Travel
Biometrics holds the key to smarter digital travel
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New SITA white paper highlights how biometric-driven IT solutions are being successfully rolled out around the world.
GENEVA – In 1930, there were only around 6 000 passengers travelling by air. By 1934, this had risen to just under 500,000*. Fast-forward to 2019 and it had exploded to 4 billion travelers. In fact the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projects 8 billion air travelers annually by 2040. The demand for air-travel is booming.
To prepare for this, 425 major construction projects (worth around US$450 billion) were already put underway at existing global airports. The industry also invested in 225 new airport projects in 2022, according to the Centre for Aviation. Bricks and mortar infrastructure is only part of the solution though. Without state-of-the-art, adaptable digital solutions, airlines and airports will struggle to manage passenger numbers. “This will affect the quality of the travel experience they’re able to deliver.”
SITA’s Biometrics White Paper, “Face the Future” highlights how the surge in air traveler numbers places extraordinary pressure on existing and new airports, national borders, and airline resources. In short, “existing paper-based and manual travel infrastructure and legacy processes simply won’t be able to cope”.
The solution, explains SITA, is in harnessing the power of facial and fingerprint biometrics to create a smoother, safer, and slicker air transport experience. By applying advanced technological solutions SITA will also solve other industry challenges, like space constraints, specialist staff shortages, and evolving passenger wants and needs.
The white paper takes us behind the scenes by showcasing successful case studies like the Star Alliance Biometric initiative and the Indian government’s DigiYatra program. Both cases use the end-to-end biometric passenger processing solution SITA Smart Path.
Stefan Schaffner, VP of Airports at SITA, explains: “SITA Smart Path biometrically enables every step of the passenger journey, from mobile enrollment to aircraft boarding and every point in between and beyond. With facial recognition across as many airport touch points as you need, it lets passengers manage their identity across their whole journey, in a unique and touchless way. The final result is a radically improved travel experience.”
The white paper goes on to outline more solutions using advanced biometrics technology. These include SITA Flex, a common-use passenger processing platform, and SITA Border Management, which covers border control, risk intelligence, and travel authorization. Both solutions are well recognized in the industry today and used by more than 40 airports globally. The white paper also breaks down SITA’s Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) solution, a hotly anticipated verifiable digital identity shared before arrival (with the passenger’s consent) for seamless border crossing.
As a member of both the IATA’s One ID initiative and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s DTC, SITA is leading the way in rolling out border-grade DTCs. They’re also helping define rigorous standards around passenger identity management within biometrics. An exciting example is how SITA DTCs were used to create Aruba’s Happy One Pass, a collaboration which lets passengers arriving at the Caribbean island nation of Aruba “can now disembark at international arrivals and cross the border without stopping or even showing a travel document”.
The future of air-travel is clearly outlined in the white paper – one that’s safe, ethical, and fully embraces biometrics. It emphasizes the need to prioritize privacy, flexibility, and adaptability.
The white paper’s release, along with its case studies and insights, reveals that the future of travel isn’t some distant concept anymore. It’s happening now. The global demand for travel is rising, and biometrics is at the forefront of this transformation.
(*Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum)
Travel
How cruise lines are revamping onboard dining with celebrity chefs and fresh foodie experiences
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Here’s how cruise lines are taking inspiration from some of the world’s best restaurants to give passengers exciting new ways to dine
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Travel
Delta Sync seatback rolls out to more planes, BBC News joins live tv lineup
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One year after launching, Delta Sync seatback is now on over 330 aircraft, enhancing the in-flight experience with smart TV-like screens and new features for SkyMiles Members.
One year after debuting Delta Sync seatback on the first A321ceo, customers traveling on more than 330 Delta aircraft can now enjoy the personalized experience that makes the airline’s beloved seatback screens feel more like a smart TV while offering a host of day-of-travel tools for SkyMiles Members designed to streamline their travel journey.
Delta Sync seatback is now available on five fleet types as part of the first phase of the rollout: all A321ceos, , A320s, A319s, most 75Ds and many 738s, representing 40% of total in-flight entertainment enplanements. With more than 165,000 seatback screens across Delta’s fleet – the most of any U.S.-based carrier – the airline expects to begin expanding the product to additional fleet types soon.
“We have introduced customers to a seatback product that is meaningful and relevant to how they go about their lives,” says Julieta McCurry, VP of In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity Strategy. “SkyMiles Members have already logged in to Delta Sync seatback more than a million times, enjoying personalized content and seamless guidance through their travel day.”
Customers can also look forward to a major in-flight entertainment software release on their seatback, which includes updates like a new kids’ entertainment view, reimagined flight tools and more, as well as platform performance and stability improvements.
“We’ve learned a lot from our customers in the first year of Delta Sync seatback,” McCurry says. “Most importantly, we’ve learned that Delta has our finger directly on the pulse of what they want – a seamless, elevated and personalized in-flight experience. Our focus remains on listening, learning and innovating to deliver exactly that.”
Harnessing the power of connectivity
First announced at CES 2023, Delta is carrying out its industry-leading commitment to bringing fast, free Wi-Fi presented by T-Mobile to its entire global fleet. Today, fast, free Wi-Fi is available to SkyMiles members on more than 90% of Delta’s domestic fleet and is rolling out to international routes. But connectivity for all is just the beginning. Delta Sync seatback is one example of how Delta is using the power of that connectivity to provide even more value to customers.
“We’re seeing that access to Delta Sync seatback improves the overall in-flight entertainment experience, with SkyMiles Members who log in reporting higher satisfaction than those who don’t,” McCurry says. “And access to free Wi-Fi hasn’t cannibalized the demand for seatback content. The opposite, in fact – consumption of seatback content has increased from 2023 to 2024. Customers increasingly want a multi-device experience like they’re used to at home.”
Delta Sync seatback users can expect several new features as part of the latest software release, including new ways to help streamline day-of travel.
The new My Flight experience is a one-stop-shop for all day-of-travel related information, including real-time flight tracker, connecting flight status, 3D route maps and airport maps for wayfinding. The new Kids Experience is a place to find and explore content, music and games curated for Delta’s youngest travelers (Note: Delta Sync seatback login is not required to access the new Kids Experience.) Seat numbers are now prominently displayed on the seatback screens to help customers find their seats during boarding. Real-time notifications continue to bring personalization to the forefront: Delta Sync seatback will now inform customers when fast, free Wi-Fi is available for their personal devices. Customers can now use their mobile device to provide flight-specific feedback via new survey QR code on Delta Sync seatback.
New network, content and more on your seatback screen
Delta Sync seatback is upgrading the in-flight entertainment experience by highlighting Delta Studio content in new and intuitive ways that weren’t previously possible. The dynamic multi-tile home screen, along with content and collection spotlights, puts Delta’s industry-leading, hand-picked content front and center, offering customers a more prominent and accessible viewing experience.
Whether customers are enjoying these features on a Delta Sync seatback-equipped flight or exploring one of the other 165,000 seatback screens across Delta’s fleet, there’s something for everyone to discover.
Now boarding: BBC News on Live TV
Starting this September, BBC News will join the list of premier channels on Delta’s live satellite TV1, giving customers free access to the broadcaster’s trusted global journalism.
“BBC Studios has been a valued partner to Delta for many years, working with us to bring diverse and premium content to travelers of all ages,” says Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Managing Director, In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity. “We’re proud to elevate the partnership in a new way by adding BBC News to our live TV lineup and strengthening our commitment to offering global content to our customers as they travel to destinations around the world.”
Travel
FCM: Q2 Prices Rise Amid ‘Incremental’ Corp. Travel Growth
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Business travel in the second quarter continued “incremental growth” and was set to continue to increase for the balance of 2024, according to FCM Consulting’s Global Quarterly Trend Report, released Thursday. Meanwhile, most average airfares throughout the world rose year over year, according to the travel management company.
Economy airfares in 2024 through May on average increased about 15 percent year over year globally, about $65, according to the report, which is based on FCM’s corporate booking data. Business-class airfares, meanwhile, increased about 11 percent year over year, about $209, in that same January-May timeframe.
Some pockets of pricing softness emerged: second-quarter international economy fares from the U.S. declined an average of 8.8 percent year over year, “a welcome sign for corporate travelers that often do business overseas,” according to FCM.
The average daily hotel room rate logged by FCM’s corporate clients in the first half of 2024 in most global regions declined year over year, including by $13 in North America to $237 and by $11 in Europe to $180. Overall, the first-half average room rate across FCM’s top 100 corporate cities reported by FCM Consulting’s business analytics team was $182, down $5 year over year.
Generally speaking, business air and lodging demand remained solid in Q2, according to FCM.
“It’s encouraging to see the steady upward trajectory for business travel and the way the industry continues to demonstrate consistent and positive growth throughout the year,” said Ashley Gutermuth, Head of FCM Consulting, Americas. “This trend signifies the increased demand we are seeing for in-person meetings and events and the ongoing commitment to foster and build strong, meaningful relationships through business travel.”
Still, the report, while projecting further business travel growth, highlighted the uncertainty of future pricing projections, noting that “geopolitical unrest” and “economic uncertainty” would “continue to impact travel industry forecasts through the rest of 2024.”
“This Q2-2024 report represents six months of positive travel industry momentum, which is somewhat difficult to forecast for H2-2024,” according to the report.
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