Page 45 - AA 2018_11

Future Airports

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA SAYS TECHNOLOGY EASING THE PAIN POINTS
OF TRAVEL

Virgin Australia group commenced construction on intelligence and machine more personalised and
executive for airlines Rob Sharp a major overhaul of its facilities learning to gain more insights multisensory.
says technology is key to easing at Melbourne Tullamarine. into its passengers. “It goes without saying
the trademark pain points of Sharp noted the results of a One example of this was that the airlines who quickly
the travel experience that have 2017 International Air Transport the voice-controlled Amazon adapt to the shifting dynamics
long been the bugbears of Association (IATA) survey of Alexa, which is able to look up of customer engagement will
passengers. 10,000 passengers where 82 per the status of a Virgin Australia thrive in the modern travel
Speaking to a Trans-Tasman cent of respondents preferred flight and bring up a person’s market which is centred around
Business Circle event in Sydney to use a digital passport on frequent flyer details when apps, chatbots and other
on September 27, Sharp told their smartphone, 64 per cent prompted. gadgets that further exemplify
guests recent innovations preferred to use biometrics Meanwhile, Sharp said the 24/7 industry that we
represented just the start of at check-in and 72 per cent the airline is using machine operate in.”
what the future of travel was preferred self-boarding gates. learning technology to improve Sharp said the functionality
going to look like, namely “Self-service is the way of the its apps, with the aim of making such as three-dimensional
“seamless, tailored and multi- future as it eliminates queuing the travel experience more airport maps have been added
channelled”. and congestion at the check-in intuitive by presenting the to the Virgin Australia app,
“Regardless of whether you halls and provides our guests “next best action for you” such while being able to share flight
are travelling for business or with more flexibility,” Sharp said. as automatically opening up details with friends and family
for a holiday break, there is “Self-service technology also the boarding pass on a person’s was expected to be available by
one common theme that is frees up our team members on smartphone when they are at October.
becoming more prevalent within the ground to be able to provide the gate. And looking further ahead,
the travel industry – which more of a concierge service Virgin Australia is also Sharp said there were also plans
is for operators to identify to our guests, which further working on integrating its apps to offer new payment options
technological solutions to complements the overall travel with those of its partner airlines, and better notification alerts,
the common travel frictions experience. with Sharp mentioning Delta Air as well as augmented reality
experienced by our guests,” “Our guests are becoming Lines, Etihad Airways, Hainan wayfinding within airports such
Sharp said in prepared remarks. more tech-savvy and this Airlines and Singapore Airlines, as Los Angeles.
These technological has motivated airlines in 2019. “There is extensive
solutions, both for on-the- such as Virgin Australia to “This means that when you investment in our app-based
ground infrastructure at airports utilise technology in order are on a Delta Air Lines flight in approach due to the fact that our
and digital infrastructure for to streamline the travel America travelling to Australia, guests are empowered by apps
passengers before they turn experience.” the embedded Virgin Australia – they want direct control over
up for their flight, seek to offer Both Adelaide Airport and App functionality will be able to their bookings and have higher
more self-service options for Melbourne Tullamarine will open up to enable check-in and expectations in terms of being
travellers. also include new premium seat selection,” Sharp explained. notified with travel updates too,”
Virgin Australia unveiled its passenger lounges as part of the “Artificial intelligence allows Sharp said.
Xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx
self-service airport concept in renovations. airlines such as Virgin Australia Sharp noted 16 million
xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx
2015 when the airline opened to get to know its guests and customers visited the Virgin
xxxxxx xxxx. xxxxxxx xxxxxx
the doors to its new home at KNOWING ITS their typical travel behaviours, Australia website via their
Perth Airport. PASSENGERS BETTER which in turn allows us to tailor mobile device in the 12 months
Located on the eastern side THROUGH TECHNOLOGY your travel experiences. to June 30 2018, which
of the airfield at Terminal 1, In addition to helping its “When we are talking about demonstrated the “reliance on
the facility featured hybrid passengers move through the making travel easier, what this mobile technology to access
desks developed by technology airport more efficiently, Sharp we are really talking about is information and streamline the
provider SITA that can be said Virgin Australia is also making modes of travel more travel process”.
switched from a self-service bag leveraging the power of new intelligent. And by intelligent, I “Travellers now expect to
drop setup to a manned check-in technologies such as artificial am meaning more connected, be able to use their phones
counter within five minutes. as a key tool in the travel
This would allow the airline Virgin Australia introduced process – checking in for flights,
the flexibility to cater to the its self-service airport accessing boarding passes, as
demands of different customers, concept at Perth. well as being alerted to travel
as well as better manage disruptions,” Sharp said.
operations in peak and off-peak “Smartphone technology has
times of the day. There are also seen a major shift in traveller
28 self-service check-in kiosks behaviour which has acted
for travellers to print boarding as an impetus for airlines to
passes and baggage tags. up the ante on our customer
Virgin Australia rolled out a engagement strategies, which
similar proposition for travellers at is seeing flow-on benefits to the
Adelaide Airport in February 2018. overall travel experience.”
Then, in August 2018, it jordan chong

NOVEMBER 2018 45