Page 9 - AAA JANUARY-MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

COVER STORY

Coping Biometric systems, which typically use facial
recognition to identify passengers, have always
held the promise of speeding up check-in
times, from curb to gate. This technology also
drastically reduces the need for passenger
interaction and the chance of touching sur-
with Covid faces such as the screens on check-in kiosks
which could be holding COVID-19. Airports are
now increasingly using biometric technology to
do the full passenger flow.

Automated screening systems which remove
the need to pat-down passengers and inspect
AIRPORTS ARE CHANGING THEIR OPERATIONAL their hand luggage can also shorten check-in
PRACTICES TO KEEP PASSENGERS SAFE IN THE times. Experts said such systems can screen
COVID-19 ERA up to 800 people per hour. Airports are also
likely to be far cleaner places as operators
respond to passengers’ new hygiene habits.
Jay Menon This will include the deployment of more san-
itation stations. “They are not happy with us
The unprecedented spread of COVID-19 globally is demanding telling them that we are sanitising everything
drastic actions across the airport industry. Hampered by the pan- and changing protocols for them to be safe.
demic, airport authorities across the world are exploring new They want to be able to do that themselves,”
solutions to improve the end-to-end passenger experience, opti- Eurnekian said. “They want to have cleaning
mise business operations, and develop digital marketing strategies materials and wipes at hand at the airport to be
and revenue streams. able to wipe their surfaces around them to give
them the confidence that they need.”
Martin Eurnekian, CEO of Corporación América Airports, which
operates 52 airports globally, said: “The pandemic is likely to have New Solutions
a lasting positive impact on the airline industry by forcing airports Hamad International Airport (HIA) launched
to rapidly adopt better design and technology features which may its trial phase of testing happyhover and SITA
have taken years to implement without the onset of COVID-19.” Mobile Solution technology for contactless

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