How AІ Transforms Airport Operations and Passenger Experience

The aviation industry proved its resilience to the pandemic and began to show signs of recovery much earlier than expected. When the vaccination rates increased and the virus became more controlled, the industry found it easier to manage the hazards. Thus, already in 2022 with the implementation of mandatory safety rules and sanitation measures aviation started bouncing back to its pre-pandemic state.

However, as travelers returned, the industry faced new kinds of challenges. The rapid growth of passenger traffic put a heavy strain on the capacity of airports and airlines, making it difficult for them to scale up after the staff shortages caused by COVID. Also, the aviation sector has to align with the new health protocols and regulations set by global air traffic policymakers, such as IATA, to provide services at the highest level and with minimal physical contact. All this led to a high demand for touchless and self-service options, requiring airports to handle issues in terms of logistics, meeting passenger needs, and optimizing their movement in the terminal. That’s where AI and ML came into play as they can offload aviation personnel and streamline existing processes. So, more industry players get interested in these technologies, increasing investments in modern tech stack every year.

Artificial Intelligence in Air Travel

The adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning became a trigger for the new intelligent air travel concept. It is based on the active use of autonomous systems, predictive maintenance, smart applications, and tools powered by modern technologies. They create a more personalized and secure experience for travelers during their journeys. Given that airports handle a variety of client-facing activities from check-ins to boarding, they are especially keen on adopting this approach. Hence, there are already few examples of successful implementation of such use cases that bring benefits from the point passengers arrive at the terminal and practically during every airport procedure they need to pass:

1. Check-in Process

As one of the most time-consuming procedures with the longest queues is check-in, some airports started implementing AI tools to simplify this procedure. Those include AI-powered facial recognition and biometrics services that are widely used to help passengers pass authentication independently. For example, Singapore’s Changi Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and hubs like Frankfurt and Munich in Germany have already implemented AI-based biometric identification systems to streamline their passenger flow.

These solutions can also be used in self-service check-in kiosks, which allow passengers to check documents, issue boarding passes, and label luggage without the need for physical contact. As a result, artificial intelligence not only safeguards the health and safety of both staff and passengers but minimizes delays and increases an airport’s capacity to handle more passengers without involving additional human resources.

2. Passenger Navigation and Orientation

When travelers arrive at airports, they may feel overwhelmed by the large and busy terminals. Navigation apps on top of AI can be helpful here as well. They obtain information about travelers’ routes based on data from electronic tickets and passenger load statistics of certain airport facilities. Thus, they help prevent delays making the customer experience more pleasant and efficient.

However, this optimization requires processing large volumes of data from sources such as airport video cameras and check-in kiosks. AI algorithms and deep learning models, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), can be highly effective here. They track passenger movements in real-time to predict and plan individual routes for customers, thereby streamlining passenger flows in terminals to avoid queues and congestion.

3. Passenger Assistance

As the aviation industry continues to face post-pandemic staff shortages, AI assistants and chatbots become essential for bridging the personnel gap. Many airports now utilize natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning tools to efficiently manage numerous customer requests and improve passenger services through their systems, including check-ins, flight information updates, and personalized travel support.

Sama is a real-life example of such an assistant. It’s the first full-production artificially intelligent digital human in the airline industry. It was developed as a result of a collaboration between Qatar Airways and artificial intelligence company UneeQ. Sama provides comprehensive assistance in on-board and on-ground services, travel information, Qatar Airways’ destination network, and general FAQ.

In a nutshell, these smart assistants and chatbots provide airports with the ability to reduce the number of airline staff without losing the quality of customer service. However, just like with humans, mistakes may occur with artificial intelligence as well. For example, in 2022, Air Canada’s chatbot mistakenly promised a passenger an unavailable discount. This incident led to a court case, which concluded in favor of the passenger, marking the first instance of a court ruling on a chatbot error and indicating that human supervision of AI solutions is essential for their smooth performance.

4. Safety and Security

Airport security is one of the areas that has already seen improvements from AI yet still has many opportunities to gain further benefits. Just like today, cameras equipped with AI algorithms replace manual passport checks, tomorrow – fingerprints, iris scans, and even behavioral patterns may become an integral part of biometric authentication.

Identity verification is a mandatory airport procedure that usually requires significant time and resource utilization. Automation of this process with the AI solution not only speeds up data processing time but also shortens passenger wait in security lines and allows personnel to focus on potential threats rather than routine checks.

Also, artificial intelligence provides airport staff with advanced capabilities for video surveillance. AI-powered analysis of airport camera recordings allows personnel to monitor crowd density in real-time and detect potential security risks. This reduces the incidence response time and helps cope with the growing number of passengers without expanding the infrastructure or hiring more security staff.

5. Baggage Tracking and Handling

One aspect that complicates the overall security procedure in airports is baggage checks. Therefore, many airports already use or are planning to install self-baggage delivery (SBD) solutions that allow travelers to check in and drop off their luggage without the involvement of airport staff. Another popular instrument is a combination of AI algorithms and X-rays to speed up luggage scanning. Full automation of this process reduces staff efforts and eliminates common mistakes made during manual security checks.

Baggage 360 by Siemens Logistics is an advanced baggage tool that analyzes baggage data from multiple sources and forecasts baggage flows based on AI algorithms. It helps airport stakeholders to plan and allocate their human resources optimally. Baggage 360 has already found its fit and helps major airports around the world, including the busiest Dubai International Airport, to streamline baggage handling. Among other cases where AI tools may become helpful is lost and stolen luggage. These solutions can detect abandoned belongings, notify the security personnel, and even detect the time and place of the theft. Hence airports can provide their passengers with more controlled, predictable, and efficient baggage transportation, minimizing luggage loss and enhancing overall logistical efficiency.

Key Takeaways

Even though airports cautiously integrate AI into their processes, it is already clear that artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the industry. And not just by improving its operational efficiency but by elevating the overall air travel experience. The list of where AI can be applicable in the aviation industry is still a work in progress and can be expanded based on the specific needs of different airports.

However, it’s important to mention that despite the popularity and potential of AI, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Moreover, its efficiency within your structure depends on more than just implementation. The successful adoption of the technology relies heavily on relevant data and analytics. Also, artificial intelligence has to be seamlessly integrated into the airport ecosystems which includes combining AI with existing technologies, upgrading infrastructure, and providing continuous staff training to raise their awareness. Additionally, it’s important to implement robust security measures to ensure sensitive passenger information is safe.

Therefore, at Sigma Software, we use a comprehensive approach to AI implementation. Our team has extensive industry expertise and a track record of successful AI-powered solutions delivery. We provide clients with end-to-end support, from initial consultation and solution design to integration and ongoing maintenance.
If you have additional questions about the technology or need support at any stage of its adoption, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are ready to assist you with preparing your system for artificial intelligence implementation, as well as the development and integration of AI-based solutions into your air travel process.

• #AI/ML
• #Aviation
• #Business Process Automation