Initially, the facility will be limited to passengers traveling from Los Angeles International and John Wayne Orange County airports. If the trials conducted with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are successful, it will be extended to other U.S. airports.

Looks like it’s going to be quite a wait before mobile ticketing goes mainstream.

When customers check in for their flight using American’s Web site, AA.com – either the desktop or mobile versions – they have the option to receive their boarding passes on their cell phones or PDAs. If this option is selected, they will get an e-mail with an Internet link to their boarding pass. The mobile boarding pass contains a 2-D barcode that can be scanned at TSA security checkpoints and at American Airlines gates. At the airport, customers simply scan their cell phone or PDA screen when going through Security (proper identification must be presented) and when boarding, just as they would a traditional paper boarding pass.

When you go to a recharge shop for a top-up, all you need to do is to ask the vendor to also accept separate payment for the railway ticket. The money deposited for the ticket will be transferred to the service provider through a mobile phone transaction into a designated account. The service provider, in turn, will transfer the money to the railways,” said a senior railway officer.

The railways will then issue a unique PIN number over the mobile phone that the passenger will need to key in onto a designated kiosk installed at the railway station to print the actual ticket.