It may take some time for the aviation industry to recover from the aftermaths of the COVID-19. However, the sudden fall in passenger numbers has allowed airlines and airports to introspect and modify some areas of air travel and improve certain pain-points in the customer experience. And, one of those areas is the boarding process.

From bingo boarding to virtual queueing, we are going to talk about some recent innovations that airlines and airports have initiated to streamline the boarding process and minimise human intervention amid COVID-19.

Biometric Boarding

• Biometric technology is being widely used across various airport check-points, particularly immigration.
•  However, implementing biometrics for boarding as well would largely minimise human intervention.
• Using facial recognition technology to confirm the passenger’s identity without needing to show their boarding passes or interact with the staff can be an option to consider.

Virtual Queueing

•  Being practised by some of the industry players from pre-COVID times, they usually use push notifications to alert the passengers, however, it won’t solve the problem of overcrowding.
• Therefore, providing personalised boarding information direct to the passenger through a digital application would be a viable option.
•  Virtual Queueing allows the passengers to stay calm and relaxed before their flight at a nearby food & beverage joint, lounge, or a kiosk at the terminal and will send a personalised notification when their seat is boarding.

Back-to-Front Boarding

• Even though the necessary steps are being taken to ensure maximum safety during air travel amid COVID-19, the boarding is one of the areas where the potential risk of virus transmission increases.
•  As an instant solution, some of the airlines have opted for back-to-front boarding to practise social distancing.
• Even though it has been tried earlier as well during the pre-COVID times, it is seen as one of the slowest boarding methods.
•  Following this approach, airlines now have the challenge to ensure maximum safety while at the same time maintain a speedy turnaround.

Bingo Boarding

• One of the most innovative techniques being practised around the world is the Bingo Boarding.
• This process involves seating people from the back row to the front with window seats first, middles seats next and aisle seats last.
• Gatwick Airport in England went on trial with this method, and the staff could board 158 passengers in just about 14 minutes, that’s two-three minutes faster than the usual boarding time.
•  However, the airport highlighted that this boarding method would be more viable for a flight with predominately business or individual passengers.

Through our digitally powered products such as StatMach, etc, we aim at streamlining the operations of airline companies effectively and efficiently.

RayMach Technologies Pvt Ltd provides business consulting along with products and services tailored to the Aviation Industry. Thriving on the vision of optimising and automating business operations and processes, it emphasises the scope of improvement in different departments including crew management, flight management, engineering, revenue, etc. At a time when different airline companies are looking for solutions to fight COVID-19 and make travel safe again, we are providing technology-based solutions aimed at minimising human intervention and the scope of virus transmission.

To know more about how you can improvise your aviation business operations along with keeping in mind the profitability aspect, visit our website or drop us a mail at support@raymach.in & follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & LinkedIn.