◎ 陳成良

Airlines will be able to cut passenger delays over the next five years thanks to advanced mobile technology, new research reveals.

新研究顯示，航空公司未來5年間將能夠減少乘客延誤情況，這要歸功於先進行動科技。

According to IT provider SITA, airlines could save $600 million and reduce delays by using passenger tracking technology.

據資訊技術供應商「國際航空電訊集團」（SITA）指出，航空公司藉由乘客追蹤科技，能節省6億美元，並減少延遲情況。

Sending text messages to passengers to encourage them to move towards departure gates would limit waiting times and help keep flights running on schedule.

向乘客發送手機簡訊鼓勵他們往登機門移動，將可減少候機時間，並有助於維持航班準時起降。

Jim Peters, chief technology officer at SITA, explained that transmitting messages can improve turnover and turnaround.

SITA技術總監吉姆．彼得斯解釋說，傳送簡訊能夠改善（旅客的）流動與周轉率。

He said : "These ’digital travellers’, will have on-demand access to a range of mobile-enabled services such as real time flight updates; self-service booking, check-in and boarding; and mobile payments."

他說：「這些『數位旅客』隨時可視需求而利用各種行動化服務，諸如即時的航班更新資訊、自助式訂票、辦理報到手續以及登機，還有行動付費等。」

"Some of these services are already available to passengers, for example in Norway, Japan and Germany paperless travel is a reality on some routes."

「乘客已經可以享受其中若干服務，例如無紙化旅行在挪威、日本及德國的一些航線已經落實。」

Figures from SITA suggest that by 2011, five billion air travellers will use online check-in and opt for paperless tickets.

SITA提供的數據顯示，到了2011年，50億航空旅客將使用線上登機手續，並選用無紙化機票。

新聞辭典

thanks to：片語，由於；拜…之賜。例句：Thanks to your help we were successful.（由於你的幫忙，我們成功了。）

on schedule：片語，準時。例句：If the plane is on schedule, I will arrive at the airport by seven o’clock. （如果班機準時的話， 我七點前會抵達機場。）

opt for：片語，選擇、做出抉擇。例句：American voters will opt for a new president.（美國選民將選出一位新總統。）