SITA’s Mobile Boarding Pass API now in use by JetBlue Airways for Apple Passbook

SITA announced today that JetBlue is using the SITA Mobile Boarding Pass API for Apple Passbook. JetBlue customers can now simply check-in online and choose to store their boarding passes automatically on their iPhone to use at the airport.

Passbook makes it easy for passengers to use mobile boarding passes because it automatically displays the right boarding pass on the passenger’s phone as they arrive at the airport. SITA’s Mobile Boarding Pass API, available from SITA’s API platform, developer.aero, simplifies boarding pass distribution for airlines by allowing them to send passes via email, SMS, push notification and now, Passbook. JetBlue is one of the first airlines to go live using the API, and SITA’s technology research team, SITA Lab, is now working with other major airlines and ground handlers to help them offer this service to their customers.

Jim Peters, CTO, SITA, said: “The latest SITA Passenger Survey reports that 76% of passengers are carrying smartphones; they want mobile boarding passes and Apple has made it really easy to use them on its devices. With the popularity and simplicity of Apple’s iPhone and now Passbook, it is more likely than ever that passengers will adopt mobile boarding passes in a meaningful way.

“The challenge for some airlines is that they might not have enough resources within their internal IT team to fully enable Passbook quickly, and this is where SITA’s API comes into play. At SITA we’ve worked out all the details to enable fast implementation of Passbook, or any mobile boarding pass, by the world’s airlines.”

Michael Stromer, Vice President, Customer Connections, JetBlue, said: “Passbook is a great addition to our digital offering for customers. We are constantly seeking new ways to enhance our customer’s travel experience. Passbook will encourage greater use of our mobile boarding option, which has already been well received. For us the ability to add this service by using SITA’s new API was great.”

Peters added: “Our developer.aero platform is a community service for the air transport industry; we invite others to try out the API to see how quick and easy it is to use.”

SITA’s Mobile Boarding Pass API represents a step change in the way services are deployed in the airline industry. There is no legacy departure control systems (DCS) integration required, developers have the APIs they crave, and the airlines have a self-service interface to manage their brand look and feel on a fully IATA- and TSA-compliant boarding pass.

Here is a short video giving an overview of developer.aero illustrating how airlines can simply provide Apple Passbook functionality to their passengers.