Melbourne whizz kid sells mobile-phone check-in to Jetstar

A SELF-TAUGHT young computer guru has dreams of becoming rich from a world first mobile-phone based boarding system.

A SELF-TAUGHT young computer guru has dreams of becoming rich from a world first mobile-phone based boarding system.

Aaron Hornlimann, 22, who has an IT business at Burnley, says several foreign airlines have followed up a decision by Jetstar to use his high-tech boarding system from November.

Passengers flying from Avalon will need only to place the message on their phones recorded by an electronic scanner before they proceed to a boarding gate.

"It's all quite simple and our tests have shown the whole process takes less than two seconds,'' Aaron Hornlimann explained after Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan signed off on the deal which will be rolled out across Australia over the next two years.

Under the system a boarding pass and unique code is transmitted to any mobile phone.

Overseas airlines keen to find a quick answer to easing long queues at airports are already in talks with Melbourne's newest IT whizz kid.

"But at the moment and because of confidentitality agreements I can't tell you who they are and what we are talking about," Mr Hornlimann said.

He confessed that the Jetstar deal signed after less than a year in business was like a dream come true.

"I am mainly self-taught and yes I am hoping to make millions from overseas sales,'' Mr Hornlimann said, confiding that the Sissit Group, the company he launched with the help of friends, was already profitable.

He said it was a stroke of good luck and a matter of who he knew that he was able to enter into a research and development arrangement with Jetstar.

Friends working in immigration control with links to Jetstar and in the business of SMS messaging had heard of the airline's plan to find a new way to improve boarding.

"They came to me and after five months of hard work we got there,'' Mr Hornlimann said.

The system which also allows passengers to check-in 24 hours ahead of their flight will undergo final trials next month ahead of the November launch at Avalon.

Company spokesman Simon Westaway said customers who purchased fares via Jetstar.com would be able to request an automatic check-in prior to flight departure and get their boarding pass via email or SMS.

The new system will trialed at Melbourne Avalon Airport with a network-wide roll out across Australia within two years.

Mr Buchanan said the technology was custom built for the Asia Pacific region and was a check-in first by Australian airline business.

He said already more than half the airline's domestic customers use electronic check-in options in terms of Web-Check or Self Service Kiosks at airports.

"We believe this new service will be highly attractive to people whether they are frequent or irregular flyers," he said.