How is automated boarding improving the travel experience of air passengers?

When a passenger is about to travel by air, they have to go through the boarding process. Boarding consumes a lot of time, which is quite frustrating for the passenger. The process starts with check-in and collection of the boarding pass. Then, the passenger has to go through security checks. Finally, they arrive at the respective gates. Automation boarding solution is changing the way passengers are handled. It is improving the experience of passengers at airports.

Identification of passengers is easy.

Identifying the passenger using the documents can be a time-taking exercise. It generally involves showing documents like a government ID, passport or driving license. Biometric identification is now being used at many airports. With this, there is no need to carry a document physically., fingerprints and iris scanning are being used worldwide for identification.

• Facial recognition

The picture of the passenger is clicked, and it is matched with photos in the passenger database for identification.

• Fingerprints and Iris Scanning

Scanning of fingerprints and irises can make boarding passes and ID documents redundant. Many airports are using software for this. An advanced fingerprint scanning system has been installed in Bengaluru also. The system uses an Aadhaar ID number, which contains fingerprint scans, to confirm the passenger's identity.

Online Check-Ins facilitated by IT suppliers.

Solutions have been developed for online check-in. Amadeus, SITA and NEC are the major IT suppliers who have developed solutions for online check-in. With the help of the automated boarding solution, the passenger will get the boarding pass on their mobile phone. This will cut down the waiting time for the passenger who may have arrived late. There are many options available for airlines when they avail of these solutions. Airlines can facilitate check-in for the passenger through an App or Website.

Automated Passport Control

Identification of passengers during international flights is also possible with the help of solutions provided by technical vendors like NEC. The automated passport control system is similar to the check-in software. A passenger can complete identification at a kiosk and show the confirmation receipt to officers in a fast-track lane.

Benefits to be availed with the help of automation

The many benefits of an automated boarding solution include reduced time needed to board an aircraft. The benefits of automated boarding can be enumerated as follows.

• Easy access to the flight

Security checks will not require the passenger to show a physical ID document and boarding pass. The boarding pass downloaded on the mobile will be enough.

• Airlines can avoid excessive tarmac fees.

If too much time is consumed in boarding, it may result in tarmac delays. Tarmac delays can result in fees levied by the airport operator on the airline.

• No regulatory fines

Flight take-off may also get delayed due to longer boarding times. In that case, the aviation regulator will likely impose fines on the airline.

• Hygienic travel

Automated boarding means less contact between the passenger and the ground agents. There are no long queues during security checks and at boarding gates making the travel more hygienic.

• Fewer ground agents required

Automated boarding reduces the hassles not only for passengers. Even the efforts made on the part of ground agents are less. Fewer ground agents will be required to perform the job of boarding the passengers.

The loyalty of the passengers towards an airline

Seamless boarding will add to the experience of the passengers. Needless to say, if the airlines opt for IT suppliers for solutions that efficiently automate boarding will enjoy loyal customers. The profit margins of the airlines depend on loyal passengers who choose them for their travel.

Digitalization is the future of air travel.

With most of the services banking on digital solutions, the digitalization of air travel is also expected. Digital-driven self-services at the airport are making travel more comfortable. Automated boarding is also part of this. With less personnel required in it, airlines, along with airport operators, are going to draw benefits from it.

Conclusion

The travel experience of passengers can be made better with automated boarding. Passengers feel more in control when the process of boarding is automated. They are not worried about misplacing their boarding pass or ID documents. All the stakeholders in aviation, including airlines and airport operators, stand to benefit because of automated boarding.

Nec is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies and brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to provide solutions for empowering people, businesses and society.