Just for the novelty value
May 13, 2008, 12:52 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
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I wish you better luck than I had. I went through the "new" security area to the right of the BD desks, the one with the new self scanning gates, which are, predictably, roped off "out of service".
May be worth trying the BA side?
May be worth trying the BA side?
May 14, 2008, 7:58 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2003
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I'll be trying the paperless system in Belfast today. To attempt to cover myself I've printed out a paper boarding pass as well.
Perhaps to cover itself bmi have now sent me 10 text messages with the barcode embedded over the last 18 hours!
bmifly
Perhaps to cover itself bmi have now sent me 10 text messages with the barcode embedded over the last 18 hours!
bmifly
May 14, 2008, 8:34 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
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Just a bit more info. The barcode actually changes size when you play it on your phone. When I initially handed it to the security guy I had left it not playing on the largest size and it didn't work.
When I pressed play and it alternated through the different sizes it scanned fine.
HTH
When I pressed play and it alternated through the different sizes it scanned fine.
HTH
May 14, 2008, 9:20 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2003
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May 14, 2008, 9:39 am
#15
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Keep waiting...
After failing several times to even get an MMS sent from the bmi site, I tried again about lunchtime in my meeting (from the browser on my phone itself) and it worked! I actually got 2 MMS messages. At the MAN 'C' gates (the gates on the BA side were too busy to bother with) it failed completely (good job I had a backup printed BP). At the lounge the nice lady said she can't read them at the lounge (so no idea how I'd get in then if I didn't have a printed one!), that it didn't work at security yesterday either but the pax had a backup like me (MAN Pax, I assume?
), it should work OK at boarding if I try it there and she said she'd pass on the fact it DOES NOT WORK to bmi 
FWIW This is a Nokia E90 and the MMS was indeed 'playing' through the 3 sizes (I made her leave it under the scanner all the time for a complete cycle). She was about to get a supervisor to ask but a small queue had formed so I offered her the easy out of my printed one and she took it...
After failing several times to even get an MMS sent from the bmi site, I tried again about lunchtime in my meeting (from the browser on my phone itself) and it worked! I actually got 2 MMS messages. At the MAN 'C' gates (the gates on the BA side were too busy to bother with) it failed completely (good job I had a backup printed BP). At the lounge the nice lady said she can't read them at the lounge (so no idea how I'd get in then if I didn't have a printed one!), that it didn't work at security yesterday either but the pax had a backup like me (MAN Pax, I assume?
), it should work OK at boarding if I try it there and she said she'd pass on the fact it DOES NOT WORK to bmi FWIW This is a Nokia E90 and the MMS was indeed 'playing' through the 3 sizes (I made her leave it under the scanner all the time for a complete cycle). She was about to get a supervisor to ask but a small queue had formed so I offered her the easy out of my printed one and she took it...