No more long queues: Self-service revolutionizes Airport experience
No more long queues: Self-service revolutionizes Airport experience (Representational image)
Airports across India are adopting advanced self-service technologies, reducing wait times and streamlining pre-departure procedures.
Traveling through airports in India is becoming increasingly streamlined as technology takes center stage in managing pre-departure procedures. The traditional airport experience of long queues and numerous interactions with staff is giving way to a more efficient, self-service approach.
Passengers can now handle most aspects of their journey with minimal human interaction. For instance, they can use an artificial intelligence bot for any travel-related changes, print their boarding passes and baggage tags, and place their luggage on the conveyor belt themselves. At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, this entire process takes just over a minute, significantly cutting down on wait times.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has led the charge in this transformation. The airline’s AI bot, 6e, which was introduced late last year, has dramatically reduced the workload for customer service agents by 75%. The bot handles a range of services including ticket booking, seat selection, and web check-ins, with only 2-9% of interactions needing human intervention.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this shift towards self-service. With concerns over hygiene and the desire to minimize physical contact, passengers have increasingly turned to self-service options. President of the Asia-Pacific region for technology company SITA noted that the pandemic pushed many to embrace these technologies, driven by the need to avoid human contact.
He also highlighted the challenge of staffing, as many airlines and airports reduced their workforce during the pandemic and have struggled to fully restore their staff levels. SITA, which provides technological solutions to numerous large airports, has observed that Indian passengers are adopting these self-service technologies faster than in many other regions.
One of the standout innovations is DigiYatra, a facial recognition system that offers a contactless entry process at airports. This system now serves around 90,000 passengers daily and reduces the airport entry time from 15-20 seconds to just 5 seconds. According to CEO of DigiYatra, passengers no longer need to interact with staff or manage multiple documents manually.
The Indian government is also pushing for further advancements by integrating DigiYatra for biometric immigration checks, with a prototype for electronic passport-based enrolment currently in progress.
Additionally, the Fast-Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme, which started in New Delhi in June, offers expedited immigration for pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India cardholders. This program is set to expand to more airports, further easing the travel experience.
As technology continues to evolve, the airport experience in India is poised for even greater efficiency, minimizing delays and enhancing passenger convenience.
