International travel is making a comeback. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is optimistic that global passenger numbers would recover to 52 per cent of pre-COVID levels by the end of this year, citing more vaccination and testing as the key drivers.
Countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, have reopened their borders to vaccinated travellers after more than a year of lockdowns due to COVID-19.
This poses a critical question to airport leaders: Are their facilities ready to welcome passengers back safely?
To earn back public trust and protect the wellbeing of employees and passengers alike, airports need updated facilities that provide highly connected and data-driven environments. Studies show airports are ready to do just that; airports globally spent US$3.5 billion on IT in 2020 and are projected to budget the same or more in 2021.
Singapore’s Changi Airport has tested on-arrival testing and biosafety systems to maintain the airport’s position as a safe, well-connected and trusted airport.
By integrating digital solutions, airport leaders can maximise non-aeronautical revenue opportunities, streamline the passenger experience and deliver safety and security at every touchpoint.
Airports benefit from proactive digital security solutions in several ways, apart from gaining a heightened awareness of potential threats. Solutions such as biometrics allow airports to strengthen their security processes, as well as slow the spread of viruses by minimising face-to-face human interaction between passengers and employees.
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Proactive security can help create a more enjoyable experience for passengers by processing them more quickly and efficiently, thus giving passengers more time to shop, dine and explore the terminals.
With technologies such as advanced access control and a connected dashboard, airports can boost sustainability practices such as integrating building management systems to calibrate, optimize and forecast energy usage based on foot traffic and occupancy.
Analytics help airports prepare for the unexpected
Technological advancements in passenger screening systems are driving demand in airports across the Asia Pacific such as India and China. These include powerful body scanners, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, blockchain technology, facial and biometric recognition.
Changi Airport in Singapore is tapping data analytics and the Internet of Things to gain a more accurate, real-item perspective of its operations.
Likewise, Malaysia Airports is using contactless technology to help enhance passenger safety in response to the current global pandemic.
Data is a key component of any modern airport’s operations. There will be concerns around cybersecurity, especially as the public return to air travel after a long hiatus, resulting in a large influx of passenger data.
With the right cybersecurity program, however, these vulnerabilities can be identified and eliminated. 83 per cent of airports plan to implement a significant cybersecurity program, of which cyber-analysis is a key component.
A trusted partner can work with airport leaders to identify gaps in their system and create a cybersecurity program aligned to their needs, allowing them to integrate new technologies to address the concern of a cyberattack.
Airports have been using risk algorithms to stay prepared for unexpected emergencies. Leveraging digital twin technology, airport security managers can create a live digital replica environment by applying internal and external facility data.
This enables security leaders to run highly accurate models and algorithms to account for the biggest risks facing their airports and help guide them when designing their security systems. Digital twin technology can even help airports locate the source of costly, panic-inducing false alarms.
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Analytics can help airport leaders understand and best serve their customers. With analytics, security managers can predict and understand passenger behaviours in the airport, and pattern recognition tools can automatically recognise and flag suspicious passenger activity to security personnel before the situation becomes dangerous.
Additionally, by understanding the factors that most influence passengers’ shopping, dining and enjoyment, airports can redesign concourse layout for greater customer satisfaction and revenue generation while maintaining best-in-class security.
Integrate for streamlined emergency response
A surge in passengers can complicate airports’ emergency response processes; more passengers, unfortunately, create greater potential for accidents and violence and also amount to more individuals that require evacuation.
However, just as airports can implement proactive solutions to predict and analyze security threats, they can also install creative and integrated incident identification and response systems for comprehensive, real-time emergency response.
Whether the emergency involves fire, intrusion or simply suspicious behaviour, security systems can be automated and connected to enable a streamlined and automated response.
By integrating security solutions onto a single network, multiple systems can communicate with each other for maximum efficiency. Mass notification systems (MNS), including text alerts, digital screens and kiosks, can be integrated with alarms to deliver evacuation guidance to passengers and employees.
MNS can also instantly alert local first responders, providing them with detailed information about the situation so they can formulate a plan to best protect employees and travellers.
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Surveillance cameras can also be integrated with alarms to automatically lock and unlock entrances and exits based on the response required for the incident, preventing individuals from moving towards the danger.
In an emergency situation, every second counts. Through integration, airports’ emergency response processes are streamlined and automated, removing human error as a risk factor and ensuring an orderly evacuation process that can save lives.
Data-powered security is cleared for takeoff
In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, passengers returning to airports in the coming months will naturally have heightened expectations for airport security and efficiency.
To assuage any concerns and earn back public trust, passengers will expect to see and experience a greater focus on their wellbeing and comfort, in addition to impenetrable security. Airports cannot afford to fall short.
By implementing the latest in advanced security solutions, airport leaders can create an enhanced environment that is data-powered and optimised for traveller wellness.
From touchless access control to digital twin analytics, airports across Southeast Asia can welcome back travellers with a safe, healthy and enjoyable passenger experience.
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