Boarding Pass Scanner | Contactless Air Travel

Feb 23, 2023
 Air-travel

Digital scanning solutions have become an integral part of the air travel industry, with the Covid-19 pandemic further increasing their usage to ensure contactless operations. Barcode scanners, MRZ readers, and document scanners have automated workflows for airport staff and passengers, providing better customer service. The benefits of digital scanning solutions in the airline industry include:

  • Self check-in by scanning passports online, reducing waiting time and errors that may occur when manually entering passport data.
  • Real-time flight information sharing by scanning barcodes on boarding passes, allowing passengers to access updated flight information without the need for additional apps.
  • Hassle-free lounge access to passengers, with barcodes and digital scanning enabling them to access facilities, place orders, and make payments easily.

See it in action: barcoded boarding pass scanner →

Dynamsoft’s MRZ Scanner SDK and Barcode Reader SDK allow airline companies to quickly and easily embed passport and barcode scanning capabilities into their websites and existing apps, saving time and effort.

Common Challenges faced While Scanning Boarding Pass

Barcode scanning is essential for air travel, but it can be challenging for passengers to scan barcodes properly at times. Here are some common challenges:

  • Barcodes on folded boarding passes can become crumpled or wrinkled, making them difficult to scan.
  • Passengers in a rush may not hold the boarding pass upright, hindering barcode scanning.
  • Low light and poor contrast can make it difficult to read barcodes during air travel.
  • Glare from other phones or screens can pose a challenge when scanning barcodes effectively.

Finding an Ideal Boarding Pass Scanning Solution

An ordinary barcode reader is incapable of coping with the challenges of barcode scanning during air travel. Hence, there arises a necessity for a powerful barcoding solution. Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK is a robust barcode scanning SDK that uses multi-thread barcode processing to read multiple barcodes in one image at any orientation and rotation angle. It quickly decodes barcodes from out-of-focus, blurred images and scans barcodes from low-quality images with preprocessing. Other noteworthy features include reading barcodes in low light, poor contrast, and glare that an ordinary barcode reader may not be able to do.

Unlike most barcode scanners, Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK quickly scans crumpled barcodes and QR codes so passengers won’t have to struggle while reading barcodes on wrinkled or folded boarding passes. Since it scans out-of-focus and incomplete barcodes, passengers can scan barcodes even in a hurry.

Reliable Scanning SDKs for Web, Desktop, and Mobile Applications

Digital scanning solutions automate airport operations and provide better service. Dynamsoft’s MRZ Scanner SDK extracts passport information with accuracy and speed, while the Barcode Reader SDK scans over 500 barcodes/minute. Try our online demo or request a free trial to explore all their features. You can also contact us to get in touch with one of our technical support specialists.

Get started with a online demo of Dynamsoft Barcode Reader.

FREE DOWNLOAD Dynamsoft Barcode Reader 30-day trial    

If you have any implementation or other questions, get in touch with our experts.

What barcode formats are frequently used on boarding passes?

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has set standards for boarding pass barcodes to promote compatibility and interoperability worldwide. As per these standards, boarding passes frequently utilize the following barcode formats:

  • The BAR CODED BOARDING PASS (BCBP) standard defines that a mobile phone can be used as a boarding pass (mobile BCBP) provided that it can display one of three selected 2D matrix codes (Aztec, Datamatrix and QR code).
  • The BCBP standard defines PDF417, Aztec, Datamatrix and QR code as the symbologies to be used to encode the data on paper boarding passes.
  Mobile phone Paper
Aztec x x
QR code x x
Datamatrix x x
PDF417   x

The selection of a particular barcode format can often depend on various factors, such as regional preferences (for example, the prevalent use of QR codes in Asia), technical characteristics (like the centrally located finder pattern in Aztec codes), or other considerations such as an airline’s prior experience with a specific symbology.

Reference: BAR CODED BOARDING PASS (BCBP) IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE