[nfb-talk] Paperless Boarding Passes

[Michael Hingson]

All,

No policy has yet been put in place.  Paper boarding passes have not been
discontinued.  Paperless is still in the EARLY testing phases.  No policies
are yet an issue.  Now is the time to help the airline industry insure that
we are not left out. 


Michael Hingson,
 NSA   
President,
The Michael Hingson Group
84 Bahama Reef
Novato, CA 94949
Phone Direct number (415) 827-4084
Fax number (415) 883-6220
Mobile/Pager (888) 965-9191
Email 
info at michaelhingson.com
 <
mailto:
info at michaelhingson.com>
For information on Michael's speaking topics, his availability, and his
consulting services on Diversity and Access Technology for blind persons
please
visit <
http://www.michaelhingson.com>
For information on Guide Dogs for the Blind please visit <
http://www.guidedogs.com>

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of dmgina
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 7:56 AM
To: william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net; NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Paperless Boarding Passes

what happens for us then if we are not able to do this.
How much would the cost of the paper pass be.

--Dar
www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
Every saint has a past
every sinner has a future

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wm. Ritchhart" <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net>
To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-indiana at yahoogroups.com>;
<indiana-l at acb.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 8:05 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] Paperless Boarding Passes


>I just finished reading an article on coming changes in the airline  
>industry in 2009.  Here is a quote from the article that should concern  
>all of us.
>
> "
> Five Big Changes Coming to Air Travel in 2009 By Jessica Labrencis, 
> SmarterTravel.com Staff "
>
> .
>
> "
> Paperless Boarding Passes
> Paperless boarding passes are the wave of the future, and will become 
> more widespread this year. You'll soon be able to download a boarding 
> pass to your PDA or cell phone, and scan the barcode at an airport 
> security checkpoint scanner, eliminating the need for a physical 
> printout.
> Continental was the first U.S. airline to test paperless boarding 
> passes in late 2007, and has since expanded its Mobile Boarding Pass 
> option for departures from Austin, Boston, Cleveland, Houston, New 
> York's LaGuardia airport, Newark, San Antonio, and both Reagan and 
> National airports in Washington, D.C.
> Other carriers, including Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, and 
> Northwest, are also beginning to introduce paperless boarding options 
> for travelers.
> "
>
> The problem with the airlines providing the paperless boarding pass 
> option develops when what starts as an option becomes a requirement.  
> I have been pricing cell phones and the mobile Speaks software lately.  
> My Talks card for my Nokia 6620 died nearly two years ago.  So the 
> phone is useless to me for all it's features other than telephoning.  
> Think about this paperless option.  When it becomes required, as it 
> surely will over time.  You will be charged extra for using a paper
boarding pass.
>
> At the same time you are expected to use your cell phone not just to 
> board a plane, you will be expected to also use it to complete 
> transactions in every other imaginable and yet unimagined area of your 
> life.  The cell phone is already being used like a credit card and/or 
> bank debit card in Japan.  It is just a matter of time before this 
> convenient way of doing things takes hold here in the United States.
>
> My next question for us all to contemplate is how many blind folks do 
> you know who have the $300.00 to $600.00 to purchase a cell phone and 
> software to make it translate the text into speech.  The carrier that 
> I work for cuts you a discount on the software.  But none of there 
> phones cost less than $149.00 with a two year contract.  Any sighted 
> person has numerous phones to choose from that are free with a 2-year 
> contract and less than $100.00 with no contract.
>
> Clearly one of our top priorities as a group of concerned activist of 
> and for the blind should be to get the Telecom act passed with a 
> provision that all cell phones that are offered for sale by the 
> carriers be useable by whomever buys them, be they sighted, blind or
disabled.
>
>
> THANKS, WILLIAM
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
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> 


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