Thomas Edison said: “There is a way to do it better – find it”. This quest to do things better drives innovation across industries and sometimes unfolds paradigms that completely change our worldview. iTunes changed the music industry, Airbnb changed hospitality and AmazonGo is changing retail. Something similar is brewing in aviation.
The DNA of tomorrow’s airports
For airports to run profitably while handling exploding passenger traffic with shrinking capacities, and managing multiple stakeholders while delivering a seamless experience, they cannot bank on the current ways of doing business.
-How can we reduce the documentation and identification time taken at every touchpoint?
-How do we make passenger movement smoother, faster and more efficient?
-How can we move more activities off-site?
-How do we use space more efficiently?
-What technology investments can optimise resources?
-How do we improve data-sharing between multiple stakeholders in a secure way?
These are some of the questions aviation experts are asking with increasing urgency.
The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) and Airport Council International’s (ACI) New Experience in Travel and Technologies (NEXTT) initiative is a step towards conceptualising and building the future airport that leverages technology to address these concerns. One of the building blocks of NEXTT is One ID.
In this POV, we explore the benefits of One ID for airports and the pressing need to secure it given passenger and regulatory concerns around data privacy and security.
What is One ID?
One ID is a document-free process based on identity management and biometric recognition, similar to social security numbers or Aadhaar. Under One ID, every passenger will have a unique, lifetime ID for air travel that enables a frictionless and paperless experience. This ID can be used across all channels of interaction in an airport, across multiple stakeholders from security check (government), to check in (airlines), to immigration (government), to shopping (retailers) – both online and in person.
The One ID advantage
One ID can deliver three key benefits for airports – improve passenger experience, improve throughput, and increase non-aeronautical revenue…
