Like me, I’m sure one of your most precious resources is time. Working and travelling like a Spartan means that sometimes you get to the airport without having checked in. There is a massive queue and the clock is ticking. Yep it’s horribly annoying. Instead of whipping out your cumbersome sword and taking a few heads in typical Spartan fashion, you can take out your smartphone and open PASSNFLY.
Founded by German entrepreneur Louis Tag, who believe it or not, thought of the idea back in 1995, PASSNFLY is a simple option to checking in on the go. Scanning your email inbox for flight confirmations, it checks you in automatically across over 200 airlines worldwide, providing you with the best seat available (based on your preferences) and then delivering you on a silver platter your boarding pass as a PDF and also with barcode. It will also keep you updated with flight-delays and gate changes. Oh and did I mention that you don’t need to have an Internet connection!
The app, which is available on iPhone and Blackberry (Windows and Android are in the making) will be rolling out a feature soon that will remember a traveler’s frequent-flier bonuses, presenting the seats available depending on a user’s status. With over 2.000 users and some early adopters paying for the check in service, the goal of the startup is to provide free check-ins for their users once they are more cash positive.
The future plans of PASSNFLY are to extend its service to also allow bag check-in, real time tracking and claims. They are also planning last-minute seat and cabin upgrades which can be done right from your mobile device as well as simple booking of post-flight transportation to allow fast and easy departure from the airport once you arrive. Louis’ goal is to “connect travellers with airlines and airports through a single mobile app, empowering existing communications to become mobile and make air travel a hassle-free and seamless experience”.
Louis plans to license the technology to companies that have air passengers as clients, such as travel agencies, which could be an interesting source of revenue. Amadeus, a travel-services provider, expects 15% of all check-ins to be done automatically within the next two years so I can see why PASSNFLY wants to get in on the action.
The 6 person team, lead by Louis, winners of the Betapitch in Spain (they will be going to the world finals in Berlin), want to attract 65,000 users and reach around €1 million in sales by the end of this year. Having already raised a previous round of €100,000, they are now raising a further angel round of €300,000 for more aggressive marketing and expansion.
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