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Ready to Fly is now a reality

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been working on a project called One ID, under the premise of allowing passengers to arrive at the airport “ready to fly”. This means that they will be able to completely digitize the check-in experience at airports by implementing a biometric process with zero contact.

 

The objective of this initiative is to create a more streamlined process with a pre-trip information exchange, where the passenger will have to demonstrate that they meet the requirements for their trip and then identify themselves at established points at airport facilities through biometric recognition.

 

One Id seeks to standardize the digitization processes of all airlines, airports, and governments to provide a seamless experience that is easy for travelers to integrate and use.

 

The implementation of this type of technology will provide multiple benefits and clearly, the main one is that now passengers will not have to be confused with a pile of documents. They will have to share only the minimum necessary data with their digital identity for airlines, airports, and governments. 

 

In this way, when passengers arrive at airport facilities, they will already have their traveler data and itinerary, so they can avoid long lines by just presenting themselves to the biometric reader and identifying themselves. 

 

Other stakeholders that will also benefit from this new process are the airlines and airports which will be able to count on the efficiency of the processes and the reduction of time spent on manual identification of each passenger, which will reduce costs by relying on automated systems and focus their efforts on providing added value to their customers.

 

In terms of security, the One ID system will arguably help strengthen borders and make it easier for governments to receive accurate passenger information, as well as reduce the number of passengers who are inadmissible for presenting inadequate, insufficient, or false documentation.

 

Currently, many airlines have been working on digitizing these processes that allow passengers to board without presenting physical documentation, but IATA intends to create a standardized system that digitizes the admissibility of each traveler, so that when the passenger shares their “OK to Fly” status with the airline, they can automatically bypass all document checks within the airport facilities.

 

Ultimately, travelers want and need technology for their trips, to ensure better treatment, more efficiency, better services, and a considerable reduction in the time spent on controls. So they are undoubtedly willing to share their most sensitive information to support the progress that these systems will offer in the future and from which the industry as a whole will benefit.

 

However, the new standards are focused on protecting the data of passengers, who at all times remain in control of their data and credentials, sharing only verified approvals and without any intermediaries. In addition, this is not mandatory, so it will be an option if the passenger wishes to opt-out of this process and use manual verification.

 

Cybersecurity in the aeronautics industry

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With heavy investment in development and automation, the aeronautics industry is preparing for its biggest moment. But, reaching optimal levels of digitization involves a great deal of preparation to protect and support data security. A factor that has been transcendental over the years and that today is not ignored. 

The aviation sector is going through one of its best moments, having reached pre-pandemic levels. However, with exponential growth, data vulnerability is becoming more palpable in an ecosystem where cyber-attacks are in constant view. 

This represents a challenge for aviation worldwide, the protection of passenger data and the support of the aviation structure are essential to avoid risks and threats that could put airports in trouble. 

Building a strong cyber foundation…

With the arrival of digital transformation, laying the foundations of a cybernetic structure is essential, thanks to the large amount of data handled daily at an airport. Not only financial data but also data on each of the passengers that pass through an airport every year. 

In this sense, to move the aviation industry forward with the arrival of digitalization, the cyberculture must be adapted to build sustainable systems that are prepared to cope with the impact of the transformations that are experienced from time to time in technology. 

It is not only a matter of strengthening robust foundations at a systematic level but also of creating a culture where workers are trained to avoid and minimize human error in the event of a system crash. 

Cybersecurity as a sustainable investment… 

To talk about security is not only to talk about a protection system but also to ensure the future of a sector that has been able to overcome each of the challenges it has faced throughout history. 

This is why, at a structural level, it is a safe investment, given the increase in cyber threats. In addition, it will guarantee a robust and credible system over the years. Capable of adapting to changes and guaranteeing security. 

This is a big step for the aviation sector that is growing almost daily, despite the challenges it has faced, it is still a leader in security and reliability in the transportation sector. 

If you want to know more about aviation and shipping news, keep browsing our blog.

 

Resilient ports

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Nowadays, airport planning must be viewed as an ecosystem in permanent transformation, which does not work in isolation but is an integral part of its immediate environment. As well as other sectors that directly influence its daily development such as tourism, foreign trade, defense, territorial integration, and social connectivity, but above all, its planning must be aligned with the objectives and policies of the State.

 

Evaluating the above, the planning of the air system should be focused not only on aircraft, infrastructure, and services but also on sustainability (social, environmental, and economic) and should not lose its articulation with the urban planning where they are located.

 

The current situation must be taken into account in airport planning, while analyzing the past and how things were done to foresee the future and improve processes, building different scenarios, considering all possible variables, and dimensioning their influence.

 

The truth is that we are in constant evolution, and situations change overnight, but today, keeping airport development at the forefront of technology is vital to lay the foundations. This allows a sector in constant development to grow and meet the demand of travelers for more efficient services and transform their travel experience.

 

Airport development management has a responsibility to take advantage of the buildings, facilities, and infrastructure available to them and evaluate their full capacity to adapt and create resilient infrastructures that promote the sustainability of the industry, but above all foster innovation.

 

Using technological platforms makes it possible to optimize resources without the need for large investments in infrastructure. Additionally, they facilitate the daily work of airport employees, while benefiting travelers who obtain high-quality services with state-of-the-art technology that offers them: greater data security, more efficient waiting times, and, obviously, greater convenience when using systems such as self-check-in. Also, biometric systems for passenger control or zero-contact technologies have become so popular in recent times.

 

Undoubtedly, the airport sector has had a rapid capacity to adapt and has weathered one of the worst crises in history, but if anything is clear, it is that airport planning must be very resilient and mutate step by step, to adapt to the needs.  Above all, they must be open to learning, take advantage of every innovative technology that facilitates data collection and analysis, and be very dynamic in decision-making, which will allow them to cushion the impact of any situation that may arise.

 

Reduced traffic at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

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In previous articles, we talked about the challenges facing airports worldwide that affect them both positively and negatively. However, this has led to immense solutions that have served as a bridge to improve flight quality, airport traffic, and the development of new opportunities. 

Many airports have gone through a crisis of staff shortages at airports ,and so far, airports like London Airport have managed to mitigate the processes. Others like Amsterdam Airport have taken medium-term measures to ease the long queues and a large number of passengers transiting through the airport. 

That’s right, Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam announced a reduction in the number of passengers that will be able to transit through the airport. This is due to the lack of security personnel at the airport in the Netherlands in previous months. 

This measure will be in place until the end of March 2023. Thanks to this, the maximum number of passengers will also depend on previous agreements with the airlines, which will require more elaborate planning to minimize the consequences. 

In this sense, the aim is to minimize waiting times, and long queues and also to ensure the safety of the thousands of passengers who transit daily. Also to avoid collapse and various cancellations due to lack of personnel. 

Automatic passenger transit

Likewise, many technology companies are currently working on the creation of technologies that work under artificial intelligence to improve airport transit mechanisms, administrative processes, security, loading, unloading, and much more. 

Such is the case of GP Nauticals, who have developed a software system, especially for the aeronautical and maritime sectors. With a SUITE of products that are integrated to cover different types of needs, with the ability to analyze data in real-time that allow improvements in the development of the airport. 

Also, thanks to PAX AIMS, the airport will be able to audit passenger traffic, thanks to different checkpoints that allow scanning of boarding passes where the passenger and boarding list can be validated with the concessionaires to proceed to check-in. 

 This is just a small sample of the services that GP Nauticals has to offer. If you want to know more about each of our products do not hesitate to visit our products section. 

 

Total Airport Management Systems

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Nowadays, technological transformation is a process that has been very present in all industries. However, in the airport sector it has made it possible to alleviate a series of deficiencies that had been occurring both externally and internally and that were slowing down its processes and hindering the development of the sector.

Having a total airport management system benefits travelers who spend long hours in airport facilities to check their luggage. Go through border controls and wait for the aircraft to be ready to finally make the flight, since this is only a small part of what an airport operates.

Optimizing each one of its operations, such as security, both of facilities and travelers, concessions, routes, airlines, administration and check-in, suppliers, among others. 

It guarantees an articulated and collaborative decision making process, where everyone involved has first hand information and in real time, which enables a great improvement in efficiency and avoids important monetary losses.

The main objective of an airport management system is to interconnect and integrate most of the information handled within the airport, thus ensuring the maximum flow of information on its operations, management and security, which results in a more efficient final service for travelers and more profitable for the airport.

The number of passengers increases year after year, which can end up collapsing airport operations and facilities, but building additional infrastructure is not always the most appropriate solution, due to high costs, permitting and development times; While implementing technological tools that help optimize the use of the infrastructure and its resources leads to a much lower investment, more controlled integration times and great benefits by considerably reducing the time aircraft spend on the ground, reducing fuel consumption, emissions and especially flight delays, something that passengers will surely appreciate.

A good airport management system brings together the operational complexities of airlines, airports and suppliers, encouraging the development and evolution of the industry, allowing a modular growth according to the traffic forecasts and commercial strategies of the interested parties, and all this thanks to the information management provided by this type of system.

Having real-time access to all the data derived from airport operations creates opportunities for improvement in very short periods of time that without this type of systems would take years to collect and analyze, to finally move on to a decision-making process where each participant will look after its own interests and not those of the community in general.

Currently many airports are looking to implement airport management systems and already in the market there is a significant amount of specialized software that in turn consist of several independent systems such as passenger check-in, passenger control, aeronautical fuel suppliers, among others that allow organizations to assemble a customized system that can integrate perfectly with their current software without having to paralyze operations or make large investments of money, time and knowledge transfer.

As we have mentioned in other articles, the software development company GP Nauticals has on the market a series of administrative systems for the aviation sector that separately can work to optimize a particular niche and optimize its operations, but that together create a robust administrative system that includes all the processes and port operations. If you want to know more about their range of products I invite you to visit their website. www.gpnauticals.com 

 

Mobile applications in the aviation industry

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In recent times, it’s evident how mobile applications related to air transport have multiplied, and have promoted major changes in the aviation industry. From the improvement of internal processes to cope with any kind of operational disruption, as happened during the pandemic, to those focused on customer satisfaction by transforming the way they travel.

We live in an interconnected world and there is a clear need to have as much information and services as possible on our mobile devices. Thanks to this, more and more airlines and airports are focusing their efforts on developing technology that allows them to be at the forefront of the needs while helping to reduce costs, optimize revenues, improve labor productivity, and above all innovate while making life easier for their passengers.

The use of this type of technology can also become a differentiating branding tool.  Now that many airlines are seeking to build customer loyalty through attractive benefits that play an important role in passengers’ decision to travel.

Now, let’s take a look at the latest technologies that have been used in the airline industry and are being tested around the world. 

For example, contactless self-check-in and baggage handling technology are being tested in many airports, as well as mobile applications that allow airlines to scan travelers’ passports and visas at different checkpoints, thus speeding up long waiting lines and reducing waiting times, which is a huge benefit for passengers.

On the other hand, airlines are looking for ways to integrate into their mobile applications options that allow passengers to manage their services without the need for a cabin crew member anywhere in the travel chain and especially without contact. So if a passenger wants to use the entertainment systems of the aircraft, he can do it just by scanning a QR code from his mobile device and thus choose what he wants to see while interacting with the crew to buy products or services such as food or duty-free items. 

These types of technology platforms not only serve to meet the needs of passengers, but also provide airlines and airports with the opportunity to understand passenger behavior and purchasing patterns. This allows companies to segment the market and personalize their offers.

Similarly, facial recognition technology continues to make inroads in the industry, and biometric identification options are expected to become common in the coming year, as their benefits are not only focused on passengers but also help to reduce costs, optimize resources, and speed up boarding times. 

Even now, facial recognition payment technologies and contactless fingerprint scanning are being tested. 

 Similarly, another area that is being impacted by mobile technology platforms is the administrative sector of the airline industry where they are beginning to implement port management systems that allow airports to manage data in real-time with cloud support. That helps the organizations involved to be more efficient in managing information, concessions, contracts, billing, and payment of services. 

Today there are many development companies specialized in the aviation industry that continually offer solutions that improve processes, encouraging a market that has been greatly affected in recent years by the pandemic of COVID-19 as is GP Nautical. who have focused their efforts on creating innovative technology platforms for the aviation sector that allows any port to have a management system of the last generation with minimal investment.

 

The use of biometrics in the aeronautical sector

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The future is already here and thanks to the technological advances we are living today, we can use biometrics as a control and access system. Analyzing our facial features or body measurements that make each person a unique human being with specific characteristics.

But what does this process consist of? 

To identify a subject, all that is needed is to compare an incoming image with an image in the database. However, in the aeronautical field, this is a process that must be carried out in real-time and supported by software and a database that provides sufficient security to airport facilities.

 

For this reason, airports that have already implemented technologies like this support it with government databases that support their security personnel while streamlining their passenger check-in processes.

 

Using a passenger access control system with biometrics brings many advantages to the aviation industry, such as speeding up the entry process, making it faster and more efficient, and reducing the probability of identity fraud, since the system will identify the passenger’s features by comparing them with certified databases. 

 

Software without human manipulation, this type of technology and devices used to provide access cannot be manipulated, so the information handled here is secure and reliable. And last but not least hygiene, as the type of devices used for biometric identification or facial recognition, does not require any kind of contact, so it is ideal in these times of pandemic.

 

According to Annet Steenbergen, chair of the passenger facilitation working group at IATA, “The use of the human body as an authentication system will be the salvation to speed up the movement of people in air terminals”. Especially when it is expected that by 2037, more than 8 million passengers will be using airplanes for their transfers, more than twice as many as today.

 

Identification solutions using biometrics or facial recognition not only eliminate manual processes, offer a more satisfactory service for passengers, and reduce their waiting times at the airport but also help airlines and air terminals to comply with government and border agency regulations.

 

So far, the main use of facial recognition technology has been in the check-in areas of airports. However, within the same air terminals, it can also be used to provide privileged access to VIP lounges for frequent travelers, access to restricted areas for airport workers, or to offer specific premium services for those passengers who wish to pay for a more pleasant trip. 

 

At the moment, the implementation of facial recognition in the aviation industry is in its early stages, but we are sure that it will revolutionize the sector and replace many processes that are not so friendly so far.

 

Logistics in times of expansion

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The growth and expansion of the different sectors around the world, are currently influenced by the economic ecosystem we are going through.

For some months, economic instability has been involved in the potential development of the different commercial sectors, which has generated other ways of recovery, to be able to weigh the imbalance left by the pandemic. 

One of the sectors that have had to look for other alternatives is the logistics systems, where both the shipping and aeronautical sectors are involved. 

Logistics operations globally are seeking to consolidate their bases to prevent events that may present themselves from generating crises within the transportation channels. 

That is why many not only seek to trade with new routes, they are looking to supply their distribution chains to overcome setbacks. New alliances are also essential to boost logistics operations. 

In an environment full of competition, the development of new technologies is necessary to make business meetings and achieve the necessary objectives to maintain quality standards in the development of aeronautical and maritime concessionaires. 

Technologies for the development of new opportunities…

Behind the logistics operations in seaports and airports, many processes must be followed for the functioning of the infrastructure. 

In this sense, one of the most important roles is the invoicing process. Manual logistics has become a tedious process, and in the middle of the technological universe, immediacy is vital to meet administrative commitments. 

Consequently, GP Nauticals and the SUITE AIMS were born, which offers an efficient solution for the collection processes, in the maritime and aeronautical sectors. 

This SUITE consists of several technological software that are integrated to obtain immediate results and that allows managing safely and simply, the payments of concessions and invoices that are generated within the maritime and aeronautical environment. 

PAY AIMS is one of our main collection software with which you can review your invoices and integrate different payment methods to manage them immediately. This way, you will be able to meet your requirements and optimize waiting times. 

 

Want to learn more about SUITE AIMS? Just go to our products section.

Airport planning and development

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The preparation of a strategic plan to improve and develop airport facilities involves a lot of variants, such as the levels of airport demand and traffic or safety, which is undoubtedly one of the most predominant issues, or the number of rules and regulations that these entities must follow.

 

The design of this planning should focus on generating a balance between the airside installations and the terminals or ground services. So, involving each affected group is vital for the success of the planning.

 

An airport installation is not only based on the landing or take-off of aircraft or the boarding or landing of passengers. We also consider each supplier and service provider, such as refueling, maintenance, and services of installations or aircraft, cargo transportation services, and even parking for aircraft that are not in service.

 

For this reason, it is important to make a strategic plan for the development of these facilities. Such as an evaluation of environmental issues, design, financing, legal terms, and political decisions that may affect the development of the airport.

 

In addition, one of the first actions to implement in a development plan correctly is to optimize as much as possible the existing facilities in terms of operations, processes, and technology. Especially those areas that will be in charge of receiving all the traffic derived from the terminals or areas in expansion.

 

For this reason, one of the main recommendations is that airport installations should have an administrative management system that, thanks to automation, collection, and management of information in real-time, allows for an optimization of resources and secure and efficient handling of data.

 

Nowadays, software exists in a specialized way for the aeronautical sector that allows managing a digital transformation process in the industry without major inconveniences or very high investment values. 

 

For example, software such as GP Nauticals’ AIMS Suite can handle administrative, and financial tasks of port facilities, generate bills and manage payments, digitalize services such as fuel dispatch or perform a detailed control of passengers, according to each one of its products. 

 

All of this with support in the cloud and analytics available in real-time that can assist in more assertive decision making.

 

Technologies for airport management

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In our articles, we talk about the digital transformation in the airport sector and the benefits it brings, to  passengers and also to the administration. 

The passenger’s opinion is more critical, from the entrance to an airport, the user becomes the judge who will give the final verdict, to evaluate improvements in the airport sector. 

This is reflected in the results provided year after year by Skytrax, which not only rewards airlines but also airports. 

That is why, we see that airports continue to break new ground and go beyond barriers to provide comfort, confidence, and punctuality from start to finish. 

A sample of what we talked is the Passenger Terminal Expo, which this year returned to Paris to bring it new trends, innovations, and materials to improve the experience at airports worldwide. 

Technological proposals on demand…

This year has the particularity that the technological leap is imminent. From Artificial Intelligence proposals, intelligent surveillance, and interactive kiosks to easily find boarding gates and terminals. 

Intelligent baggage handling logistics and, many more offerings are just some of the challenges that port management will face in the coming years. 

This results in a wide range of options to further improve the technological development structures at large airports. 

And it gives rise to those airports that are still in the process of development, which can join these endless technological options that ensure sustainability, durability, and confidence over time. 

That is why, at GP Nauticals we rely on developing specialized software to provide the port administration, a window that allows us to manage payments, collections, and everything related to billing and administration in a simple way. 

In addition, our SUITE is integrated to improve the performance and management of an airport, thanks to the analysis and reports that allow you to visualize results firsthand. 

Meet PAY AIMS, AERO AIMS, and all the SUITE that GP Nauticals have to facilitate and optimize the time of administrative procedures.