MORE than 50 per cent of passengers would use their mobile phones to check flight status, baggage status and airport directions by 2016, and the majority of airlines and airports would offer these services, according to Smart Thinking, a research report released by SITA yesterday.
The report also says that 100 per cent of airlines and 90 per cent of airports are investing in business intelligence solutions to provide the intelligent information across their operations, which these, and other services, demand.
By end-2016, bag status updates will be offered by 61 per cent of airlines; 79 per cent of airports will provide status notifications, such as queue times through security and walking time to gate; and more than three quarters will also be providing navigation at the airport via mobile apps.
Nigel Pickford, director for market Insight, SITA, said: “Our research has clearly shown that the move to smartphone apps and mobile services is well underway. But many of the services that airlines and airports are planning are heavily dependent on their ability to provide more meaningful data and insight – providing passengers and staff the right information at the right time.
“Efforts are being made across the industry to collaborate and SITA has established the Business Intelligence Maturity Index to benchmark the progress.
“We asked airlines and airports to measure themselves in four categories of business intelligence best practice for this index: data access and management, infrastructure, data presentation and governance. Our analysis shows that on average the industry is only halfway to achieving best-in-class and further progress is needed.”
He also highlighted: “Airlines and airports face the issue though that while passengers are very keen to access information about their journey, they are also sensitive about privacy. The smart use of non-intrusive passenger information, however, will provide benefits to airlines and passengers.”
Looking ahead, the report also points out that the combination of business intelligence and predictive analysis will help improve passenger experience, while optimising the use of infrastructure and space at airports.
Airlines and airports will be more proactive by analysing past events and combining live data feeds from multiple sources to predict future events and take preventative action before they occur, thereby reaping significant benefits for passengers and the industry alike.
