This is a Lidar video of an airport showing where people go, where the luggage is located and the counts per zone.

BYJEAN CARMELA LIM 2023-03-10

MONOPOLY919 / Shutterstock.com

We have often wondered what airports will look like in the future. But with the fast development of new technology, the future airports that we envisioned seem to be gradually becoming a reality.

From advanced biometric capture software and shoe scanners to immersive retail experiences, AeroTime takes a closer look at five newly implemented innovations that are coming to an airport near you.

Biometric technology 

Image credit: metamorworks / Shutterstock.com

Biometric technology has been around since 1969 when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) pushed for the use of automated fingerprint identification. The first fingerprint scanners were introduced in 1975, and in the 1990s and 2000s, biometric security authentication is commonplace in companies and institutions. 

In 2001, United States legislation mandated the use of biometrics at airports for entry and exit following the 9/11 attacks. Since then, the use of biometrics, particularly hand and fingerprint scanning, have been widely used in airports worldwide. 

The pandemic accelerated the development of non-contact biometric authentication to facilitate a more hygienic and seamless experience for passengers. The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 2021 global passenger survey showed that 73% of passengers were willing to share their biometric data to improve airport processes (up from 46% in 2019).

According to the Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques (SITA) 2021 Air Transport IT Insights, nearly a quarter of airports worldwide had begun to invest in biometric solutions and airline investment in biometric boarding is expected to rise 60% by 2024. 

Two notable airlines that use contactless biometrics for its passenger processing are Emirates and British Airways.

Emirates’ biometric path at Dubai International Airport (DXB) launched in October 2020 and is open to Emirates passengers traveling from and through DXB airport. 

Using the latest biometric technology, a mix of facial and iris recognition, Emirates passengers can now check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the airline lounge, and board flights, simply by strolling through the airport. Biometric data can be collected without the need for passengers to even stop. 

In November 2022, British Airways launched a “smart technology trial”, where a group of passengers were invited to scan their faces, passports and boarding passes on their smartphone or tablet ahead of travel. The information was kept safe and secure. 

When the trial passengers arrived at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5,  Smart Bio-Pod cameras verified their identity in under three seconds, allowing them to keep their passport safely in their pocket until they reached their destination. 

Mobile passport control app 

Image credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock.com

Some of the latest airport security innovations can literally be kept in the palm of a hand.

Launched in March 2023, the US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Mobile Passport Control (MPC) program is now a mobile phone app that allows eligible passengers flying to the US from Canada to avoid the customs queue. 

According to the CBP, travelers who successfully use the MPC app will no longer have to complete a paper form or use an automated passport control (APC) kiosk. As a result, travelers may experience shorter wait times, less congestion and more efficient processing.

The app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App and Google Play stores. This technology is made possible because of secure information sharing. Travelers will be prompted to create a profile with their passport information, including the traveler’s name, gender, date of birth, and country of citizenship.

 It is currently available for eligible travelers to use upon arrival at MPC approved sites.

Next generation explosives trace detection

Image credit: Suppawit Rmmabut / Shutterstock.com

The MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a US-government funded research and development center chartered to apply advanced technology towards national security. 

In February 2023, the lab announced that its researchers are working to develop an explosive detection system that would work in tandem with a canine fleet to improve current airport security systems. 

Researchers are developing a machine that can mimic canine abilities to detect concealed explosives, a ‘superpower’ of four-legged friends that airports have relied on for decades.

The team’s research builds on the laboratory’s ongoing work to create and use a mass spectrometer to help train bomb-sniffing dogs, a project that is supported by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Detection Canine Program. 

Researchers are using the spectrometer to measure explosive vapors in order to understand the requirements for creating an operational explosive detection system. This system would then work in tandem with the canine fleet to improve current airport security systems.

The laboratory’s end goal is to build a non-contact explosives detection instrument through vapor detection. 

This technology will certainly be useful, especially when passengers check in baggage that contains explosives. 

Shoe scanner technology

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While the technology is still in development, it is one that many will be relieved to see implemented in real life.

In 2010, a CNN survey showed passengers dreaded removing shoes at airport security the most. Although the survey is more than a decade old, passengers in 2022 still find pat-downs and shoe removal at airport security to be a humiliating experience.  

The US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has licensed technology for a shoe scanner developed in 2021 to Liberty Defense Holdings, a concealed weapons detection company based in Georgia.

According to the developers, the scanner allows shoes to be screened without the need for passengers to remove them. The millimeter-wave scanners use advanced imaging to detect concealed objects in footwear. Passengers will be asked to step on a low-profile imaging platform for two seconds while electromagnetic waves generate an image of their shoes.

The PNNL said that the shoe scanner could improve wait times at security kiosks by as much as 15% to 20% by eliminating the time it takes for travelers to remove their shoes.

Immersive retail experiences

Image credit: globalcosmeticsnews.com

Passengers can expect more immersive retail experiences at airports with the use of Virtual and Augmented Reality technology. 

A 2017 study carried out by the University of Southern Mississippi showed that emotions are involved when people shop at airports. Leisure travelers often feel happy and buy souvenirs to share with friends back home and also to give themselves a reminder of their holiday. Boredom at the airport can also bring passengers to shop in order to kill time.

So airport retailers are taking advantage of advanced technology to further improve conversion and sales. In November 2021, ahead of the holiday season, LHR airport partnered with Chanel, Dufry and JCDecaux to launch a No 5 Spaceship activation in the departure lounge at Terminal 5.

The immersive experience included a “Find No 5” game for customers, which sells the brand’s fragrance line as well as a curated offering of skincare and cosmetics. 

An augmented reality (AR) digital screen also allowed shoppers to virtually try on products.

According to Future Travel Experience, old-fashioned “bricks and mortar” shopping is in decline and such experiential retail tactics could be the answer to increasing conversion and yield at the airport. 

source : https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/five-airport-innovations-that-will-make-travel-easier-in-2023

By Abigail Klein Leichman  MARCH 22, 2021, 8:20 AM

Alongside the x-ray machines that scrutinize our luggage at every airport in the world, we may soon see machines that provide 99.99% disinfection from germs on carry-on and checked bags.

Israeli biohazard disinfection startup WarpUV plans to start delivering AirFort machines this year to help airports contain the spread of bacteria, spores and the viruses that cause the common cold, seasonal influenza, Covid-19 and viruses yet to come.

“Biosecurity has become an urgent and critical staple of airport security since the Covid-19 containment shut down the vast majority of air traffic,” says WarpUV CEO and cofounder Amir Fischer, a serial entrepreneur who spent four years in airline and airport security at London Heathrow airport.

“Along with vaccinations and Covid-19 testing, disinfection of passenger luggage can ensure a safer air travel experience and help prevent future local outbreaks before they become global pandemics,” he says.

Ultraviolet disinfection in 30 seconds

WarpUV’s AirFort technology was created in-house and tested in Tel Aviv University’s microbial pathogenesis laboratory headed by Prof. Anat Herskovits. She also serves as WarpUV’s head of microbiology.

It takes less than 30 seconds for AirFort’s proprietary 3D array of ultraviolet lights to disinfect surface contamination from carry-on and checked bags, personal items and oversized bags and parcels before they enter an airport concourse or the plane’s cargo hold.

Speed will become essential when the volume of traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels, Fischer says, noting that other luggage disinfecting technologies in the pipeline take up to 30 minutes as opposed to 30 seconds.

“And it’s this speed that makes AirFort practical for handling the massive passenger volumes at major airports,” he says.Illustration of WarpUV’s AirFort luggage disinfection system. Image courtesy of WarpUV

In 2019, 17,500 commercial airports served more than 925 million passengers on nearly 39 million flights.

“With each passenger carrying one or two pieces of luggage onto planes annually, air travel remains one of the most vulnerable means for spreading airborne infectious diseases,” Fischer says.

“If you think about the multiple people who may touch the same pieces of luggage at an airport, just one infected worker or passenger who handled that bag could spread a virus far and wide,” Fischer tells ISRAEL21c.

Potential source of exposure

The US Departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, and Health and Human Services issued joint guidelines that categorize carry-on items, baggage, and luggage as a biohazard threat.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have also classified these items as a risk of contamination, and not only related to Covid-19.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the general risk to baggage handlers is low, but “potential sources of exposure could include surfaces touched or handled by a person with Covid-19 or by touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.”

Fischer notes that baggage handlers at several airports became infected with Covid-19, in some cases forcing shutdowns.

“When looking at published data, only about 80% of infections are from known exposure to Covid-19 patients. If 20% of infections can be prevented using Warp AirFort technology, it’s a major step toward eradicating virus spread.”

Deployment in 5 airports

“Our plan is to begin deployment in five airports in 2021 and expand to more airports as quickly as we can build the machines,” says Fischer.

AirFort units will be installed in conjunction with existing luggage x-ray machines and on the incoming luggage conveyor and inbound checkpoints.

“The AirFort devices are designed to meet airports’ passenger flow – inbound and outbound– so we expect there will be a need for at least double the number of x-ray machines in airports,” Fischer says.

“WarpUV understands the current challenging financial climate in the air travel industry, and so we created a business model that offers two alternatives for the deployment of the devices,” he adds.

Airports may buy the devices outright via a purchase and service level agreement (SLA) or opt for a Machine as a Service (MaaS) model in which the airport is charged a small fee per passenger that could be covered by a ticket surcharge.

Fischer reports “a great deal of interest” in the AirFort devices.

“With access to nearly 100 airports via two leading industry distributors, WarpUV already has deals underway representing more than $100 million in revenue,” he says.

The company was formed in 2020 by Fischer along with Eitan Haimovich and Gil Luxenbourg.

For more information, click here

source: https://www.israel21c.org/30-second-baggage-disinfection-coming-to-airports/

Manchester airport has launched a new partnership with Airportr, allowing travellers to have luggage collected from their home, office or hotel and checked in at the airport ahead of departure.

The service costs from between £20 and £36 for one piece of luggage (depending on collection location), with additional bags costing £7 each.

A driver collects and weighs the luggage, scans passengers’ passports and boarding passes, and seals the luggage in coded, tamper-proof bags. Customers are sent IATA bag receipts after airport screening, around 90 minutes before take-off.

To celebrate the new service, customers booking this month will also get a free fast track security pass for the airport.

Up until now Airportr has partnered with specific carriers including Virgin Atlantic, Easyjet, British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Finnair, at airports including Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton.

But Manchester will be the first airport to partner directly with the firm, meaning travellers with all airlines can avail of the service, and enabling passengers to book and pay online via the airport’s website alongside fast track security, parking and lounge access.

Commenting on the news Randel Darby, founder and CEO of Airportr, said:

“We couldn’t be more excited to see this ambitious project materialise. In combining MAG’s operational and digital capabilities, and our shared appetite to innovate the airport experience, we have been able to create something unique.

“Our new airport-backed model raises the bar in terms of operational delivery and is designed to enable us to add more airlines to the future. This will open up home bag check-in to more passengers – key to our goal of transforming the passenger experience and airport operations.

“Manchester is the UK’s second technology hub and home to its biggest airport outside of London, making it the perfect place for us to realise our ambitions for growth.”

source : https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2019/10/03/manchester-airport-launches-new-luggage-collection-service-with-airportr/

The service allows passengers to have luggage collected from home prior to the date of their departure.

They can then travel to the airport bag-free, head straight for security, and re-unite with their bags in baggage reclaim at their final destination.

Prices range from £20-£36 for one item of luggage, depending on location, with all additional bags costing £7 each. 

Passengers can choose an allotted one to three-hour collection slot prior to their departure date, and as late as the morning of their flight.

A vetted driver will arrive at their home, collect their luggage and take it directly to the airport for check-in and processing.

Travel documents are scanned when the luggage is collected, and passengers can follow real-time driver and bag tracking via the use of digital bag tags. 

Customers booking within the first month of the start of the service will get one free FastTrack security pass.

The service will be available to passengers travelling with partner airlines including Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Finnair.

Those travelling with other airlines can also make use of the service by having their bags picked up from home ready for collection when they arrive at the airport.

Manchester will be the first airport operator in the UK to use the Airportr bag collection and delivery service within its own infrastructure, with baggage processed in a dedicated facility away from the traditional terminal check-in areas.

It also claims to be the first one to digitise the service, meaning passengers can book and pay online via the airport’s website.

Airportr already works withairlines at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton.

Manchester Airports Group airport services CEO Andrew  Harrison said the systemwill allow passengers to “streamline their airport experience, through an efficient and secure process, meaning they can arrive at the airport with one less thing to think about and get ready for their trip”.

He added: “MAG is working hard to find new and innovative ways to enhance every step of the passenger journey through our airports, and this new partnership, which is a market first here in the UK, is another crucial development in that process.”

Airportr founder and CEO Randel Darby added: “Our new airport-backed model raises the bar in terms of operational delivery and is designed to enable us to add more airlines to the future.

“This will open up home bag check-in to more passengers – key to our goal of transforming the passenger experience and airport operations.

“Manchester is the UK’s second technology hub and home to its biggest airport outside of London, making it the perfect place for us to realise our ambitions for growth.”

source : http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/344997/home-bag-check-in-service-introduced-by-manchester-airport

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The rising development of smart airports is one of the key drivers expected to trigger the market’s growth in the forthcoming years. There has been a significant evolution in airport operations from Airport 1.0 to Airport 2.0. The rising popularity of Airport 2.0 and growing investments for integrating technological advances in modern airport operations is leading to the emergence of smart airports. The deployment of smart airports will increase the efficiency and profitability of several stakeholders including airport operators, airlines, and passengers during volatile economic conditions. This will further create significant opportunities for the airport smart baggage handling solutions market to flourish in the next few years.

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Travellers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) may soon hand their checked bags to a robot rather than a baggage attendant.

The airport is testing autonomous robot vehicles in its international terminal to assist passengers who recheck bags after clearing customs and security when making connections to domestic flights.

The FLEET vehicles developed by the Dutch technology firm Vanderlande can handle about 450 bags per hour.

Connecting passenger place their rechecked bags on the vehicles, which then transport the luggage to the baggage belts. Travellers will use a touch screen to identify their airline in order to determine where to drop their bags; DFW will deploy four FLEET vehicles as part of the test project.

“As we go through the pilot programme, DFW will evaluate this new technology and assess potential applications of robots and autonomous vehicles at different points within the airport,” said Khaled Naja, DFW’s executive vice president of infrastructure and development.

“This particular application is both exciting and challenging for us, because FLEET will be working in a passenger area,” said Andrew Manship, Vanderlande’s executive vice president for airports.

The Dallas Observer reports that the FLEET technology was first tested at Rotterdam The Hague Airport in 2018, and that human baggage attendants will remain on duty in the DFW rechecked baggage area to assist travellers.

dfwairport.com

source : https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2019/07/14/robots-to-aid-passengers-checking-in-luggage-at-dallas-fort-worth/