Randy Pizzi considers the benefits and drawbacks of self-service check-in technology at airports.

Airports and airlines are constantly finding ways to streamline passenger check-in processes, leveraging on technology, industry initiatives and improving their own operational processes.

Among them, self-service has emerged as one of the more compelling facilitators for check-in to help speed up passenger processing times.

These kiosks have also allowed airports to increase their passenger processing capacity without having to add significant terminal space, and at the same time offer passengers an alternative check-in option.

Studies have also shown that passengers are responsive to the use of self-service for check-in.

A recent survey conducted in March 2009 by Buzzback Market Research revealed that up to 90% of check-ins are processed through self-service mode, and 82% of respondents indicate that they prefer to interact via kiosk, online and mobile self-service channels.

Besides the usual check-in and printing of boarding pass features, the research has also shown that passengers would prefer the ability to do more at airport kiosks, including upgrading their flights or making seat changes, check into their hotels or make changes to in-flight meals.

Las Vegas–McCarran and Vancouver airports are prime examples of the successful deployment of self-service check-in kiosks, both clearly demonstrating how it has improved passenger processing times and convenience.

However, there are certain considerations moving forward.

With the growing ability to conduct web-based check-in at the comfort of the passenger’s home or office, travellers are turning to the Internet for advanced check-in rather then utilising self-service kiosks at airports.

Indeed, the web is fast becoming the preferred check-in option for passengers, rather than self-service kiosks at airports.

Internet technology has also lower development and operating costs, and the ease in which websites can be updated to accommodate new product features also make it a popular check-in option with the airlines.

Advancements in telecommunication technologies is also making it increasingly easy for passengers to use their mobile phones to check-in remotely and, at certain gateways, complete the entire boarding process using just their phones.

Some people have also been put off using self-service technology at airports by the adverse publicity that surrounded last year’s discovery that fraudsters had stolen the credit card details of passengers using the kiosks at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

There is certainly no denying that the incident – which, thankfully, has proved to be a one-off and was resolved last year – dented airline, airport and passenger confidence in self-service kiosks.

In terms of the possible negatives of adopting self-service checkin technology, it has to be admitted that like all IT systems there is also the possibility that the servers processing information generated by check-in systems may malfunction or encounter technical difficulties.

The end result of such a malfunction may, of course, be longer check-in processes, leading to unhappy passengers.

In fact, the new generation of self-service kiosks may become more of a burden than a relief to the aviation industry if such issues are not addressed during the planning phases.

The lack of the ‘human touch’ during transactions or not knowing how to use the technology would, however, appear to be the main reasons behind why a passenger may snub the opportunity to use an airport’s self-service machines.

Not knowing how to operate them is certainly responsible for a lot of frustration among passengers.

As we all know, what may seem like child’s play to one passenger may prove to be complicated to another, and it is quite possible that passengers who are not technologically savvy may not even be aware of what self-service kiosks can do for them.

Despite the temptation to reduce manpower as a result of the implementation of the kiosks, airlines need to ensure that they have sufficient customer service staff on hand to help these passengers and encourage them to use the self-service technology to reduce the queues at traditional check-in desks and improve the flow of passengers through the terminal building.

Hence, the implementation of self-service devices alone is not a panacea for smoother passenger processing at the airport.

The other factors that must be taken into consideration include passenger flow design, awareness, assistance, security and location.

Facilities such as common bag drops will also be essential so that passengers do not have to return to the check-in counter to process their luggage.

Future technology (2D barcodes, for example) will also have to be considered to assess its suitability in addressing existing issues such as security, speed of processing and conforming to industry standards from a cost and implementation timeframe perspectives.

The kiosk design also contributes to the overall passenger experience and understanding of how to use it.

User-friendly screens, interactive demonstrations or step-by-step instructions featured on the kiosks are also essential to ensure a smooth check-in process.

These visual aids can show passengers which stage during the process they should scan their boarding passes or insert their credit cards, for instance.

Therefore, airlines and airports have to work closely together to keep themselves updated with the latest industry standards and available technology.

Steps to educate the usage of the kiosks, as well as the understanding of the science and security features behind them, are also crucial in building passengers’ trust in these machines.

Tokyo–Narita International Airport is one proven example of how self-service technology can enhance the manual check-in process, with it having deployed over 300 Common Use Self-service (CUSS) kiosks across the north and south wings of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 since October 2002.

The huge assortment of machines ensures that the airport is the region’s largest CUSS site.

Its kiosks have the capability to print thermal receipts, read passports, support 2D barcode reading and accommodate future applications such as identity card recognition or other airline functions when required.

This has helped the airport process greater volumes of passengers more efficiently within their existing airport infrastructure.

Airlines are able to use shared resources, retain application control and reduce operational costs while increasing business efficiency.

In-depth training has been provided to ensure that all administrators, end users and customer service personnel understand the usability of the kiosks.

Customer service personnel are also stationed near the machines to help customers who require assistance with the machines; this move not only aids the passengers to understand how the technology can help them but also encourages future use of the kiosks.

The airport also encourages frequent utilisation of the kiosks at both terminals.

Certain airlines require passengers to only check-in using kiosks, with counters serving to receive and tag baggage, while others offer full counter check-in services in addition to the kiosks.

This encourages the habit of using the kiosks as an alternative check-in process, resulting in high kiosk usage at Narita.

To ensure that the kiosks are well maintained, on-site administrator and hardware maintenance staff are on standby to provide technical support.

Regular site visits and checks are also made to ensure that the kiosks are functioning well.

There is simply no denying the fact that introducing self-service technology to automate and subsequently transform the check-in process at airports can be a long and complicated process as the deployment of the equipment is still in its early stages.

However, with the right tools and strategies in place, airports will be successful in delivering the next generation of self-service devices that streamline processes, increase customer satisfaction and at the same time deliver rich interactive and secure end-user experience.

Asia-Pacific Airports 2009 Issue 4

IT innovation will fuel the growth of China’s booming aviation sector, writes Sue Carter.

The development or expansion of any new airport presents a unique challenge from an information technology (IT) perspective, as on a daily basis, a typical airport’s infrastructure must support hundreds of systems and business processes.

These processes may include passenger and baggage handling, security management and air-traffic control, among many others.

Generally all of these processes must be handled in real-time with little margin for error.

Demand for air travel within China has seen passenger figures double since 2000.

Such has been the rise in demand that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) estimates that the country’s airports could be processing up to 1.4 billion passengers and 30 million tonnes of cargo by 2020.

To cope with this increased demand China’s aviation sector has initiated one of the largest development projects the world has seen.

In preparation, China’s existing 147 commercial airports will undergo upgrades and expansions and will be joined by as many as 50 new airports (some of which have already been constructed).

The size and complexity of China’s airports will naturally differ, depending on the volume of traffic each handles.

However, they will all need to apply scalable IT solutions and platforms to ensure that they are ready for today’s travellers, as well as the increased volume of travellers predicted for the future.

An estimated $340 billion is to be spent on 3,400 new aircraft, 1,400 of which will be ‘jumbo-jet’ sized or larger over the next two decades, according to Chinese newspaper reports.

Among the airlines acquiring new aircraft is Shanghai Airlines, which in August took delivery of the first of 10 A321s ordered in 2006 and 2007.

But Airbus and Boeing are not expected to have it all their own way, as China’s confidence in its ability to build its own homemade jumbo jet, the C919, recently led to a model of the aircraft making its international debut at the Asian Aerospace Expo and Congress 2009 in Hong Kong.

Lateral thinking
Opening a new airport – or indeed re-developing an existing one – is a challenging balancing act of physical and technological requirements to synchronise operations.

Developers also need to choose whether IT integration is managed as part of the overall business objectives via a master systems integrator, or is managed by a discreet contract supplier.

Building or upgrading an airport requires an holistic approach.

Unisys has been involved in the development of two of Mainland China’s central aviation hubs – Beijing Capital International Airport and the new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

Each project or development was unique and required tailored IT solutions.

Unisys used its 3D Blueprinting framework to align the overall business strategy and vision with the supporting business processes, IT applications and infrastructure so that all facets of the development were synchronised.

A truly holistic approach to IT integration is one that links all four layers to deliver a successful outcome.

There is greater opportunity for this approach when in the role of master systems integrator.

As a systems integrator, Unisys also used a joint responsibility matrix to identify how various systems and processes interrelate and impact each other in order to manage the progress and timing between each contractor and sub-contractor.

In 2004, Beijing Capital partnered with Unisys in the development of its third terminal (Terminal 3).

The giant new terminal was designed to process the massive influx of passengers expected to arrive for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

In just 30 months from contract to completion the volume and complexity of traffic that the airport could handle was dramatically increased as a result of the airport’s physical and IT infrastructure.

Ultimately, Beijing Capital was able to process more than 1,340 flights a day throughout the Games whilst improving the overall operational efficiency of the airport.

The development of Beijing Capital International Airport was driven by the looming deadline of the Olympics, but also needed to accommodate the forecast increase in air travel demand with 76 million passengers and 580,000 flights per annum expected to be passing through the gateway by 2015.

The future of China’s rapidly growing travel industry will continue to be characterised by passenger and cargo peaks driven by high profile and large-scale events such as the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

This demand has prompted a race for airports and airlines to secure their share of an emerging market of leisure and business air travellers.

Construction and expansion projects like Beijing Capital are occurring throughout China.

The goal is to develop airports with the IT infrastructure and flexibility to rapidly meet changing demands in logistics, passenger services and other mission-critical applications.

Daily planning for airports requires central airport databases that are capable of using mission-critical passenger and logistics solutions.

These solutions are required to generate flight schedules, display seat availability, manage flight inventory, record passenger bookings and handle passenger check-in and departure.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, for example, operates on the Unisys Central Integrated Information Management System (CIIMS) and Airport Operations Management Solution (a high volume database). The database constantly receives flight-related data from airlines, handling agents and air-traffic control to provide airport staff, government agencies and the general public with real-time information.

Similarly, middleware systems were also applied to integrate other disparate airport systems with the CIIMS, such as the flight information display system, departure control system, baggage handling system, and building management system.

Passenger focus
Whilst future demand for air travel in China is undeniable, it is still anticipated that competition among airports and carriers will be strong.

There is certainly no denying that increasing competition today has sparked a growing awareness of the needs of passengers. The aviation sector in China has suddenly become aware of passengers and, in particular, how they are handled and their overall experience in the airport and the aircraft.

While airports have traditionally focused on baggage handling, there is now a far greater emphasis on how the travellers themselves are processed. Each airport will have the challenge of balancing business efficiencies, risk mitigation, customer
satisfaction and patronage.

To achieve these aims, each airport will need to rely on its IT systems and infrastructure to deliver an exceptional customer experience complete with real-time information (flight arrivals and departures, baggage and freight tracking); fast and seamless connections for baggage and freight; robust safety and security; and the integration of business processes that enable the free-flow of information between airport systems and stakeholders (airlines and airport retailers, for example).

This ultimately means a greater amount of interaction between airlines and airports. For instance, larger aircraft like the doubledecker A380 can deliver a huge number of passengers to an airport at a single time, instantly creating a processing challenge.

To process passengers efficiently and effectively, without jeopardising security standards, requires innovative solutions.

Traditional airport ‘choke points’ like customs and security checks are prompting the development of integrated applications that capture more detail for faster processing upon arrival and departure.

Airlines and airports are also improving the customer experience by using technology to streamline check-in systems such as online check-in, kiosk processing and even barcodes that can be sent directly to a customer’s mobile phone to be scanned at the departure gate.

The development of any airport is more than just a series of terminals, waiting lounges and check-in desks.

China’s growing aviation sector is prompting a new wave of innovations and opportunities. Each airport will rely on its IT infrastructure to support its commercial and industrial offering as an ‘airport city’ with opportunities for ancillary revenue in retail and real estate development.

Technology is enabling ancillary transactions to occur prior to stepping onto a plane. Integrated and Internet-enabled systems within the airport can allow passengers to choose products and services they wish to purchase before they get on the plane.

In the future, almost every transaction and process that occurs within an airport will rely (in some way) on its underlying IT infrastructure. IT innovation is unlocking China’s skies and inspiring a new era of travel in the Asia-Pacific region.

Asia-Pacific Airports 2009 Issue 4

Jim Martin considers what service-enhancing passenger handling and security technologies airports will be investing in this year.

With the outlook appearing a little brighter this year, following several months of modest traffic growth, it is likely that airports will continue to strive to improve their passenger and security systems to ensure that they are equipped to meet future demand.

In terms of passenger technology drivers for 2010, airport operators will continue to improve capacity, while taking into consideration ways to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction in the coming years.

These movers are driven by the changing dynamics of the airport business, where operators have to start looking at their premises as a commercial entity competing for investor and tourist dollars.

Operators will look at enhancing airport capacity by adopting new passenger processing and baggage systems such as self-service check-in kiosks and off airport baggage drop points.

These will also reduce costs in terms of deploying fewer personnel to oversee airport operations.

Airport operators will also have to cater to the new breed of passenger, who will expect to be ‘connected’ at all times within the airport.

This will result in operators working closely with IT vendors to evaluate new technologies at their airports.

In terms of security technology drivers for 2010, enhancing airport security, as we all know, has taken on a new meaning following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

And the gradual awareness that business must move in tandem with security has prompted airport operators to implement new technologies such as Electronic Borders, baggage screening, passenger reconciliation systems (PRS) and cargo security, while boosting its conventional security equipment such as close circuit televisions.

These do not come without challenges, however, as operators will need to ensure that the technology is able to keep up with threat sophistication and be interoperable across multiple airports.


Current trends

The aviation industry has gone through many changes over the last decade.

The emergence of low-cost carriers, and the Asia-Pacific region’s prominence in hosting world-class events have brought about an unprecedented rise in air travellers.

Over the past decade, the region hosted the 2002 soccer world cup in Japan and South Korea, the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and soon – the Shanghai World Expo this year.

Concurrently, low-cost carriers such as AirAsia and Tiger Airways have started providing cheaper air travel for the mass market.

This has resulted in airports placing focus on improving security and deploying predeparture passenger screening systems to help identify potential threats.

In some countries, Advanced Passenger Information must be supplied during check-in or passengers will be unable to fly.

Advanced Passenger Information Systems (APIS) will increasingly be adopted by government agencies around the world because it provides pre-arrival and pre-departure manifest data on all passengers and crew, improving border security.


New airport technologies for 2010

The prime drivers of new airport technologies are twofold: lowering costs from all aspects of the business, and meeting the needs of the new and sophisticated air traveller.

Mobile applications will feature very prominently in some of the key technologies this year.

The convergence between mobile devices and passenger processing systems has become closer with technological advancement.

To explore this further, mobile devices are expected to become a focal point for passengers where they can purchase airline tickets, check-in and board an aircraft. When this becomes more popular amongst airlines and passengers, the use of paper boarding passes may eventually be phased out.

The advantages of mobile check-in are numerous; passengers will have better control of their flight itinerary while airports will be able to process passengers more efficiently.

Remote check-in is also gaining popularity with Asia-Pacific airports.

Operators see value in enabling passengers to check-in from offsite locations such as airport hotels and convention centres.

This will help to alleviate congestion at the airports and provide a new level of convenience for passengers.

A good example of this is Hong Kong’s downtown check-in service, available free for passengers travelling on many major airlines.

Finally, we will see more airports and airlines supporting the new Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS) platform.

CUPPS technology is expected to provide savings for the aviation industry by introducing a uniform electronic interface for passenger applications.

It will give software developers at all airlines a common set of specifications, eliminating costly custom engineering and making passenger applications fully portable between airports.


New airport security technologies for 2010

Aviation security practices such as APIS and Passenger Name Recording (PNR) are becoming standard procedures in many countries.

With the implementation of APIS technology, airport security and immigration can perform enforcement and security checks on passengers against the databases of various law enforcement agencies before they arrive and depart.

These databases include those of the police, immigration, and customs and excise departments.

The technology will also help the airlines weed out unwanted individuals before they board the aircraft, which will eleviate the threat that they could pose on an aircraft and other passengers.

Meanwhile, ARINC’s PNR technology will enable governments to access data contained in a customs and excise or immigration automated reservation and departure control systems.

Airport operators will also need to focus on enhancing cargo security in their respective airports, given its importance as an economic contributor.

Korean immigration, customs and airport operators such as Incheon International Airport have adopted the APIS and PNR systems to prevent unwanted passengers from illegally entering and departing the country.

PRS will also feature prominently as an upcoming airport security technology.

PRS enhances passenger security checks, given that technology has enabled passengers to check-in via different modes (from home or mobile phone, for example), which may lead to the creation of fraudulent boarding passes.

PRS systems verify the authenticity and validity of boarding passes in real time with the airline database.

Singapore Changi is the first airport in the world to implement PRS at both Terminals 1 and 2 using ARINC’s VeriPax system, which is IATA’s preferred method of boarding pass validation in accordance with its Bar Coded Boarding Passes (BCBP) standards.

Other airport security technologies, like full-body scans and passenger profiling, are being developed and trialled for future implementation.

However, its success will be dependant in part on passenger privacy issues that need to be addressed.


How can today’s technology help?

The general consensus is that technology has been an enabler for airport operators to achieve cost savings and provide for a more pleasant travel experience for passengers.

However, while the focus of this article has been on the importance of technology, we should not forget the importance of making it inter-operable among countries, and having a uniformed regulatory structure to combat issues such as aviation security.

A good example of this is the implementation of APIS and PNR, which has still not achieved a 100% consensus among countries due to privacy and other issues.

This must be resolved in order for the airport and aviation community to progress.

What criteria should stakeholders consider when investing in new technology? The article has touched on new technologies such as mobile passenger applications, PRS, APIS and PNR, and the essence of these new systems is to help bring costs down for airports and airlines, while providing a higher level of convenience and security to the ever-demanding passenger.

Cost will be an important factor as airports transform into commercial entities over the next few years.

As airport operators view their companies as a business, it will be natural for them to evaluate and implement the latest technologies at the best possible price.

Other factors that also need to be considered include system maintenance, scalability and personnel training to ensure that systems implemented run smoothly and provide maximum returns on investments.


Conclusion

At ARINC, we believe that cost reduction and providing new services to enhance passenger satisfaction will be a major driving force in the investment patterns of airport operators.

In a space that is becoming increasingly competitive, airport operators and IT providers will have to work together to reap the most benefits from technology to provide the best value for investors, customers and passengers.

Asia-Pacific Airports 2011 Issue 2