Keeping in touch with future travel
International airports of the future could see passengers touch nothing with their hands bar their bags and mobile phones as they make their way to the aircraft, an aviation strategy firm says.
As airports internationally ramp up health and safety measures in response to Covid-19, travellers may upload their passport information via app before arrival, check in and drop off their bags at touchless stations, and have their vital signs measured at voiceoperated kiosks, global aviation consultancy SimpliFlying says in a June report.
Designed as a blueprint for airlines and airports looking to ramp up health and safety measures as a result of Covid-19, The Rise of Touchless Travel report touches on new technologies both already in place at airports and still in the development phase.
‘‘We’re working with innovators to bring their solutions to aviation by guiding them through the complexities of the industry and helping them pilot at leading airlines and airports,’’ said Shashank Nigam, CEO of SimpliFlying, which has worked with more than 100 airlines and airports over the past 12 years.
‘‘As a result, our latest report isn’t a series of predictions. Rather, it’s a blueprint of what airlines and airports need to do now, with most of the technology listed being either already ready or very close to going live.’’
A new app developed by airport technology firm Elenium Automation and Etihad Airways enables passengers to ‘‘enrol’’ for their flights by uploading the information on their biometric passports, eliminating the need for airline staff to check passports and visas in person. Travellers could also use the app to upload an electronic health certificate or Covid-19 test result.
Meanwhile, voice-operated kiosks being piloted at Abu Dhabi Airport test check passengers’ body temperature and heart and respiratory rates before they head to security, connecting them with a doctor via video conference if necessary.
Dropping your bag off could also become an entirely touchless process thanks to biometric technology.
High-tech bag and body scanners, meanwhile, could enable passengers to keep their large electronic devices and liquids inside their carry-on luggage as they pass through security, reducing queueing times.
Biometric technology could also make for touchless and faster boarding. Airlines would send passengers individual notifications when it is their turn to board and they could scan their own passports and boarding passes.
‘‘Always-open gates provide a rapid and secure boarding process using biometric boarding passes and pre-validated passport checks via a smartphone app,’’ the report says. ‘‘Passengers without a smartphone, a dead battery, or no connectivity can use touchless kiosks with biometric recognition before boarding through the gate.’’
Airport users may also be able to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and hand sanitiser at vending machines.
Touchless food and drink vending machines controlled by an app could also be installed.
The touchless airport shopping experience, meanwhile, could see the introduction of ‘‘virtual shopping walls’’.
‘‘Virtual shopping walls allowing Amazon Go-like purchases cater especially to passengers in a rush, but can also provide a personalised shopping experience and ship directly to your hotel or home, all without needing to scan your boarding pass as it will use biometrics to recognise you.’’
On board, the seatback pocket could also go digital, displaying
safety card information, menus and in-flight magazine content as well as movies and TV shows on a screen controlled by your own device.
Post-flight queues at customs could also become a thing of the past with travellers able to submit passport details and customs declaration forms before landing using their mobiles.
While all this may sound quite complex, Elenium Automation CEO Aaron Hornlimann says these touchless technologies should fast-track the passenger journey.
‘‘We started by building kiosks, bag drops, and boarding gates and trying to make them as quick as possible with the whole idea that somebody checks-in in five seconds, drops off their bag in five seconds, and boards in five seconds.’’
With many of the technologies in the concept or development phase before the Covid-19 outbreak, Nigam believes the touchless airport experience will also be fast-tracked.