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How the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics helping in the modernization of the Airport, The Airport business is a customer-centric industry that works for providing the best customer experience from the beginning to the end of their journey with effective use of resources and that makes Modernization of the Airport business more important to manage the rising population by reducing Manual processes which led to more effective and reduction in human errors.
Modernization of the airport industry at all the points where passenger interact during their journey that can include the parking Area, entry and exit points at terminal building, check-in counters, security check, and Boarding gates resulting in a seamless travel experience and also reduction of operational cost for the airport authorities using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics
A move from Manual process to Automation using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics.
As Airport Business is hardly hit by the Covid-19 there is a move from Manual process to Automation, Firstly, the parking system been changed a lot earlier when we enter the airport car parking, we have to take an entry token or receipt and during the time of exit we have to pay the parking charges by the cash, but now the airport has implemented Automated Parking system with the use of a FASTag which help in providing Seamless entry and exit with no need to pay cash or take any token just drive in and out of the parking and charges will be ducted from you FASTag wallet.
After the passengers moved toward the terminal building airports started using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics to enable the use of an E-ticket or E-Boarding pass that can be used to get entry into the building using machines installed at Gate just scan your boarding pass and show your ID using applications or to Secuity Staff at Gate.
After proceeding to the check-in counter many airports have already Installed a Kiosk machine to enable the self-Check-in, also some of the airports has already implemented Self-service Bag Drop System. Airport Business also trying to make terminal management more effective and smoother to provide a seamless experience inside the terminal building this can be done using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics which will help in enhance customer service and providing more security to passengers.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics enables seamless movement of passengers inside the terminal which helps in better management and future planning which also eliminates human errors in process of modernization of the Airport.
Few Technolgy used in modernization of the Airport.
1.Introduction of Self-Service Bag Drop System
Replacing the traditional baggage drop system with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. earlier passengers used to go to the check-in counter and wait in long queues to get baggage dropped at the counter even after web check-in.
Many Airports in the process of modernization of the Airport business has implemented a Self-Service baggage Drop System to help in a faster and more convenient baggage drop process for a passenger after they get to enter the terminal building. It is a combination of two machines first self-check-in Kiosks and second a Self-Baggage drop unit.
How do you use a self-service bag drop
Once the passenger enters the terminal building then he should look for the Self-service bag drop in Kiosks, in process of Modernization of airport industry. toward kiosks passenger must complete Check-in Process and after that Baggage Tag will be printed from the machine which needs to be attached to you Luggage ensuring that any old baggage tag will be removed from the bag then the new tag needs to well attach to the Luggage and the baggage tag.
One receipt will also be printed for reference which we need to paste into the physical boarding pass printed by kiosks machines, after that our next step is to proceed towards Self-Baggage Drop system unit where you need to scan the Bar Code with Scanner verify your details and then baggage will move to X-rays scanning then to the Baggage makeup area.
If you doubt overweight luggage, then Airport has come up with the idea of Repacking Stations and Scales where you can check the weight of your Luggage and repack it.
Benefits of Self-Service Bag Drop System
- It will help in providing a seamless Customer Experience for passengers.
- It will help to Reduce long Queues at check-in counters and Save time.
- It will help to reduce the Space required for setting up Check-in Counters At the airport which can be used for other revenue-generating sources for Airport.
- It will help in more revenue creation for the airport as passengers will get more time to invest in the retail area insert of waiting in the queue.
2.Digi Yatra | New Way to Travel by Air in Indian Airport
Government of India initiative Towards Digitization of Airport in India
The main purpose of the Digi Yatra app is to make passenger movement smoother and faster from entry points till they sit inside the aircraft by the digitization of passenger movement using the DIGI YATRA App.
It will be implemented in checkpoints such as Entry, Security areas, and Aircraft boarding gates.
Understand the working of the Digi Yatra App
When Passenger reached the terminal building and at the entry point, he/she needs to show a Boarding pass or E-ticket (either physical or on-mobile). After that using the Bar Code scanner will scan the barcode on the Boarding pass or E-ticket to retrieve the details such as date of travel, flight number, passenger name, and departing and arrival airport name using Digi Yatra.
Here come the role of the Digi Yatra App comes into the picture here it is used to verify the identity of passengers by Facial Recognition using an App and after that, while proceeding towards the security check, boarding gate passengers will get entry using Facial Recognition System no need to show the documents again and again. That will help in the fast and smooth movement of passengers with less Human interaction and a fast process.
Benefits of Digi Yatra
- Digi-Yatra will reduce the need of showing IDs or Boarding pass at multiple checkpoints.
- Digi Yatra will reduce Lines in airports as it will reduce Human Interference.
- Digi-Yatra will help to enhance Airport Security as it will make passenger movement tracking easy and can track passengers using His/her Passenger Name Record (PNR).
- Digi-Yatra will help Airport management to maintain passenger movement and load data to study for better airport management, purposes to ensure smooth operations at the airport.
- Digi Yatra is successfully implemented in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and some Airport Authority Operated Airports.
But it is not compulsory to use during Air Travel in India. It is Voluntary only.
3.Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics in in modernization of the Airport business
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics in Airport Business, while modernization of the Airport The robots is one of the most emerging topics as most of the busiest airports already implemented the robots for various services not only limited to clearing the airport but also for customer service, which also has the airport security and “on-wheel self-service baggage drop system “
Most of the major airports Around the world have implemented robots inside their terminal building to Modern Customer service Agent in Airport industry. resulting in better service and also seamless travel reducing the load on customer service agents and helping security agents also.
Type of robots we have seen in major airports are:
1- Assisting passengers inside the terminal building– This type of robotic technology is the mix of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics used by many airports to assist passengers inside the terminal to reduce the load of terminal staff. Their role is to navigate and answer their Queries. They are enabled with artificial intelligence that helps to keep on improving.
Airports like Bangalore international Airport implement the robot name “Temi” and many other airports also deployed these kinds of robots.
2-Cleaning and disinfecting at the airport – After the Covid-19 pandemic cleaning and disinfecting terminal buildings became one of the most important tasks for safe travel otherwise terminal can become a covid hotspot. As the movement of passengers is too high the biggest airport frequently disinfects and cleans, which increases the demand for more staff to overcome that’s why airports have switched to robots which can help in cleaning and disinfecting to reduce the risk of covid-19 spread.
An airport like London Heathrow has deployed a robot with UV_C light for disinfecting the airport. Another example is Doha’s Hamad International which includes a robot that also cleans microorganisms from the surface. Singapore Changi Airport has implemented a floor cleaning robot named “Avidbots Neo”.
3- Robots with Baggage drop system– It is kind of self-service bag drop system. Geneva Airport started using a robot name “Leo” which is a moveable, self-service baggage drop system with the ability to print baggage tags like any other kiosk machine. They move inside the terminal and have space to store bags, you just need to fill in the details tag the luggage with baggage tag,and drop the bag inside the robot then it will transfer the bag to the cargo Area, then as normal luggage, the process will start.
4- Security Robot– Kansai Airports has started using a robot named “Secom Robot X2” for enhancing security and surveillance inside the terminal building, this robot features a leaser with a 360-degree camera and a mic with a speaker that will help to connect with a control center.
As we have seen the multiple use case scenarios of robots in terminal management and security provide a seamless and secure travel experience which also helps in reducing inefficiencies and decreasing waiting time, they already showed that they are an important part of the Modern Customer service Agent in Airport industry as many airports have implemented and got the best output of it.
At the end of this, I have one Question for all “Do you think robots will be the best alternative to manpower in customer service or security as they are based on software and humans are on emotions “let us have an open discussion on it.