Kenya Airways planes at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG Over the next 20 years, global air passenger traffic is forecasted to double, while airport capacity will only grow by 5 per cent, calling for a new approach to air travel business models.
The future of air transport is one expected to rely heavily on new technologies such as artificial intelligence, biometrics and blockchain to deliver more efficient operations and seamless passenger travels.
Adoption of innovative technologies is also crucial not just for the revival of airlines flying through stormy economic path such as Kenya Airways, but for their survival going forward in the face of cutthroat competition.
The use of technology across all touch points will be necessary for the industry to accommodate more passengers, baggage and aircraft, as well as increased regulations and passenger expectations while addressing security threats.
Greater collaboration between airports, airlines, world governments and service providers will be critical for the industry to fully embrace technology to achieve better global customer experiences.
“Technologies such as machine learning and deep learning will further enrich the value of the data being generated by the industry. Presently, the smart use of data allows airports and airlines to better embrace disruption and proactively respond to an event before it happens,” says Mr Maneesh Jaikrishna, Indian Subcontinent, Dubai, Eastern and Southern Africa vice president at Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques (SITA).
The Geneva-based multinational company provides IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry across the globe, with presence in 24 African countries.
The company is now eyeing Nairobi with its next wave of data innovation, having worked with Changi airport in Singapore, which had limited visibility on arrivals (30-60 minutes before touchdown) that was caused by rapid weather changes.
Using deep learning and an innovative form of AI, SITA provided an accurate prediction within 15 minutes of the flight arrival for around 80 percent of flights, six hours before touchdown.
“That allowed the airport to anticipate delays and respond accordingly, limiting the impact on passenger convenience. If you know an aircraft is delayed and passengers will miss their connecting flight, you can rebook them on a new flight even before they arrive,” Mr Jaikrishna told Digital.
Kenya is one of the fastest growing domestic air transport markets in Africa, registering annual air passenger traffic growth of 22.5 percent in 2018 while international passenger traffic grew by 13.1 percent in 2018.As per the […]