SMS booking takes flight

Jetstar, the new Qantas budget airline, today announced that starting late June customers would be able to book flights using SMS, through its new JetSMS service.

"SMS has revolutionised the way consumers now use and rely on their mobile phones," said Alan Joyce, CEO at Jetstar. "Making the adaptation of this technology to include booking airfares a logical extension."

"For many Australians today, their mobile phone never leaves their side," said Joyce.

According to a press release, Jetstar was one of only two airlines in the world to offer SMS booking.

But rival airline Virgin Blue said that booking information was too complex for the limitations of SMS. The company added that it currently had no plans to implement a similar service.

While JetSMS will be charged at standard SMS rates, the company said it would take around three SMS messages to make a single booking.