BMI trials texted boarding passes

Barcodes could reduce time spent in airports, BMI says

Airline passengers are saying goodbye to paper tickets, but it could soon be farewell to home-printed boarding passes as well if a new trial succeeds.

BMI has become the first UK airline to send passengers their boarding passes via a mobile phone text message.

The text messages, which are sent to travellers checking in online, contain a barcode which is scanned at security and at the boarding gate.

BMI hopes to cut the time passengers spend at the airport.

The idea is to allow those without luggage to bypass check-in.

For security reasons, the barcode will only work once to prevent other people using it to access the departure area of airports.

It is a paperless system, with passengers taking part in the trial no longer having to print out their boarding passes at home to show at the airport.

BMI has just started to offer the text message service to passengers on services between London Heathrow and Edinburgh, Manchester and Belfast City.

But if the trial is successful, the service will be offered to passengers on more routes.