I dream of the day I can travel anywhere without a physical passport, where my official travel document is available as a secure app – just as my Singapore identity card is – and my face or my palm is my access key.
I was recently invited on an excursion – a journey into SITA’s tech lab where many of its systems and programmes for travellers, airport operators, airlines and pilots are showcased.
I finally got to see how SITA Flex works. In layman’s terms, SITA Flex allows airports and airlines to process their passengers beyond the confines of traditional check-in counters, by using smart devices – tablets for the airport/airline staff and personal smart devices for passengers. SITA Flex could be deployed in cafes or sitting zones around the departure hall, allowing passengers to complete the process themselves, or implemented by roving airport/airline service officers who will provide assistance when needed.
The benefit for airports and airlines is that the former can spread out check-in crowds while freeing up valuable facility space for commercial usage, while the latter can process more passengers without needing more counters or staff.
As a traveller, I am excited by SITA Flex. While many major airports in Asia have self-check-in kiosks at their departure halls, crowding in a single area is still a reality. I relish the prospect of being able to avoid crowds by choosing alternative check-in zones, and perhaps queue for my latte while getting my baggage tags printed out at the same time.
Together with digitalised pre-trip processes like electronic visa and electronic travel authorisation, biometrics implementation throughout the pre-boarding and boarding process, technology can further improve the accuracy of passenger clearance, reduce physical touchpoints and minimise waiting times.
Even more promising is the idea that similar technology applications and the traveller’s electronic identity can be utilised beyond the airport, so that the traveller who was cleared for flight can also waltz through the cruise terminal for his ocean getaway without undergoing repeat checks, into his pre-booked hotel room without the need for a keycard, and into the exhibition hall or conference centre without a physical badge. Wouldn’t it be great if he could also pick up his pre-booked rental car or pocket Wi-Fi just by scanning his face and not having to input the same personal particulars for every different vendor?
I dream of the day I can travel anywhere without a physical passport, where my official travel document is available as a secure app – just as my Singapore identity card is – and my face or my palm is my access key.
Of course, discussions about such a streamlined future of travel isn’t new and the common gripe continues to be the slowness in getting government agencies and commercial organisations worldwide to agree on a data-sharing system. But, at least, technology transformation is happening faster at airports, catalysed by combined pressure on operators to better manage processes with a smaller pool of workers post-lockdown as well as greater public expectation for safe distancing and contactless everything.
