SITA, the air technology provider, is targetting passenger cell phones to track and sell airport facilities to travellers.
Potential savings, SITA claims, to carriers, et al, could reach over $600-million if implementing Path Technology to track cell phones and offer promotional offers at nearby airport stores.
A Manchester trial deterined discount offers boosted sales by up to 45%.
The suggestion is that an opt-out tracking authorisation be offered, which of course, would increase potential targets.
SITA also suggests that this technology could also track cell phones for security, check-in, boarding, etc. Some elements are already deployed in Japan.
During 2007 SITA invested more than $100-million to find new reasons for the air industry to spend more money on technology.
A question: What happens if a cell boarding pass is issued and the battery fades away?
