As 2021 came to a close and a post-pandemic travel boom began to materialize for real, the International Air Transport Association announced the results of its 2021 Global Passenger Survey. And even though the aviation industry had stumbled on COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions, by the end of the year, it was clear to airlines, airports and travelers alike that commercial aviation would be in for a massive surge in passenger traffic in 2022.
Indeed, as far back as the middle of 2021, IATA had been warning that without significant technological systems in place to speed the processing of passengers, modeling was already suggesting that the time spent in airport processes could reach 5.5 hours per trip at 75 percent pre-COVID-19 traffic levels (which we are nearing), and eight hours per trip at 100 percent pre-COVID-19 traffic levels.
Travelers are already feeling the pinch as passenger numbers rise, so the outcome of the IATA survey is not surprising. The research found passengers want solutions – more specifically, biometric identification – that speeds the process. And they don’t want to stand in line to wait for the process to get done.
Just under three-quarters of the passengers surveyed (73 percent) said they are willing to share their biometric data to improve airport processes. That’s an increase from 2019, when less than half (46 percent) expressed a willingness to adopt biometrics. An even higher majority (88 percent) said they would share immigration information prior to departure if it meant expedited processing.
Just over a third of respondents (36 percent) said biometric data had been part of their travel experience, and most of those (86 percent) were satisfied with the process. However, protecting personal data remains a key issue, with over half (56 percent) concerned about data breaches. And passengers want clarity on who their data is being shared with (52 percent) and how it is used/processed (51 percent).
Hurry Up and Wait
The other problem area travelers consistently identified for the airport experience is standing in line. The survey found over half (55 percent) of those survey said queuing at boarding is an area for ripe for improvement. Security screening lanes were the top priority for two in five survey participants (41 percent), and more than one-third (38 percent) found time queuing up at border control/immigration as a top area for improvement.
“Passengers have spoken and want technology to work harder, so they spend less time ‘being processed’ or standing in queues,” says Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president for operations, safety and security. “They are willing to use biometric data if it delivers this result. Before traffic ramps-up, we have a window of opportunity to ensure a smooth return to travel post pandemic and deliver long-term efficiency improvements for passengers, airlines, airports and governments.”
Although the pandemic-related border restrictions are easing around the world, the trade-off has been additional processing time for COVID-19 document checks. As a result, IATA data is showing airport processing times can be up to 3 hours during peak time. The greatest increases are at check-in and border control (emigration and immigration) where travel health credentials are being checked mainly as paper documents.
“Without an automated solution for COVID-19 checks, we can see the potential for significant airport disruptions,” says Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general. “Already, average passenger processing and waiting times have doubled, and that is with many airports deploying pre-crisis level staffing for a small fraction of pre-crisis volumes. Nobody will tolerate waiting hours at check-in or for border formalities. We must automate the checking of vaccine and test certificates before traffic ramps up.”
Tomorrow Is Here Today
Over the past two decades, air travel has been reinvented to put passengers in control of their journeys through self-service processes. This enables travelers to arrive at the airport essentially be ready to board and fly. In large measure, this revolution in travel has been enabled by digital identity technology, especially biometrics such as facial recognition which has come into its own as a reliable technology. In fact, the National Institute of Standards and Technology recently found facial recognition is at least 99.5 percent accurate.
The solutions are already in the field at hundreds of airports around the world, including London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Frankfurt and Hamburg, San Francisco and San Jose in California.
In 2020, Dubai International Airport launched its integrated ‘biometric path,’ a technology that enables customers to experience a contactless travel journey through the airport. A mix of facial and iris recognition technology means passengers can now “check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates Lounge, and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport.”
In Atlanta, at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Delta Air Lines is using the capabilities of facial recognition to open the first paperless Delta-TSA PreCheck express lobby and bag drop operation. Customers use their ‘digital identity’ – made up of their SkyMiles Member number, passport number and Known Traveler Number – to check luggage, pass through security and board their flight, all without showing a government ID or paper boarding pass.
New York John F Kennedy Airport is rolling out the largest biometric boarding platforms in the US. Here too, passengers can board without needing to show their passports or boarding passes.
And the list goes on. The solutions are here today, and none too soon, as air travel is set to experience a boom in the wake of the pandemic bust. “We cannot just revert to how things were in 2019 and expect our customers to be satisfied. Pre-pandemic we were preparing to take self-service to the next level,” says Careen. “The Global Passenger Survey results are yet another proof point that change is needed.”
