Here at Future Travel Experience we are dedicated to providing unrivalled content such as exclusive interviews and original features as part of our strategy to promote innovation and drive industry change. As 2018 draws to a close, we look back at some of our most popular content from the past 12 months.
How Lufthansa is empowering passengers to self-manage disruption at the airport and in-flight
We looked closely at Lufthansa’s three-step approach to ensuring minimal impact on the passenger experience when disruption strikes. Dr Björn Becker, Senior Director Product Management, Ground & Digital Services, Lufthansa Group, said: “Excellence in service recovery is, from my perspective, one of the major success factors and differentiators, especially in a service industry like ours.” Read the full story >>
easyJet’s new home luggage check-in service set to deliver customer experience, ancillary revenue and operational benefits
easyJet became the first low-cost carrier to partner with home bag drop service AirPortr in a move that allowed its customers flying from Gatwick Airport to have their luggage checked-in and collected from their doorstep. Speaking to FTE earlier this year, Andrew Middleton, Director of Ancillary Revenue at easyJet, described the service as potentially delivering a “holy trinity” of benefits. “We’re improving the customer experience, we’re delivering commercially for ourselves and for our partners, and if we can throw in some operational benefits as well then we’re delivering on that holy trinity,” he said. Read the full story >>
Artificial intelligence – far more than just a chatbot technology for airlines and airports
The air transport industry continues to experience the revolutionary force of artificial intelligence (AI) as a means to improve the passenger experience, with a number of airlines and airports launching AI-powered products such as chatbots. In 2018, we delved deeper into this topic, and we spoke to Groupe ADP, Air New Zealand and Aeromexico to explore whether AI has the potential to further improve customer service and optimise efficiency. Read the full story >>
Sign up for FTE’s weekly e-newsletter >>Thomas Cook Group Airlines to expand Sunstream wireless IFE offering
Many airlines this year focused on the importance of expanding their in-flight entertainment offering in order to meet customer needs. Speaking at AirFi’s Innovation Day in The Hague, Netherlands in March, Tracy Barr, Head of Product, Thomas Cook Group Airlines, outlined plans to make wireless IFE more widely available in time for summer season 2018. Read the full story >>
How Gatwick Airport has placed technology at the heart of its strategy to improve on-time departure
Improving on-time departure (OTD) through technological developments was again a hot topic throughout the year. In February, FTE paid a visit to Gatwick Airport, where we caught up with Cathal Corcoran, then Chief Information Officer, and Abhi Chacko, Head of IT Commercial & Innovation, to find out how a raft of technologies are being leveraged to optimise OTD. Read the full story >>
Autonomous vehicles: Future-proofing the airport environment
2018 also saw a rapid growth in the use of autonomous vehicles in the airport sector, with the likes of Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Groupe ADP and Heathrow trialling the technology in various operational areas, from baggage handling to cargo. FTE has been closely observing these developments and the potential this technology offers in the airport environment. Read the full story >>
Sign up for FTE’s weekly e-newsletter >>Five examples of biometrics in action at US airports
Biometric-enabled passenger processing is becoming a more common sight at major airports across the United States, largely driven by the ongoing rollout of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) biometric entry/exit programme. In this feature, we looked at some of the latest biometrics implementations at U.S. airports, including initiatives at Orlando, Mineta San Jose, Los Angeles and Miami airports. Read the full story >>
Etihad, Emirates and Aviapartner tap into virtual reality technology in airport lounges
A handful of airlines have already trialled virtual reality (VR) headsets onboard aircraft to explore their viability as in-flight entertainment (IFE) devices. However, to find out what impact the technology has on the passenger experience in the airport environment, FTE explored how Etihad Airways, Emirates and Aviapartner at Fiumicino Airport are using the technology in airport lounges. Read the full story >>
Japan Airlines preparing for the future with supersonic aims and innovation lab
Japan Airlines (JAL) has been busy looking to the future. In December 2017, it announced a strategic partnership with Boom Supersonic, before revealing in May this year that it has created the JAL Innovation Lab. In the same month, Japan’s national carrier also announced its intention to launch a new low-cost carrier ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. In this exclusive interview with Akira Mitsumasu, Vice President, Products & Services Planning Division, Japan Airlines, we discussed these subjects and the carrier’s vision for the future passenger experience. Read the full story >>
How data, customisation and automation will shape the next generation of airport terminal design
“Airport of the future” has become something of a buzzword in the air transport industry. While technology continues to develop and the expectations of today’s connected passengers keep shifting, the airport terminal is also constantly changing. Earlier this year, FTE spoke to Kiran Merchant, CEO of Merchant Aviation, a Groupe ADP company, to learn more about the latest trends in airport terminal design and the technological advancements that will drive future change. Read the full story >>
