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RFID Makes Check-in Faster for Air France Passengers
Pass & Fly Process
To use the NFC-based system, a traveler checks in with any of Air France's standard check-in modes, such as via an Internet-connected computer or a cell phone, at a check-in counter or by way of a self-service kiosk located at the airport. He then goes to a Pass & Fly RFID interrogator at the airport, where pre-registered phones are identified and the system downloads boarding passes to the phones.
At the security check, the traveler presents his phone to an RFID reader to identify himself and upload his boarding pass onto a computer operated by security personnel. The electronic boarding pass then appears on a computer screen for easy viewing by the security team. At the boarding gate, the passenger presents his phone to another Pass & Fly kiosk, which prints out a boarding card containing his seat assignment.
Henry Scalliet estimates that the system saves travelers 15 to 20 minutes per journey. Another benefit, according to the system's designers, when compared with an alternative option that would use a mobile phone's screen to display boarding-pass data in 2-D bar-code form, is that NFC-enabled mobile phones can be utilized for identification even when they are switched off or batteries are drained.
Amadeus developed the software for the mobile phones, as well as a departure-control system and airport interrogators that display important passenger information. IER built NFC-enabled kiosks and RFID readers that have been connected to Air France's passenger-management system. The airline contributed electronic boarding-pass information to the project.
According to Henry Scalliet, the airport is considering expanding the system so that travelers can utilize the phones, for instance, to gain access to VIP lounges. Later, she adds, if NFC-based interrogators were installed on planes or on gateways, the system could provide travelers with a printed receipt verifying they actually boarded their plane.
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To use the NFC-based system, a traveler checks in with any of Air France's standard check-in modes, such as via an Internet-connected computer or a cell phone, at a check-in counter or by way of a self-service kiosk located at the airport. He then goes to a Pass & Fly RFID interrogator at the airport, where pre-registered phones are identified and the system downloads boarding passes to the phones.
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| Nice Côte d'Azur Airport's Agnes Henry Scalliet |
Henry Scalliet estimates that the system saves travelers 15 to 20 minutes per journey. Another benefit, according to the system's designers, when compared with an alternative option that would use a mobile phone's screen to display boarding-pass data in 2-D bar-code form, is that NFC-enabled mobile phones can be utilized for identification even when they are switched off or batteries are drained.
According to Henry Scalliet, the airport is considering expanding the system so that travelers can utilize the phones, for instance, to gain access to VIP lounges. Later, she adds, if NFC-based interrogators were installed on planes or on gateways, the system could provide travelers with a printed receipt verifying they actually boarded their plane.
