The development of smart devices has impacted almost every aspect of our lives. Statista notes that smartphone penetration in Australia approached 16 million users in 2016, a figure expected to swell to over 18 million in 2020.
With users having access to sophisticated devices essentially 24 hours a day, many organisations and service providers have realised the value in developing mobile apps to make the lives of their customers easier. Airports across the globe are no exception, introducing innovative solutions that provide travellers with details on all manner of things, including flight information display, security checks and airport maps.
Kayak moves towards a holistic in-app travel experience
Already known for its flight, hotel and rental car booking options, popular travel app Kayak added maps of 35 major US airports to its offering in November 2016. Designed to ease the journey of travellers passing through any of the supported airports, Kayak’s latest update for both iOS and Android devices allows users to zoom in on their destination and receive step-by-step directions to anywhere they need to go.
Whether rushing for a quick meal between connecting flights or searching for the correct baggage claim conveyor, a more efficient airport experience is possible through recent mobile developments.
Reducing security wait times through airport data
Few aspects of air travel can be as time-consuming as passing through security, and with the holidays fast approaching, having accurate information about wait times for the critical checks can be crucial. Airport information app flightSpeak saw the addition of security wait time in its most recent update, providing estimated screening times at some of the world’s busiest airports – including all major Australian locations.
"We want to help travellers by providing them with more certainty about what to expect when they reach airport security lines and useful information about what they can do at the airport once they get past them," said flightSpeak Founder and CEO Leo Osahor.
The new CheckPoint feature leverages data from the airports – including flight volumes and weather information – with innovative machine learning technology to offer impressive accuracy in its estimation of waiting times.
The airport experience is being optimised through the use of technology that connects with smartphone devices in travellers’ pockets to build a more efficient integrated airport solution.