Mobiata introduces mobile app that mimics airport flight boards

Posted on Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 12:10 p.m.

Mobiata introduces mobile app that mimics airport flight boards

By Nathan Bomey

Ann Arbor software startup Mobiata is introducing a new mobile application that allows travelers to instantly view the flight boards at 4,000 airports and 1,400 airlines throughout the world.

Mobiata said the new application, called FlightBoard, costs $3.99 and is available starting today on Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The company expects to develop the app for other mobile devices, as well.

Mobiata's new FlightBoard application gives users the ability to view airport boards.

Photo courtesy of Mobiata

“Our new FlightBoard app transforms your iPhone or iPad into an arrivals/departures board,” Mobiata CEO Ben Kazez said in a statement. “Based on the beautifully designed airport board at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, FlightBoard brings the romance of travel to everyone, from the armchair traveler to the frequent flyer, with real-time information.”

Mobiata, the region’s largest company focusing exclusively on mobile software, recently signed a lease for office space on the second floor of Ann Arbor shopping corridor Nickels Arcade. The firm, moved from Minnesota to Ann Arbor in early 2009, expects to have nearly 20 employees by the end of the year, though some are located outside of Michigan.

The firm’s popular FlightTrack application, which allows travelers to keep tabs on flight status, helped the firm top $1 million in 2009.

Kazez, who founded the company, was recently nominated as one of Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s top 25 “best young entrepreneurs” of the year.

Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.

Comments

Macabre Sunset

Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 4:15 p.m.

Just like going to a football game and using your phone to find out the score rather than looking up at the scoreboard. How cool.

Marvin Face

Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 1:16 p.m.

I'll use this app for a while and check the flight boards at a few airports at the same time to check how "up to date" it really is. Many times there are last-minute gate changes that show up on airport boards instantly but don't show up on websites for an hour or more. If it updates instantly or at least within minutes, I'm in.

Nathan Bomey

Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 11:58 a.m.

This just occurred to me: This app essentially eliminates the need to hunt for a flight board at an airport.