Paper-free travel came a step closer to reality after developers launched a new virtual boarding pass available on mobile phones and handheld devices.
Developers claimed that the technology could cut airport waiting times by removing the need for passengers to carry paper-based boarding passes.
Scots firms have created the technique using mobile and barcode technology to encode a passenger's details.
The information is then read directly from existing airport scanners.
Scottish firms Real Time Engineering and Mobiqa are behind the new service.
Airline industry
Iain McCready, chief executive of Mobiqa, said: "Mobiqa's virtual ticketing technologies are already being used extensively in the rail transport and live events sectors and their use within the aviation sector is the next logical step.
"The standardisation on barcodes within the airline industry makes it ideal for this technology".
The service will be officially launched and demonstrated at the forthcoming Passenger Terminal Expo in Barcelona.
