More than a decade ago the concept of a permanent boarding pass for an airline was actually implemented. It was quickly scuttled due to regulatory issues following 9/11 but the idea has not completely died.
Speaking at the Future Travel Experience Global 2014 conference and expo in Las Vegas last month JetBlue EVP and CIO Eash Sundaram spoke about a similar concept. It is just one of several things the company is investigating towards making passage through he airport a transitional experience rather than a transactional one.
This is not to say that passengers need yet another “thing” to carry to make travel smoother, but Sundaram’s idea has many different potential implementation options. Whether a standalone item or integrated into existing mobile or NFC solutions, the idea of streamlining the boarding process even just a little bit is one which should please passengers and airlines alike.
Featured image credited to Jason Rabinowitz