Journal of Computer ScienceS Its Application, June 2[][]8, Vol. IS, No.

Development of a Mobile Airline Reservation System

Oyelade 0. J. , Fatumo SA , Azeta A.A. and Ayo CK.

Department of Computer and Information Sciences,
College o.lScience and Technology,
Covenant University. P.M.B. 1023 Ota, Nigeria•
ola2000faith@yahoo. co. uk, fatumo @yahoo.co. uk, azeta_ ambrose@yahoo. com. ckayome@yahoo. com

ABSTRACT
Current~v, many people and companies are embracing the mobile air line
reservation system. Reservation systems had been implemented in many parts of the world
for decades, initially from manual to computerized reservation system. Mobile, airline, bus
ticketing and automated reservation systems are effectively increasing in the market. As a
result of the fierce competition in the airline sector, organizations within this sector are in
the process of developing systems that will improve their services to customers.
Consequently, an automated seat reservation system has continued to be an open area of
research.
The objective of this paper is to develop a mobile airline seat reservation system
that will assist the public in gaining an easier and faster way for seat reservation and
providing them with more options to book a ticketfor traveling on real time.
The system was developed using the Wireless Markup Language (WML) asfront-
end, MySQL 4.0 database management system as back-end and PHP (Hypertext
Preprocessor) as the server-side scripting language.
The developed system will assist the airline customers and operators in providing
cost-effective system that will make possible bookings and seat reservation on real-time
using a mobile phone, irrespective of location of a user.

Keywords: WML, WAP , Mobile Internet, Airline Reservation, Mobile phone.

1.0 BACKGROUND rrom all levels ofthe business industry the

INFORMATION
The internet has really changed the
way transactions take place and has being
able to remove the barrier of time and
location. WA<P provides a markup and a
protocol that opens the possibility of the
wireless environment and gives players
opportunity to access an untapped field
that is still in its infancy. WAP (Wireless
Application Protocol) is a protocol for
accessing information and services rrom
wireless devices. WAP is defined and
coordinated by the WAP Forum, a
consortium of industry players who have
 59

interest in information and services to W AP architecture. It is made up of three

customers over the Internet through components: the W AP browser, the W AP
mobile devices, particularly mobile gateway and a server on the Internet. The
phones. The objective is to define a mobile device connect to the Internet
standard application framework that will through the W AP gateway. This W AP
be universal, and will allow seamless gateway translates all the protocols used
interoperability of all of the components in WAP to the protocols used on the
required for mobile access to network Internet.
applications. Figure 1 shows the basic

WAP browser WAP gateway vvvw.; server

Figure 1: WAP architecture Source:(Singe l'ee et a 12005)

Most ofthe protocols in use today make a powerful as a PC (Personal

set of assumptions about the environment, Computer), and is almost certainly of
such as the type of network that will be a different architecture.
available (particularly from the point of • Memory and storage -The memory
view of bandwidth and reliability), the and storage unit of a mobile phone is a
types of devices that will be accessing the lot more constrained than on a PC,
services, and the types of services that because handset manufacturers are
will be available for access. These cost-sensitive, and thus reluctant to
assumptions do not necessarily ho ld true add any additional components unless
in the wireless world such as use of it is really necessary. Also some
mobile phone. There are a number of mobi le devices do not have a
characteristics applicable to a mobile: persistent storage oftheir own.
• Form Factor - a mobile device • Battery - Mobile devices are battery
needs to be small enough to move powered, and the need to have the
around and ideally to be able to fit in device available for long periods of
the palm of the hand or in a shirt time means that the processing CPU
pocket. cannot make significant demands on
• CPU (Central Processing Unit) - In a the battery.
mobile device, the CPU is not as
 60

• Display- This is typically limited in the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)

size and resolution, and often cannot (Webopedia, 2006).

cope with color. The W AP Specification comple-

• Input- Mobile devices typically do ments existing wireless standards. For

not have keyboards and ifthey do they example, it does not specify how data

are limited in size. Therefore, input is should be transmitted over the air

more challenging than on a typical PC interface; instead, it is intended to sit on

(Howell, 2000). top of existing bearer channel standards so

that any bearer standards can be used with
1.1 Wireless Networks versus Fixed the W AP protocols to implement
Wireless Networks
complete product solutions. It is also
A wireless network is considerably
independent of any particu tar device,
different from a fixed-wired network.
instead, it specifies the bare minimum
Reliability profiles are considerably
functionality a device must have, and it
different, particularly where users move in
has been designed to accommodate any
and out of coverage areas, disappear into
functionality above that minimum. The
tunnels, and so on . Latency may also be
WAP programming model is similar to
an issue 111 wireless networks. An
the World Wide Web (WWW) program-
additional factor is that there are a number
ming model.
of mobile network standards in place
across the world, and they do not
1.3 Wireless Markup Language
interoperate seamlessly. Some countries (WML)
even have incompatible standards in WML is a generalized markup
different regions. language that is optimized for limited
The Wireless Application Protocol capability devices and networks. WML
ts designed to work with most wireless documents are an XML document type. It
networks such as GSM (900, I ,800, and has also borrowed from Hand-held Device
I ,900), Digital European Cordless Markup Language 2.0 (HDML 2.0)
Communication (DECT), Time Division (Phone.com's proprietary markup
Multiple Access (TDMA), Personal language) and HTML. WML IS a meta-
Communication Services (PCS), Code language that provides a format for
Division MuJtiple Access (COMA) , describing structured data (Musiano &
Circuit Switch Cellular Data (CSD) , Kennedy, 2000). WML is designed for
Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) and specifying user interface behavior and
 61

displaying content on wireless devices Templates can be used to specify a set of

such as phones, pagers and personal characteristics that apply to all cards in the
digital assistant (PDAs). WML and PHP deck.
can be combined as a development tool
1.4 Benefits ofWAP/WML
for mobile client application while PHP
The following are some of the
perform the server-side scripting such as
benefits of W AP/WML:
database queries. With server-side
• Operators: For Wireless network
scripting, dynamic page content can be
operators, W AP promises to decrease
generated, forms data collected and
churn, cut costs, and increase the
cookies handled.
subscriber base both by improving
WML is based on a deck of cards
existing services, such as interfaces to
metaphor, 111 which a document IS
voice-mail and prepaid systems, and
analogous to a deck, and a card 1s
facilitating an unlimited range of new
approximately analogous to an individual
value-added services and applications,
screen or unit of display. The unit of
such as account management and
transmission between the gateway and the
billing inquires. New applications can
mobile device is the deck, and the unit of
be introduced quickly and easily
user interaction is a card within the deck.
without the need for additional
Rather than focusing on the details of the
infrastructure or modifications to the
rendering of User Interface (Ul) elements,
phone. This will allow operators to
or of how the user should interact with the
differentiate themselves from their
browser, WML focuses on the semantic
competitors with new, customized
meaning of the element. Separating the
information serv1ces. WAP is an
rendering from the meaning allows the
interoperable fi·amework, enabling the
actual rendering and implementation on
provision of end-to-end turnkey
the device to be adapted to the capabilities
solutions that will create a lasting
ofthe device.
competitive advantage, build
WML elements support a number
consumer loyalty, and increase
of features including text and images, the
revenues.
ability to interact with the user, navigation
capabilities and variables. Layout and • Content Providers: Some mobile
applications are written 111 WML,
presentation hints can be included with
which is a subset of extensible markup
text and images, but it is ultimately up to
language (XML). WAP enables
the browser how it renders the content.
 62

content and application developers to 1.5 Mobile Commerce (M-

Commerce)
grasp the tag-based WML that pave
the way for services to be written and M-commerce (mobile commerce)
deployed within an operator's network is the buying and selling of goods and
quickly and easily. As WAP is a services through wireless handheld
global and interoperable open devices . such as cellular telephone and
standard, content providers have personal digital assistants (PDAs). M-
immediate access to a wealth of commerce IS a next-generation e-
potential customers who seek such commerce and it enables users to access
applications to enhance the service the Internet without needing to find a
offerings given to their own existing place to plug in . Advances in Internet and
and potential subscriber base. Mobile network technology and the rapidly
consumers are becoming keen to growmg number of mobile personal
receive increased functionality and devices result in the fast growth of e-
value-added from their mobile Commerce. The development and
devices, and W AP opens the door to adoption of mobile technologies have
the untapped market. made new services and related commerce

• End Users: End users of W AP benefit more and more avai !able. Some of the

from easy, secure access to relevant factors that contributed to this

Internet information and services such development are the tremendous

as unified messaging, banking and development of the Internet and related

entertainment through their mobile technologies.

devices. Intranet information such as Electronic commerce IS the

corporate databases can also be electronic exchange (delivery or transact-

accessed via W AP technology. Users tion) of information, goods, services, and

are able to receive and request payments over telecommunications net-

infiJrmation in a controlled , fast and works. E-commerce activities include

low-cost environment, a fact that establishing and maintaining online

renders W AP services more attractive relationships between an organization and

to consumers who demand more value its suppliers, dealers, customers, strategic

and functionality from their mobile partners, regulators, and other agents

terminals. related to (or in support of) traditional

delivery channels. Other activities include
(Tarasewich et a! 2002): product searches
 63

and comparisons by consumers; product and discussions and section 5 contains the
information presentation and promotion concluding remarks.
by manufacturers and retailers; post-
2.0 OBJECTIVES
purchase customer support;
communication between seller and The objective of this paper IS to
shippers or banks; and other activities that develop a . mobile airline seat reservation
are not directly related to the transaction system thal will assist the public in
itself. gaining an easier and faster way for seat
Mobile devices will become the reservation and providing customers with
basic business enabler for e-commerce more options to book an airline ticket on
(Marra A. 2000). The fundamental real time.
concept of commerce IS to exchange
3.0 SYSTEMS DESIGN AND
goods and services in return for payment
IMPLEMENTATION
or in the case of a barter economy in
The system was developed using
return for other goods or services. This
the Wireless Markup Language (WML) as
concept obviously only works in the
front-end, MySQL 4.0 database
interest of both parties if basic security
management system as back-end and PHP
requirements such as the reliability of a
(Hypertext Preprocessor) as the server-
transaction can be guaranteed. In the non-
side scripting language to enable
mobile IT world, most of the involved
communication between the front-end and
challenges have already been addressed
back-end. Modular programming tech-
and at least conceptually so lved. The
nique was applied during the program
different characteristics of non-mobile E-
writing stage. The sequence diagram for
commerce and M-commerce and their
requesting for flight information and the
unique usage patterns entail various
class diagram for the system are described
additional security threats mainly caused
in Figure 2 and Figure 3 respectively.
by the fact of mobility itself (Edgar,
2001).
The testing ofthe system was done
The rest of the paper is organized
usmg the Openwave SDK V7 simulator
as fo !lows. Sect ion 2 discusses the
which serves as a means to deploy the
objectives ofthe research. Systems design
(
software on a Personal Computer in the
and implementations are contained in
absence of the WAP micro browser and
section 3. Section 4 enumerates the result
gateway.
 64

\ill P.P
Mobile Device WebServer
Gateway

r-

Requestfli ght1 nfo() ,-:... Connect througll

__:_
\/1/.AP
__:_
__:_
.Autr1ent1ca te()
i\ctivate Apache ,-:...
Execu te Query()

Retneve1 nfo()
W ML cont ent
Send through Response 1nfo '-:--
cllannel --:-
D1splayfl1 ght1 nfo()
--:-
--:-
'-:--
~

Fi gure 2: Sequence Diagram for requesting flight information

The System Functions operations. Figure 4 contains a welcome

and authentication page ofthe system.
Described below are some of the
Registration Card
functionalities ofthe application presented
The registration card enables
in card form.
registration of new users. It consists of
Welcome Card fields such as surname, other names, age,
This card can be likened to the nationality, address, username and
home-page in a web application. It is the password. The username and password at
first card the user interacts with. It also this point has to be distinct and not
gives the user the option of either logging already used.
in, if the user is already an existing user,
Flight Enquiry Card
or registering, if the user is new to the
This card enables the user to input
system.
his/her take off point of location such as
Access Authentication source airport and destin at ion airport, so
This card requests for the details that it is checked up in the database if it
'
of the already existing user, that is, the exists. The enquiry card is contained in
user's username and password to enable Figure 5.
the user access to the system and perform
 65

Passenger Reservation
Surname: String Surname: String
Other_names: String
Age: int Other_ names: String
Sex: String Ticket - ld: String
Address: String passenge r 0.*
Teller_Num: String
Nationality: String I res Bank: String
-getSurname()
-getOther_names() +getS urname()
-getAge() +getOther_names()
-getAddress() -getTicket_ Id()
-getNationality()
-getSex() -getTeller_ Num()
-getBank()

__________o
Flight

Takeoff_ Airport: String

Destination_ Airport: String
Takeoff Time: time
Flight_Num: int
Takeoff Date: Date
Flight_Cost: int
Available seat: int
Type_of_flight: String

-getTakeoff_Airport ()
-getDesti nation_ Airport ()
-getTakeoff_Time()
-getFiight_N um ()
-getTakeoff_ Date()
-getFI ight_ Cost ()
-getAvailable_seat 0
-getType_of_ flight ()

Figure 3: Class diagram of Mobile Airline system

 66

~ Generk Devke - ~ Generk Device- .

File Edit \liew Settings Help File Edit ViE: 1N Settings Help

V1.0 Flight
Reservation
System

· Easier.'!/
: Foil ow t11e Linl<.s

Figure 4: Welcome and authentication page

~ Gene-ri<: Oevif::~e -
Fill.! Edit V!t·v·.• Settin9s. Help

O·?Stln.:-ttJon
~' .Ld·J·..:.•~

Figure 5: Flight Enquiry Card

Server-side Script then presented with the option to make a

This card outputs the list of all flights reservation based on this list. The flight
going in the route selected by the user reservation information card is contained
with details such as flight time, flight date, in Figure 6.
flight cost, and available seats. The user is

Figure 6: Flight reservation Information Card
Resenration Card
This card collects details of the user
making a reservation. These
include Surname, other names, Flight
number, teller number, and bank paid to.
4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The system was designed such that
any level of user can easily use it. To start
and run the application, the user need to
type the URL that refers to the index or
home page. If the URL is properly typed ,
a connection to the server is established
and the welcome screen is displayed . The
user can easily navigate back or front
without previous knowledge of the mode
of operation of the application . The
application is user friendly. The modular
approach of programming which is a
(
prominent feature of the modern system
of programming was applied.
module was designed as a deck of cards,
67
~Generic Device - . . .
Help
which can be activated at the different
menu as the user navigates through the
details system just like going from one web page
to the other, or from one site to the other.
This modular approach made the program
more interesting and it enhances easy
modification and debugging.
The restrictions of mobile devices
such as size of the display screen are
major issue in user interface design for
mobile phones. The screen display is
made as brief as possible for proper
paging. Scrolling is also possible to enable
user move the displayed information up or
down on the screen, one line at a time.
Each screen carries sufficient instructions
as to what operation is being performed at
any time the user selects a function. Users
can edit a wrongly typed text and can also
modify any default value set by the
Each application.
 68

5.0 CONCLUSION gateway IS required to fully deploy the

In this study, the authors have application on a web server. The
developed a mobile airline seat reser- developed system will assist the airline
vation system using the Wireless Markup customers and operators in providing cost-
Language (WML) as front-end, MySQL effective system that will make possible
4.0 database management system as back- bookings and seat reservation on real-
end and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) as time, irrespective of location of a user
the scripting. using a mobile phone.
The prototype application has been
tested locally (on a localhost computer)
using a mobile device emulator. A WAP

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 69

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