Passengers want their airport visits to be as stress free as their holidays, according to a recent survey.
The desire to make departure and arrival experiences as logistically smooth as possible was rated as the number one priority for travellers in the study.
It was found that 72 per cent of passengers from around the globe felt that the journey from check-in to boarding a flight was inefficient, before stating that new technology could have a big part to play in addressing the problem.
For 63 per cent of those surveyed, mobile phones would be the ideal medium to navigate through key touch points, while 59 per cent argued that frequent-flyer cards could be used as permanent boarding passes.
More than 50 per cent felt that permanent electronic bag tags would help increase airport efficiency, while 48 per cent called for the full automation of baggage drop alongside all other airport processes.
Amadeus’s Reinventing the Airport Ecosystem report put forward ideas of how airports could be overhauled by 2025. This included the idea that airport processes could be carried out via a virtual terminal or performed remotely by passengers a home.
More cost-effective options would include a “bus station” model for airports, which would emphasise efficiency and the speedy delivery of services.
“A range of macro-trends including increasing traveller demands, new technologies and the immediate requirement for the industry to create new revenue streams are driving the need for a fundamental rethink of the airport ecosystem,” said Julia Sattel, Amadeus airline IT senior vice president.
“Imagine an airport where the retail experience is so impressive you choose to shop there without even flying; or using an in-flight app to make purchases you can pick up once you’ve landed.”
The passenger survey also highlighted social media as a key tool that would enable travellers to communicate more effectively with airlines and travel companies.
Almost 70 per cent want to use social media to express their opinions on changes to the airport system, 66 per cent want to receive key information through sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and 51 per cent want social media to be used for real-time feedback.
