Left: In July, SITA partnered with NEC Corporation to combine SITA’s touchless technology solutions with NEC’s I:Delight facial recognition platform, allowing travelers to check-in, make payments, drop their bag, and pass through security, immigration and boarding by scanning their face at each step.
passenger’s identity to create a secure digital travel ID that can be used from the selfservice check-in to boarding, minimizing the need to touch any airport hardware.” Then there’s SITA Flex, which has been implemented at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and enables a full mobile and touchless passenger journey. “By allowing passengers to print bag tags directly from their mobile phones, this technology gives passengers control over their journey through the airport and creates a safe environment to restore their confidence in traveling following the pandemic.” In July, SITA partnered with NEC Corporation to combine SITA Smart Path and SITA Flex technology with NEC’s I:Delight identity management platform, which uses facial recognition to quickly identify passengers with a high degree of accuracy, even when they’re on the move. These platforms combined let travelers check-in, make payments, drop their bag, as well as pass through security, immigration and boarding by simply scanning their face at each step. TPA is also exploring more low-touch operations with the installation of electronic gates at the entrances of all four of its terminals. “These gates scan passengers’ boarding passes for entry into the terminal, replacing the previous process that required representatives to hand-scan each boarding pass. This new process reduces touch points, allows for social distancing and automates a previously manual process,” Valentine says.
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“The e-gates are still relatively new, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive so far. Passengers really appreciate anything we can do to automate and streamline their travel experience.” Contactless entry has been a key focus for Boingo Wireless. At Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Boingo’s secure wireless network supports the airport’s proprietary biometrics system to process touchless passenger boarding. And at LAX and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Boingo designed and manages the network that operates Clear’s pre-check kiosks for a frictionless, safer experience. “The way forward requires sharp focus on preventative measures and operational solutions, where technology is the common denominator for powering a touchless passenger journey,” says Danielle Aiello, vice president of account management for Boingo. In June, Denver International Airport (DEN) announced a strategic partnership with biometric technology company Daon to launch a multi-faceted pilot program using Daon’s IdentityX platform for digital onboarding and authentication. “Many travelers have concerns about being in densely populated areas where social distancing is a challenge, and having physical, high-touch interactions with airport employees and machines – in fact, according to a recent International Air Transport Association survey, 42 percent of travelers identified queuing as one of their top concerns, with
40 percent stating they would be willing to check-in online to minimize interactions at the airport,” notes Tom Grissen, CEO of Daon. “Daon’s IdentityX platform minimizes physical contact and congestion while maximizing speed and safety for both airport passengers and employees. Users control the entire experience on their own personal mobile device through our Glide app, leveraging digital tools like advance reservations and virtual queuing to avoid wait times and crowds.” In addition, the Glide app allows passengers to assert their health status via a questionnaire and test results, and order, pay and execute touchless in-person transactions throughout DEN’s stores and restaurants. At press time, the roll-out of this technology was well underway, with an official launch date set for early September. “The response to the ongoing roll-out has been exceedingly positive – DEN will be the first of many,” Grissen adds. “Reducing congestion and the need for physical contact has added importance in the current COVID-19 environment, but the underlying benefit – a faster, easier, more frictionless travel experience – is what travelers have been demanding for years.” Indeed, the technological advances airports are establishing in response to COVID-19 are likely to remain relevant even when the pandemic is over. “Similar to sustained changes to the travel industry after 9/11, the technology solutions and safety measures airports implement now are likely to become the industry standard for the future,” Aiello says. “Airports have and will continue to rise to the challenge through innovation and a resilient spirit. This latest challenge will serve to push the transportation industry forward into a whole new era of travel.”