Future Travel Experience

New President & CEO of CATSA to present “Checkpoint of the Future” concepts at FTE 2012

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:51:41 +0000

Recently appointed President & CEO of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), Angus Watt, has been confirmed to speak at FTE 2012.

New President & CEO of Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), Angus Watt, to present “Checkpoint of the Future” concepts at FTE 2012.

We are delighted to announce that the recently appointed President & CEO of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), Angus Watt, will address delegates at Future Travel Experience 2012 at the Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, September 5-7.

Mr Watt will deliver a closing keynote following a key session addressing major industry challenges to help improve the passenger experience such as data exchange among partners, security checkpoints, passengers “tokens” to ease processes, and facilitation at border crossings. Under the theme of “Advanced collaboration to create seamless passenger experience”, providing delegates with government agency perspective, whilst helping influence their decision making, will be one of the key goals of Future Travel Experience 2012.

Stay tuned for more speaker details and the full Future Travel Experience 2012 conference programme, which will be announced soon.

Swissport International confirmed as Bronze Sponsor for FTE 2012

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:51:35 +0000

Global Cargo and aircraft ground handler, Swissport International, has this week been confirmed as Bronze sponsor of FTE 2012.

We are delighted to announce that Swissport International – the global cargo and aircraft ground handling company – has been confirmed as a Bronze Sponsor for Future Travel Experience 2012.

Daniel Coleman, Founder & Event Director, Future Travel Experience, said: “Ground handlers play a critical role in the passenger experience from check-in through to boarding, and in many cases are the face of the airline during a traveller’s time at the airport, including periods of disruption.

“In recent years, Swissport has taken a very pro-active approach to utilising technology to help ease the pressures of increasing passenger numbers and the need to reduce costs, and we applaud their efforts and investment in areas such as CUSS, RFID, BCBP, self-tagging, self-service lost & found and biometric passenger processing.”

He added: “Swissport has been an active participant in this show since its inception as disCUSS back in 2006 and we welcome them, and all other handlers, to this show to create dialogue between stakeholders, share knowledge, and instigate effective new initiatives to enhance the passenger experience in the future.”

DESKO to exhibit newest PENTA Family member at FTE 2012

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:51:30 +0000

DESKO will introduce its newest PENTA Family member, the PENTA Terminal, an ideal device for installations such as supervised boarding or ID cross reference check.

The PENTA Terminal is a stand-alone device with multicolor touch screen, IP interface connectivity and on-board application & programming capability making it the ideal device for installations such as supervised boarding or ID cross reference check.

From their exhibition booth in Vancouver, DESKO will introduce its newest PENTA Family member, the PENTA Terminal. The PENTA Terminal is a stand-alone device with multicolor touch screen, IP interface connectivity and on-board application & programming capability making it the ideal device for installations such as supervised boarding or ID cross reference check.

The PENTA Cube technology is a platform dedicated to OEM integration. It offers all the well known PENTA features in a most ergonomic set up which meet the needs of gate and kiosk manufacturers making the PENTA technology advantages fully available for self service environments.

Besides the new PENTA development, DESKO will also introduce its most ergonomic swipe reader for OCR and magnetic stripe reading. The mini MPR is based on the well established, high performance DESKO swipe technology. It is the only reader that is small enough to be mounted on the side of a screen or desk but still supports OCR and MSR bi-directional reading in one single swipe slot, thus making it extremely user friendly and reliable. The unique DESKO patent pending screen mount allows to easily but firmly attaching the mini MPR to any standard monitor or screen.

TSA PreCheck reaches 1 million milestone

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:20:34 +0000

The TSA has announced that its risk-based security programme has now screened 1 million passengers in the US.

The TSA hopes that its PreCheck programme will be in place in 35 US airports by the end of the 2012.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that it has now screened 1 million passengers as part of its risk-based security programme, PreCheck.

The programme, which allows for the expedited processing of frequent flyers through airport security, was initially launched in October last year.

A number of US airports have signed up to the scheme, including Seattle-Tacoma Airport, which joined in April.

The TSA is aiming to expand PreCheck to as many as 35 US airports by the end of 2012.

More information can be found here.

Sydney Airport to add new SmartGates

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:19:48 +0000

Sydney Airport has revealed that it is to install additional SmartGates, which use facial recognition technology to speed-up the immigration process.

The SmartGate process takes about 90 seconds in total and can be used by passengers who own an e-passport.

Sydney Airport has announced that it is to install additional SmartGates, which use facial recognition technology to automate and speed-up the processing of passengers through immigration.

“SmartGates are already delivering a better passenger experience at Sydney Airport,” said Kerrie Mather, the airport’s CEO. “The self-service system allows Australian and New Zealand passport holders to clear customs without waiting in line to have their passports manually checked and stamped by a Customs officer.”

The SmartGate process takes about 90 seconds in total and can be used by passengers who own an e-passport.

The e-passports are firstly read and a SmartGate ticket is issued by a kiosk before a camera checks the passenger’s face against their passport photo at the gate. Passengers can then proceed to the baggage hall and hand in their SmartGate ticket and incoming passenger card on exit.

More information can be found here

Amadeus launches door-to-door travel app

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:19:08 +0000

Amadeus has announced the development of the new Mobile Traveller app – a fully integrated application that offers door-to-door assistance throughout the travel process.

Amadeus Mobile Traveller is available in English, French and Arabic languages and is supported by iPhone, BlackBerry Android handsets.

Amadeus has announced the development of the new Mobile Traveller app, which is a fully integrated application that offers door-to-door assistance throughout the travel process.

The application includes functionalities for Pre-trip, In-trip and Post-trip. Among them are the ability to search and book flights, hotels and cars, track itineraries and flight information, and share travel experiences via social media.

Amadeus Mobile Traveller is supported by iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and WAP and is available in English, French and Arabic languages.

It also provides access to destination information, including weather forecasts, city guides and a currency convertor.

FTE Exclusive: easyJet COO reveals ‘Project Halo’ plans

Andreas Akerman — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:35:36 +0000

easyJet COO Warwick Brady reveals the airline’s plans for ‘Project Halo’, including how exactly it will work and where the initial trials will take place.

Future Travel Experience correspondent Andreas Akerman met with easyJet COO Warwick Brady, who exclusively revealed to FTE the airline's exciting plans for 'Project Halo'.

You would be forgiven for thinking that low-cost carriers think about nothing but cutting costs and making money, but easyJet (while admittedly sticking to these principles) is also working hard to improve the passenger experience on the ground.

Future Travel Experience correspondent Andreas Akerman, who is also the Deputy Editor of our sister publication anna.aero, last week attended easyJet’s new base launch in Lisbon, where he spoke to the airline’s COO Warwick Brady about ‘Project Halo’, how the airline is working to improve the passenger experience on the ground, and how it is making use of mobile technology and apps.

Brady: “Mobile devices and the app is where the future lies. It enables us to communicate customer information, for example during flight disruptions.”

FTE: What are easyJet’s plans regarding ‘Project Halo’? What exactly will it involve?

Brady: We are developing a technology that will increase efficiency and lower costs by reducing infrastructure. ‘Halo’ devices are handheld ruggedised PDAs that have inbuilt barcode scanners. Staff on the ground will not be tied to a desk – they will be able to stand next to the passenger with the Halo device in their hand, scan the boarding pass, validate the passenger and board them. At the gate, the Halo devices will be able to scan mobile boarding passes. The Halo software is part of the departure software programme, meaning that it enables passengers to upgrade and add bags even at a stage as late as at the gate. We will start with trials in Geneva, Basel, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Edinburgh.

FTE: What other plans does easyJet have in place to improve the passenger experience on the ground?

Brady: We are looking at a number of things. The service in the cabin is consistent, the work to be done is on the ground. We look at everything from the kerb to the bag drop, security queues, the boarding process and so on. Although we outsource the ground handling, our handling agent contracts are constructed so that they suffer when easyJet suffers. This triggers efficiency improvements.

FTE: What are your views on the increasing use of self-service in the overall travel experience? Is self-service necessary to improve the passenger experience?

Brady: Using kiosks is just putting another step between the passenger and the bag drop. The only difference is that it can give the passenger the tag to self-tag. Mobile devices and the app is where the future lies. It enables us to communicate customer information, for example during flight disruptions. These things hadn’t changed for the last 50 years. It is a smart way to interface with the airline. Our problem is ‘How do we get information to passengers in real-time?’. With the mobile app, we can get it to them quicker, which improves the customer experience.

If you are interested in hearing a presentation on ‘Why airports need to embrace easyJet’s ‘Project Halo’ initiative, focusing on mobile passenger processing’ by Cath Lynn, Group Director Customer and Revenue, easyJet, attend the 22nd ACI EUROPE Annual Assembly hosted by Aena in Madrid, June 20-22.

>> More details can be found here.

Of course, if you are interested in the latest global innovations to improve the passenger experience on the ground, attend Future Travel Experience 2012, the only event in the world dedicated to this subject. FTE 2012 will be hosted by Vancouver Airport Authority, September 5-7.

>> Visit the FTE 2012 website.

Offsite agents to improve passenger service levels

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:35:34 +0000

A new system that uses telepresence technology allows for an offsite agent to offer face-to-face assistance on airport services such as check-in and lounge access.

The future of face-to-face service? FacePort allows passengers to speak with a remotely based human agent, who can provide assistance with a variety of services, including check-in, lounge access and general airport information.

Enhancing the passenger experience and reducing operating costs are often considered mutually exclusive, but thanks to an innovative kiosk that makes use of telepresence technology, passengers will soon be able to speak face-to-face with a human agent who is in fact based remotely.

The use of telepresence technology allows for passengers to speak directly with a human agent via videoconference using a dedicated kiosk in the terminal concourse. Rather than having to queue at a desk to speak to an airport or airline agent, passengers can instead use the dedicated FacePort kiosk, which has been developed by the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol-based company, FacePort.

The introduction of the system follows the recent introduction of InfoGates to Munich Airport, which make use of videoconference technology to allow passengers to obtain wayfinding information to help them navigate around the terminal. However, the designers of the FacePort system explained that it can be used for more than just wayfinding.

Remotely based human agent

A single airport or airline agent can be used to deal with passenger enquiries across a number of different airports, removing the need for a number of agents to be based onsite.

“A lot of airports and airlines can’t necessarily afford to have the level of human interfaces that they would like,” explained Peter Slutter, co-founder of FacePort.

However, FacePort allows for a human agent to be used from a remote location. The benefit of this is that the same agent can be used to deal with passenger enquiries across a number of different airports.

“Say, for instance, an airline serves 10 destinations from its base,” Slutter continued, “a FacePort kiosk can be placed in each of the destinations, with one human agent managing all of the enquiries.

“Also, in a departure hall, you might have 25 self-service kiosks, but you currently still need to have agents roaming around to deal with any enquiries. However, if you put one FacePort kiosk in the self-service area, you wouldn’t need the roaming agents and could instead rely on the remote agent.”

Elsewhere in the airport, FacePort could also be used to grant access to lounges, Slutter added, by allowing the passenger to present their boarding pass or loyalty card via videoconference to the remote agent, who could then allow access.

The future of face-to-face service?

While the FacePort concept has only just been revealed, Slutter explained that a lot of interest has already been expressed by airlines and airports and the company will soon develop a trial programme for the system.

Although it’s in its infancy, with a promise to enhance the passenger experience while reducing operating costs through a reduction in resources, FacePort could signal the start of an era of remotely based face-to-face communication between the passenger and airlines/airports.

More information on FacePort can be found here.

Dubai Airports introduces immigration e-gates

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:35:32 +0000

A new biometric-based e-gate system will be rolled out across Dubai Airport to speed up and simplify the immigration process for passengers.

The new e-gates at Dubai International Airport will reduce the passenger processing time to just 12-14 seconds.

A new biometric-based e-gate system will be rolled out across Dubai International Airport to speed up and simplify the immigration process at entry and exit points.

The new e-gate eliminates the need for prior user registration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA), which is currently required with the existing UAE gate card.

The gates quickly scan and read passport information and capture facial recognition and iris biometric data using a high accuracy camera. This biometric data is then automatically checked against the passport information.

The system can be used by holders of an e-Passport and is expected to reduce the processing time to between 12-14 seconds.

More information can be found here.

Smartphone app allows passengers to place orders on the go

Future Travel Experience — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:35:31 +0000

Passengers travelling from Sacramento International Airport can now use an app to order food and beverages for delivery direct to the gate.

The B4 YOU BOARD app allows passengers to order food and drink to either collect or be delivered to the gate while they are waiting for their flight.

Passengers travelling from Sacramento International Airport can now use an innovative smartphone app to order food for delivery direct to the gate.

The airport has teamed up with HMSHost to develop the B4 YOU BOARD app, which allows for food and beverages to be ordered from two of the airport’s stores.

Sacramento International Airport Director of Airports, G. Hardy Acree, said: “We are always looking for new ideas to improve the travel experience at Sacramento International Airport. B4 YOU BOARD is a great way to take some of the stress out of flying.”

Passengers flying from JFK Airport can also make use of the app.

More information is available here.