First mobile phone boarding passes on Northwest Airlines

Paperless boarding passes sent to passengers' mobile phones could be the next step in making travel more convenient as US airline Northwest introduces the new system.

Using technology from UK-based company Mobiqa, Northwest will now offer mobile phone boarding passes to customers travelling on non-stop flights from Indianapolis to US cities.

Passengers will be able to check in online and their boarding pass will be sent to their mobile, or other handheld device, which will then be scanned at airport security checkpoints.

The e-boarding pass incorporates passenger travel details on an industry standard barcode and is sent to mobile phones in the form of an MMS, email or WAP Push/link message.

This means there is no need to print the e-boarding pass and makes the ticketing process truly paperless.

Mobiqa chief executive Nick Rankin believes the new system "will make for a more convenient, environmentally friendly means of checking-in and boarding a flight".

If it is successful Northwest plans to expand the e-boarding pass option to additional cities in the US.