Mobile ticket usage tipped to grow

The use of mobile ticketing for flights could grow significantly over the next three years, a new report has suggested.

More than 1.8 billion mobile tickets for the global transport industry look set to be issued by 2011, according to the publication from Juniper Research, with aviation set to play a large part in driving this growth.

Currently, some 37.4 million mobile tickets for air, rail and other forms of travel are issued worldwide. However, this could increase as more airlines look to reduce costs and as more passengers wake up to the queue-busting benefits of electronic ticketing, the report suggested.

"Mobile ticketing solutions allow the consumer to purchase and receive a ticket on the day of travel or the event," Jupiter Research explained in a statement.

"This functionality can be linked to VIP entrance in a fast track queue at an airport or check-in."

UK airline bmi recently announced the launch of a trial of paperless boarding procedures involving the use of mobile phones on certain domestic routes to Heathrow Airport.

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