Passenger convenience drives further innovation
LIA aims to ensure passengers are able to transfer from their car seat to their airplane seat as fast and as hassle-free as possible, according to Gavin Sayce, chief operating officer.
The message of making LIA passengers’ experience as easy and convenient as possible is driven by the CEO throughout the organisation to every employee, including check-in agents and baggage handlers.
LIA is utilising IT to enhance passengers’ airport experience. The airport commissioned the first scan-and-fly system in Africa to further improve passenger convenience.
The scan-and-fly system allows passengers to check themselves in, print out their own baggage labels and check in their own baggage without having to stand in a queue or speak to an agent.
“Scan-and-fly has been well received by the public and is the way of the future. Many of the airports around the world no longer have check-in agents; it is all self-service and the scanand-fly technology is essential to that process,” says Sayce.
“We have also installed a computerised baggage reconciliation system that has improved efficiencies for both passengers and airlines. The system allows for compliance with the International Air Transport Association directive that all baggage must be fully traceable throughout the entire system. Using the barcoding scanner we can identify where a passenger’s bag is in the system. This has helped with miscounts and more efficient baggage loading and unloading.”
Safety is another area of LIA’s operations that is continually developed and upgraded. The airport’s instrument landing system (ILS) was upgraded two years ago with the installation of a new ILS that conforms with all the parameters of a category one system allowing aircraft to log on to the ILS in bad weather and land on the runway guided by the system, which has increased the predictability of landing aircraft.
Sayce says LIA is aware of the necessity of making the entire flying experience pleasant from parking to ease of access to the airport terminal, checking in and relaxing before the flight.
“One of the ways we encourage passengers to relax is by offering them complimentary tea and coffee. We treat people as individuals and relate to each passenger one-on-one rather than as one of many nameless and faceless people using the facility. We are planning an extension and upgrade to the passenger terminal building to create more space and ensure we maintain our passenger comfort.”
Innovation, according to Sayce, is a vital element in LIA’s continuing development.
“Our intention is to become the number one smart airport in SA. We are constantly surveying airports globally in relation to new technology and smart airports. Smartphones are enabling rapid advances in airport self-service technology for passengers. We are looking at self-boarding models, which will improve efficiencies and the utilisation of space in the terminal building.
“We see innovation, together with technology, as one of LIA’s competitive advantages with a highly flexible and quick-toadapt management team.
“We are always looking at how we can differentiate ourselves in the market and technology is one of the ways in which we are able to set ourselves apart at the same time as improving our passenger’s experience of the airport,” says Sayce.
WE ARE PLANNING AN EXTENSION AND UPGRADE TO THE PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING TO CREATE MORE SPACE