According to the Global Business Travel Association
(GBTA), global business travel spending “is forecast to reach $1.6
trillion by 2020.” And even while a growing number of people pack their
bags for leisure and business, the experience of getting to their
destination - in particular, flying - remains largely unchanged.
Airports can be stressful and frustrating, with cumbersome security
checks, long queues, overcrowded lounges, and long waits.
Consumer experience in the travel industry has suffered, as airlines
have failed to achieve the required personalization. Even though it has
been a consistent aspiration of the travel industry, it has fallen short
when compared to say, retail. Could apps and the Internet of Things
(IoT) be the key to introducing this much needed personalization, and
reduce the stress of travel? The univocal answer is yes.
ChillTravel, a smart skin company that is set to launch soon, is
working in this direction. It has created a smart skin called ChillWrap
which allows users to wrap their luggage with ChillWrap, just as they
would do with plastic wrapping, and pair their baggage with their phone
using SITA WorldTracer. This enables users to know when their baggage is
being manhandled, is on the carousel, or even stolen. And with 1.5
million bags lost or stolen, 3.5 million bags damaged and 16.6 million
bags delayed each year, the potential for ChillWrap to play an
informative role for travelers is significant.
Even as travelers get a grip on their baggage, airports are getting
bigger, crowded, and confusing. SATS, the ground-handling and in-flight
catering service provider at one of the largest transportation hubs in
Southeast Asia, Singapore Changi Airport, recently launched an app that
allows users to navigate around key airports, not just in Singapore, but
in Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong as well. Passengers can access
real-time information on directions, insurance, and more while at the
airport.
Data from sensors at an airport can analyze the large number of
processes underway and improve them - right from check-in, baggage
movement, security, immigration, cabin conditions, arrivals, till
post-travel. And airline companies seem to agree on the potential of
data. According to the SITA 2015 Airline IT Trends Survey,
86% of airline companies believe IoT would provide “clear benefits over
the next three years.” It can definitely reduce human intervention in
repetitive tasks, simplify security, hasten passenger movement at
airports, and thus enhance customer delight.
For a schedule-driven location like an airport, IoT can make
processes - right from the time the passenger enters the airport to when
they depart from the destination airport - much smoother and
convenient. For instance, a passenger could receive a notification on
his or her smartphone or smart watch on directions to the check-in
lounge as soon as he or she enters the airport. Details about the weight
and cost of baggage could also be mailed over. Periodic updates could
be provided on the movement of his or her baggage and its location. The
passenger can also receive directions to the security check at the
airport, be informed over a voice alert on things that are allowed or
not allowed on the flight, specific products could be named if the
passenger has been found with them on a previous trip, and if there are
any changes in the airport rules. At security, the passenger could go
through a facial recognition scan and receive a notification when it has
been successfully cleared. If a concern is raised, the passenger could
receive a notification with the name of the personnel they will be
interacting with to resolve the issue. After security clearance, a voice
notification can guide the passenger to the boarding gate, inform on
the number of minutes left for boarding, and if the passenger is early,
advice on things that can be done. At the boarding gate, the passenger
can swipe smart watch or smartphone to allow the flight attendant to
immediately recognize the passenger by name and guide him or her to the
designated seat. Passengers could also receive updates in route about
the flight, arrival time, weather and time at destination and more. The
2017 SITA Passenger IT Trends Survey cites that passenger satisfaction
grew with the introduction of self-service technologies, such as
biometrics.
Besides keeping passengers informed, I see IoT and apps enabling
airport personnel to access extensive information as well, right from
updating the flight attendant on a check-in to enabling them to
personalize the inflight experience for passengers, manage baggage and
to continue interacting with passengers long after their flight.
by Mitrankur Majumdar
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