[nfb-talk] Paperless Boarding Passes

[Peter Donahue]

Good morning everyone,

    So what happens if you don't own an accessible cell phone or a PDA?

Peter Donahue


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "dmgina" <dmgina at qwest.net>
To: <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" 
<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 9:56 AM
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
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>


_______________________________________________
nfb-talk mailing list
nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org