SPECIAL REPORT: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Track and trace Location intelligence can redefine passenger journeys in today’s COVID-19 world, writes Esri’s global transportation industry director, Terry Bills.
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ir travel in the best of times has always had its unique challenges, stresses and unknowns for both the occasional as well as the business traveller. Between guessing the travel time to the airport, finding parking and clearing long security lines, there was seldom time for that relaxed cup of coffee before boarding your flight. And then COVID hit, and air traffic in essence collapsed worldwide. US air travel at the bottom declined by 95%, while passenger traffic in Europe declined by 90% to 97% depending on the country. Thankfully, things have improved since the dark days of March and April, but while passenger numbers are slowly returning, it is clear that a full recovery will be long and painful for most airports around the world. Against that backdrop, there are a number of actions that airports can take that will not only reassure passengers of the safety of returning to the airport, but also ensure a safer and more efficient passenger journey once at the airport. Indeed, by leveraging the power of location intelligence, airports can make air travel safer, and more secure in the context of the COVID pandemic. We divide these actions into three different areas: two of which are focused on changes to the passenger journey, and one which is focused on changes to the airport’s daily operations. It is likely that some of these changes will become permanent, as air travel is forever changed by the impact of COVID.
Pre-flight Passengers’ concerns and expectations have changed considerably during COVID: health and safety are top of mind, and airports need to find new ways of communicating and engaging with their customers. In this regards, ACI-North America recommends focusing on the essentials of ‘Health, Safety, Kindness, and Connection’. The airport experience will be different, and passengers will need to know what to expect when they arrive and be reassured that their health and safety are the airport’s top priority. And here airports will need to find more effective ways of communicating that message to their passengers. One way that could be particularly powerful is through the use of an ArcGIS Story Map.
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AIRPORT WORLD/ISSUE 6, 2020
A Story Map is designed to create a digital narrative that walks the reader through a scripted story – to communicate what the airport is doing with respect to cleanliness, and what has changed in terms of their journey through the airport. Simple pictures, visuals and maps of the airport can let the passenger know ahead of time what is different, and what they should expect. Secondly, passengers would like more information to plan their journey to the airport, and to make sure they arrive will all the relevant information they need to successfully navigate to their gate. In this regard, the opportunity is ripe for airports to design the next generation of airport mobile application. Personalised information such as current travel time to the airport from their home, updated parking information (and reservations), linking of passenger boarding passes to the airport app to facilitate greater contactless processing, information on security clearance times, all updated in real-time, so the passenger has the best information to plan their trip to the airport. In addition, the airport is able to recognise when the passenger has arrived at the airport, to help more effectively guide them through the airport process. Offering incentives such as the ability to pre-order food and drinks and discounts on airport shopping could act as an incentive to passengers to download the airport app, which in turn, will help further the goal of a contactless experience. Taken together, these actions are designed to create a more intimate form of engagement with the passenger, and greater confidence and brand loyalty.
