BA check-ins go mobile

Johannesburg, 19 Nov 2008

British Airways (BA) customers will now be able to check-in using their mobile phones with the introduction of its remote check-in service.

“The remote check-in service is a logical progression from our online services,” says Stephen Forbes, spokesman for BA.

This initiative follows the introduction of the iPhone mobile check-in application, which saw more than 16 000 downloads of the application in the UK within the first month. Using any mobile phone, customers will now be able to access BA's timetable in real-time, select airplane seats and check-in individuals, groups and families for departing and return flights.

“What we found is that people want control over their own travel arrangements. They prefer to not queue for something that they could do themselves,” explains Forbes.

This move is also in line with global efforts by airlines to cut costs and increase self-service offerings to improve their customers' flying experiences.

South African customers will be able to use the service to check-in for both international BA flights, as well as domestic and regional services operated by Comair.

The customer is able to collect their boarding pass at a counter at the airport or print it at a self-service kiosk.

BA also plans to introduce home printed boarding passes, says Forbes. “This is something we are very keen on introducing. The hurdle that we face now is the regulators or authorities, who are not happy with this type of development. But we are working on convincing them.”