HMSHost Looks to Test Smartphone Meal Order App for Airports

HMSHost hopes to test a new smart phone app based meal ordering system at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport this spring, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The app, which would be free, would allow passengers to order meals (and possibly even alcoholic beverages) even before going through security gates, pay for them with password-protected credit card data loaded into the app, and have it delivered to them at their departure gate.

There are two snags in the plan. One is HMSHost's contract extension, which the Metropolitan Airport Commission has yet to vote on, and the other is objections from Delta Airlines to the plan. Delta is the major carrier at the airport and has plans for its own meal delivery system.