SITA, known as the société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques, is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and information technology. According to a research result of '2011 SITA Airport IT Trends Survey', which is released on February 28, 2012 by SITA, the airport IT trends can be concluded into several important points as followed.
1. ‘Improving customer service’ is ranked by respondents as the primary driver for new technology investments.
2. Self-service continues to grow, and passenger touchpoints, such as e-gate and common bag-drop functionality have a trend of increasing.
3. Mobile services investments for passengers and staffs will keep taking priority part of airport investments.
4. Services on mobile and social networks are set to support the airport’s digital communication.
5. Mobile phone notification of flight status and delays remains at the top of airport mobile investments.
6. Offering retail services by way of the mobile is also a strong desire of airports.
7. Mobile phones and FIDS screens, which are employed to direct passengers around the airport, has now expanded to the entire communication ecosystem within and around airports.
8. Digital display and passenger processing technology will be developed to improve operational efficiency.
9. A new theory is raised that information technology is driving the business of customer communication and engagement at the airport setting.
Beyond that, there are 3 airport IT trends that are needed to be discussed in depth.
Dynamic display solutions
As for advantages of dynamic display, firstly, David Saleme, concessions manager for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority indicated that dynamic signage has advantages of frequency of impressions, flexibility and creative content. Secondly, Saleme proposed that it’s a good strategy to combine content with promotion and advertising offers to create non-aeronautical revenue. Thirdly, Engalls, assistant director of aviation, information systems, McCarran International Airport, added an incredible advantage that the ability to dynamically display whatever information in any part of the terminal at any point in time.
With regard to the future of signage technology, Saleme related 3 trends. First, a growth in the use of large format digital media will be seen continuously. Second, large format digital media will release advertisements to catch the eyes of customers. Third, there will continue to be an increase of interactive technology incorporated into digital displays, including touch technology is going to continue to become more prevalent at the airport setting.
Information distribution: social media
Ingalls remarked that using various forms of digital communication to push information out to customers in real-time is a great benefit. Thanks to people are quite interactive in social media, which enhances the ability to directly interact with customers, and to personalize the experience. Nowadays, there are so many different channels for direct interaction with the customer, such as a direct communication link to the customer or end-user.
Keith Gerr works as a marketing director with FlightStats, a company weaves a combination of consumer products along with its own website and additional products that an airport can purchase, such as data feeds, as a way to provide data consistency to airport partners. He says that his company has been zeroing in on the fact that airports want to deliver a great customer service experience. As a network, FlightStats has the website, apps and data relationships.
Scott Hopkins, product development for the airport segment at FlightStats says that the company’s fundamental goal is to have a huge traveling consumer base and to be able to connect airports with that traveler base.
Passenger processing: customer service
Complimentary Wi-Fi has been provided in McCarran since January 2005, and initially that was a customer service item. Through providing Wi-Fi service, Mccarran has earned a considerable amount of revenue from sponsors and other types of arrangements related to the Wi-Fi service. Ingalls says, to me, that’s a great example of having your cake and eating it to — providing the experience to the customer while still earning the revenue.
To conclude, customers have the technology in their hands. Airports must continue to put the power of process into the hands of travelers. Engalls believes that technology is becoming a much more integrated part to the master planning process for airports, and it should be.
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