How technology is shaping the airports of the future

In recent years, the role of airports has changed significantly. No longer seen as simple public infrastructure, they are now an integral part of the customer journey. This has created a growing need to deliver smooth and enriching travel experiences to every customer, every time.

Consequently, airports of all sizes have started to double down on their digital transformation efforts, with many making significant investments in new and advanced technologies that, under normal circumstances, would have taken much longer to adopt.

Here are some of the key ways technology is shaping the airports of the future.

Delivering a customer-centric experience

For many airports, effective transformation begins with putting customers at the center of everything. To do this, they need an intricate understanding of customer needs and preferences, which will allow them to deliver the personalized services customers want.?

Whether it is providing tailored information, assisting individuals with special requirements, or creating comfortable relaxation spaces, a customer-centric approach ensures that passengers feel valued and cared for, from the moment they arrive to the moment they depart.

Embracing technology that facilitates the exchange of information between multiple stakeholders including airports, airlines, airport retailers, and technology providers, is vital to building the connected travel ecosystem this requires.

By joining forces and sharing resources, airports can offer a much wider range of amenities, from unique shopping and dining options to entertainment and cultural experiences that enrich the overall customer journey.

Optimizing back-end processes

The customer experience isn’t just about shopping and dining options, it’s also about keeping airport operations running smoothly. With this in mind, two often overlooked areas of digital transformation are airport maintenance and asset management.

Both of these areas can benefit greatly from the adoption of predictive maintenance systems and IoT-enabled sensors, which facilitate proactive identification and resolution of potential issues before they escalate. This has been highly rewarding for similar operating environments in other industries and airports can replicate those successes for their benefit.

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Leveraging data-driven decision-making

Many airports don’t fully utilise the data that’s already at their disposal, largely because they don’t have the necessary infrastructure to do so. However, integrating advanced analytics can help airports leverage data?driven decision-making to optimize various aspects of their operations, such as resource allocation, staff scheduling, and energy management.

Having access to accurate and real-time data allows them to make much more informed choices that maximize productivity, minimize downtime, and improve overall performance.

It doesn’t end there either. By analyzing passenger flow patterns and historical data, airports can improve their terminal layouts, security checkpoints, and gate assignments to minimize congestion.

Utilizing historical demand patterns means airports can also work with stakeholders like border security and immigration offices to optimize their workload as well.

Another key benefit of data analytics is its ability to assist in security threat detection, with algorithms monitoring various data sources to identify potential risks or anomalies.

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Building a smarter, more sustainable future

As airports become smarter, they are also embracing sustainability initiatives by adopting eco?friendly practices such as energy-efficient infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and waste management systems.

Sustainability is increasingly becoming an important decision parameter in customer choice, and airports implementing the best practices will surge ahead.

With global air travel now almost back to pre-pandemic levels , airports around the world are rapidly evolving to meet the ever-growing expectations of the passengers that pass through them every day.

True airports of the future will be those that embrace cutting-edge technologies, collaborate with key stakeholders, personalize passenger experiences, and optimize operational efficiency, all while prioritizing a more sustainable future.

Kanu Aravind is Associate VP and Head of Digital and Innovation at IBS Software , a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise, hospitality, and energy resources industries. Learn more about our approach to innovation here: Digital Innovation Services | Airline Software Solutions - IBS Software ( ibsplc.com )