Airlines testing cellphone boarding passes

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage--at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Airlines testing cellphone boarding passes now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.

Paperless boarding schemes aren't exactly revolutionary, but they're still far from common at US airports. Now, however, Continental Airlines has announced that it will be trialing a cellphone-based boarding setup at Houston's Intercontinental Airport, which will enable single passengers (as in, one barcode per person, per device) to show personnel a jumbled mixture of blocks alongside their ID in order to hop on board. The three-month program will allow guinea pigs to receive a paper pass should their mobile / PDA run out of juice before boarding time approaches, and while hard plans for future use aren't laid out, it was noted that the process could spread to other airlines and airports if things go smoothly.

Now you can be a confident expert on Airlines testing cellphone boarding passes. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Airlines testing cellphone boarding passes.