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Showing The pdf Instead Of Printing Out Ticket?
- Thread starter GNER 91128
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As Wintonian mentions above, mobile data relies on being able to access a reliable signal from whichever mobile phone network the equipment utilises. As anyone who travels on the railway knows, there are vast stretches of railway lines where there is no mobile signal coverage.
From a personal view point, I already have enough to carry going through narrow train aisles with the Avantix and a brick sized chip & pin pad. Don't want yet another scanner adding to it.
GNER 91128
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But that's what they do on east coast is get their scanner out scan the QR code while reading it and then hand the ticket back sometimes punching it sometimes not.
One assumes therefore that is it not connected to a 'live' database.
GNER 91128
Member
You would have to assume so and therefore I can't really see the problem with just showing the pdf file of the tickets on my tablet's screen instead of printing them out at home, it is after all the greener option.
I'll give it a go when I go up to EDB next month.
There does seem to be a cultural issue at work here quite apart from the technology. From some of the comments above there does seem to be a suspecion of technology in some quarters which looks increasingly at odds with a customer base that is using their tablets and mobiles to buy anything and everything. For them to be faced with attitudes that are reluctant to even touch acustomer's mobile is not helpful to rail being seen as a modern industry for thenext generation.
Heathrow Express can...
You can't compare a TOC that runs through London where a good quality mobile signal can almost be guaranteed with others that run through miles of countryside with no mobile reception for 20+ minutes at a time.
As I mentioned earlier, m-tickets are available in place of e-tickets for people who prefer using their phone screen as a ticket.
Don't really see what the issue is as passengers have already got a choice between a paper version or electronic version.
Having a physical ticket also means its easier to endorse with a note permitting a passenger to 'break' the usual rules of their ticket. No need to hunt around for scraps of paper.
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GNER 91128
Member
Travelling on the ECML every mile or two there's a phone mast situated next to the line.
Heathrow Express can...
HEX has Avantix Metro though, and as mentioned above has rather better coverage along the line of route.
All you need with the airlines is your passport usually.
So I'm allowed to board the plane without a ticket/boarding pass?
Could the database not be downloaded prior to the departure of the train? A bit like printing out the seat reservations? Or loading them onto the trains with electronic seat reservation displays.
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No, you need to have an e-ticket, but you don't need it with you when you check in. Just give the check in desk your passport and they tap in your name and go from there. If you want to check in at the airport using the machine you might need your booking ref no
They give you the boarding card from there or if you check in at home you will need a physical boarding card - there are too many agencies who need to see your boarding card between arriving at the airport and boarding the plane.
With Ryanair you MUST check-in online and print a boarding pass. Failure to do so results in a £60 per person per sector "boarding pass re-issue" fee.
Another problem with the PDF on a phone is that phones' screens can be quite reflective and some barcode scanners can't read pictures of barcodes from them.
So one is expected to check in _before_ leaving home? What is the point of that?
I went by LD Lines to France, all I needed was to stop my car in front of the camera/ sensor, it took my registration and checked me in, gave me the print outs. I needed to show my passport to a man in a booth a bit further down the check in lane, which was a very quick process.
Perhaps when booking online, use my webcam to picture myself, and then rail staff scan my face to see if I come up on a face recognition app.
Flamingo
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To allow Ryanair to levy an extra fee if you don't.
That's the reason. Follow the money.
VauxhallandI
Established Member
You would think it would lead to more trouble for the airline if something happened to you between checking in on-line and stepping on the airplane.
Looking for people that aren't even the airport etc but as stated its a revenue opportunity not a process efficiency.
Not really. Your boarding card is scanned as you enter security so if you didn't show up at the airport they'll know not to expect you at the gate.
not whenever I've used home check in. I've never been scanned at security (Manchester and Gatwick)
Strange. My home printed boarding pass has always been scanned at the entrance to security at MAN & LGW (and every other UK airport I have flown from)
I was at Gatwick a year ago on a EZY flight to Edinburgh..
I've always had to present them, but never noticed them scanning them, is the scanning device quite discreet?
I can't quite remember myself but they don't half do a lot of typing on the keyboard - possibly explaining the half hour long queue. :-x
I'll stick to Southampton, I'm yet to see a queue there.
although from what I've read now Southampton has stolen most of bournemouths passengers but that's for an entire different discussion. All of my trips next year are from Exeter.
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