AirAsia hopes airports will emulate Changi’s T4 digitalisation
SINGAPORE: AirAsiaBhdhopes other airports will emulate Singapore’s Changi Airport fully-automated Terminal 4 (T4) in enhancing the passenger experience, its group chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said.
He said AirAsia had moved its Singapore operations to Changi’s T4 from Terminal 1 on Nov 7, and planned to use data from its operations at the new terminal to improve low-cost carriers (LCCs) airport processes through greater digitalisation, with lessons from its experience at T4 to be rolled out across the AirAsia Group.
“Moving to T4 is another step in our journey to become a digital airline. We have already embarked on a series of measures to make our pre-flight, inflight and post-flight experiences better and more enjoyable for our guests,” he told reporters after unveiling the airline’s digitalisation plan at the Changi Airport T4 today.
He said the measures included the introduction of its “Amazon of the Skies” online marketplace, Travel3Sixtyon-groundactivities, BigPay payment portal and BIG loyalty programme.
AirAsia also planned to work with United States-based software company Palantir to develop a secure entry system to speed up immigration process for trusted travellers at airports within Asean through collaborations with airports and government agencies.
It also aimed to improve operational,safetyandcommercial processes within the group by integrating data from multiple sources using the Skywise data platform by Airbus.
Meanwhile, Fernandes said the improved savings and efficiency from the implementation of the Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) system perfectly aligned with AirAsia’s quest to maintain its lowest-cost structure and vision for seamless travel.
“Thiscouldonlyhappenbecause the Changi Airport Group (CAG) understands how LCCs work and know the value LCCs bring to the airport and the wider economy.
“More importantly, CAG treats us like partners and is always looking for a win-win solution that benefits everyone.
“FAST is fast and it is the future, and we could not be more pleased to work with a worldclass airport operator like CAG who understands the power of going digital to take the airport experience to the next level,” he said.
The new state-of-the-art, fullyautomated terminal featured automated check-in kiosks where travellers could retrieve flight bookings and print boarding passes and bag tags.
It also featured automated bag drops, immigration clearance and boarding gates, all powered by facial recognition technology.
Inadditiontotheuserexperience and efficiencies, AirAsia said it would also benefit from the growth incentives for new passengers and new city links provided by CAG that would allow the airline to add more flights and introduce new routes and improve connectivity with Singapore.
Last year, LCCs accounted for slightly more than 30 per cent passenger traffic in Singapore, with AirAsia being its largest foreign airline group and the largest LCC in Changi T4.
Currently, Singapore is AirAsia’s third largest hub, with 40 flights daily and 280 flights weekly.
Moving to T4 is another step in our journey to become a digital airline. We have already embarked on a series of measures to make our pre-flight, inflight and post-flight experiences better and more enjoyable for our guests.