Air New Zealand has announced an update to its mPass mobile application that now allows users to book flights using their smartphones or tablet devices, getting people one step closer to never needing to sit on their computers again.
For now, the new booking system will only work for domestic flights but the company says it is working to introduce mobile booking for international flights by the end of the year.
“The new mobile booking system has been developed in-house [just like the redesign of its website]and will enable our customers to book their domestic flights quickly and easily from their mobile phone,” says Calum Laming, the airline’s general manager of Customer Experience. “Based on initial feedback we certainly expect the system to be popular among customers and plan to expand mobile technology later in the year, including introducing mobile booking for international flights.”
Flights can be booked via the mobile app using credit card information (which users can store on their online profile if they want to use the Express Checkout option) or airpoints dollars.
The mPass app, a free application for both iOS and Android devices, was launched in 2008 and acts as an electronic boarding pass, as well as a portal to manage a user’s Air New Zealand account, check and manage existing booking and look up airport maps and travel information. According to Air New Zealand’s corporate communications executive Kelly Kilgour, “the app has been embraced by technology-savvy passengers with around 180,000 installations”.
Kilgour adds that the new functionality took four months to build. “The feedback we have received so far from customers has been positive, she says, directing us to tweets customers have sent about the upgraded app:
@nzjames: “Just had a play with @FlyAirNZ mobile domestic booking site. Launches from mPass. Lightning fast. Great UI. Nice work!”
@tommitchell: “Thank you @FlyAirNZ for putting the ability to make bookings into mPass!!! :D. #bestthingever #willusesomuch”
“We are looking to further enhance the mobile booking system in the future with mobile booking for international flights and services originating in other markets such as Australia, the US and UK. We are also looking to expand the payment functionality to include POLi once it becomes integrated with mobile banking offerings,” says Kilgour.
