Page 23 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013 Online Magazine

FEATURE IT SYSTEmS

travellers log on and share their names,
ages, destinations, home addresses,
preferences and payment capabilities.
All this data is stored, analysed and
turned into competitive advantage within
the 20% of travellers who generate 80% of
profit. It’s a rich seam that has so far been
only moderately well mined. But that’s
changing fast. Today, third-party data
brokers mine your online information and
combine it with airline operator data to
give background on characteristics such
as travel habits, income and debt status,
religion, political affiliation, or even sexual
orientation. These could help an operator
offer add-ons that specifically appeal to
the potential passenger – at no extra cost.
“This cornucopia of business
intelligence includes contact, passport
and payment information, customer
preferences, past experience, spending,
loyalty data, entitlements, customer
service indicators and much more,” says
Watkins. “Raise the accuracy and clarity of
this data, and there is massive scope for luggage to the correct destination. Not only in (12%) and flight transfers (16%). So
improving services to passengers, as well does this cut costs (queuing time, handling, providing accurate and rapid information
as improving decisions and processes that checking) it generates a sense of well- to make the right decisions, providing flight
impact the [airline’s] bottom line.” being in the passenger and ensures they status updates on mobile devices, providing
The move to all-IT driven systems offers are likely to put Qantas at the top of the list self-boarding gates and automated kiosks
other bonuses too. What’s the biggest hold the next time they book. for flight transfers would all hit the worst
up when you fly? Chances are, it is to do But automated bag handling is not pain spots for air travellers. And today,
with luggage. Qantas has introduced a the biggest grin-inducers for passengers. these facilities are being introduced by
smart QBag e-Tag that is linked to the According to one survey, by far the greatest canny operators who want travellers to
passenger customer ID at the company. cause of passenger stress is loss of time recommend their airline or airport.
Using RFID, it links to that person (or to the – and particularly the fear of missing a For example, Lufthansa offers fully
personal RFID boarding card on domestic flight due to long wait times and queues. automated check-in by email or phone
flights) and allows the luggage to simply be Up to 44% of passengers said this was message. Once the passenger is registered
dropped without checking it in. The system the biggest hassle with air travel. And the with the system, it sends out a mobile
recognises the tag, links it to the correct places where time was wasted most were: boarding pass which also allocates a seat
destination and (hopefully) delivers the security and passport checks (31%), check- – yet allows for changes if need be. Finnair

DuMP ThE OLD BAG
Qantas’s QBag Tag is a digital solution to waiting in the baggage queue. It’s
a permanent electronic bag tag designed to make for faster and easier
baggage check-in at domestic airports. Once the QBagTag is attached to a
bag, and linked to a passenger, there’s no need for any other ID as the bag
will follow the given flight details. If the passenger has checked in online
or with a mobile device before arrival at the airport, he or she will be able
to go directly to Bag Drop, and then straight through to customs. The only
snag? It’s not free; each QBag Tag will cost you 7,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer
points. You’ll have to decide if that’s worth it.

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