Travel passenger check-in

1. A computer-implemented method of guiding a user through a travel check-in procedure, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computer system, passenger identification information associated with a passenger checking in for a travel segment and travel provider information identifying a travel provider associated with the travel segment;

receiving, at the computer system, a travel provider formatted check-in status associated with the passenger;

converting the travel provider formatted check-in status to provide a check-in status of the passenger, the check-in status indicating one or more of whether the passenger has already selected a seat assignment online and whether the passenger has already checked bags;

selecting, from among multiple travel provider-specific rule sets that are stored for multiple different travel providers by the computer system, a set of rules that is specific to the identified travel provider;

dynamically generating, at the computer system, a check-in workflow that is tailored to the passenger and the check-in status of the passenger, using the selected set of rules that is specific to the identified travel provider;

providing for display on a user interface a current step in the check-in workflow, the current step corresponding to a current action in the check-in workflow to be completed by a user; and

upon request of the user to continue to a next step in the workflow, providing for display on the user interface the next step in the check-in workflow, the next step corresponding to a next action in the check-in workflow to be completed by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically generating the check-in workflow comprises determining one or more check-in steps to be completed by the user to check in the passenger, wherein two more different passengers are associated with different check-in steps.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein dynamically generating the check-in workflow further comprises determining an order of the one or more check-in steps, wherein two or more different passengers are associated with different check-in step orders.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, upon receiving input from the user that affects the check-in workflow, updating the dynamically generated check-in workflow.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the check-in workflow is affected if a state parameter corresponding to any step in the check-in workflow is modified.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically generating a check-in workflow comprises querying a check-in workflow rules engine using the check-in status of the passenger.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing for display on the user interface an indicator relating to whether a step in the check-in workflow is a required step.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing for display on the user interface an indicator relating to whether a step in the check-in workflow has been completed.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, upon request of a user to continue to a step in the workflow that is not the next step, providing for display on the user interface the requested step in the check-in workflow.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically generating a check-in workflow is also based on physical conditions at a check-in terminal at a time when the passenger is checking in.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically generating a check-in workflow is also based on preferences of the passenger that is checking in.

12. A computer-implemented passenger check-in system, comprising:

one or more computers having

an interface for a check-in workflow generation system configured to receive a travel provider formatted check-in status related to a passenger checking in to a travel segment and travel provider information identifying a travel provider associated with the travel segment;

a converter configured to convert the travel provider formatted check-in status to provide a check-in status of the passenger, the check-in status indicating one or more of whether the passenger has already selected a seat assignment online and whether the passenger has already checked bags;

a provider rules database storing multiple travel provider-specific rule sets for multiple different travel providers;

a check-in workflow engine configured to select a set of rules that is specific to the travel provider, and dynamically generate a check-in workflow that is tailored to the passenger and the check-in status of the passenger, using the selected set of rules that is specific to the travel provider; and

a display device configured to display a user interface showing a current step in the check-in workflow, the current step corresponding to a current action in the check-in workflow to be completed by a user, and upon request of the user to continue to a next step in the workflow, to display a user interface showing the next step in the check-in workflow, the next step corresponding to a next action in the check-in workflow to be completed by the user.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the check-in workflow engine is further configured to update the dynamically generated check-in workflow upon receiving input from the user that affects the check-in workflow.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the check-in workflow is affected if a state parameter corresponding to any step in the check-in workflow is modified.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the dynamic generation of the check-in workflow is also based on physical conditions at a check-in terminal at a time when the passenger is checking in.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the generation of the check-in workflow is also based on preferences of the passenger checking in.

17. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform operations for guiding a user through a travel check-in procedure, the operations comprising:

receiving, at a computer system, passenger identification information associated with a passenger checking in for a travel segment and travel provider information identifying a travel provider associated with the travel segment;

receiving, at the computer system, a travel provider formatted check-in status associated with the passenger;

converting the travel provider formatted check-in status to provide a check-in status of the passenger, the check-in status indicating one or more of whether the passenger has already selected a seat assignment online and whether the passenger has already checked bags;

selecting, from among multiple travel provider-specific rule sets that are stored for multiple different travel providers, a set of rules that is specific to the identified travel provider;

dynamically generating a check-in workflow that is tailored to the passenger and the check-in status of the passenger, using the selected set of rules that is specific to the identified travel provider;

providing for display on a user interface a current step in the check-in workflow, the current step corresponding to a current action in the check-in workflow to be completed by a user; and

upon request of the user to continue to a next step in the workflow, providing for display on the user interface the next step in the check-in workflow, the next step corresponding to a next action in the check-in workflow to be completed by the user.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein generating the check-in workflow comprises determining one or more check-in steps to be completed by the user to check in the passenger, wherein two or more different passengers are associated with different check-in steps.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein generating the check-in workflow further comprises determining an order of the one or more check-in steps wherein two or more different passengers are associated with different check-in step orders.