The lack of common standards and unknown costs are the biggest barriers to mobile travel as a distribution channel, according to a leading expert.

Lufthansa Product Manager, Mobile Services, Stefanie Heucke highlighted these as the two major issues holding up the proliferation of mobile travel services for the aviation industry.

Heuke, who was speaking to EyeforTravel in advance of the EyeforTravel Travel Technology Summit at WTM, said standards across the whole industry would make development "easier and faster". She also said network providers needed to reduce data rates both in home markets and for roaming because customers are afraid of unknown cost for the usage of mobile services.

Despite the issues, Heucke said she was convinced mobile would be an important channel for the travel industry over the next few years. Lufthansa has already developed a number of mobile initiatives such as a mobile boarding pass for its long-haul services, unveiled earlier this year, following it successful introduction on domestic routes and European services last year.

Heucke added that the carrier's passengers continue to use traditional channels for booking. While there has been an improvement in sales via mobile devices, it is mainly being used for "before and after sales" services on mobile devices such as schedules, flight status, check-in and access to frequent flier programmes.

She will speak at EyeforTravel's Travel Technology in Travel Summit at WTM on 11 November. For more information please contact gina@eyefortravel.com.

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Paul Nelson tel: +44 (0)208 9107032 Email: paul.nelson@reedexpo.co.uk