Airports Council International (ACI) World and SITA have released the 2022 Airport IT Insights Survey, which shows that airports are ramping up their investment in technology to digitalize their operations and streamline the passenger journey with more self-service options.
The latest report reveals that with the quicker than expected recovery of air travel demand, chief information officers are investing in IT solutions to fortify their operations against disruption while automating the passenger experience.
The industry’s IT spend is projected to continue its steady year-on-year growth trend from 2020 to support this push for digitalization, with 93 percent of airports expecting their IT spend to stay the same or increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Last year’s airport IT spending rose to an estimated US$6.8 billion.
“The pandemic and the subsequent recovery have further highlighted the importance of the digitalization of airport operations, crucial to the overall airport customer experience,” said Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general of ACI World. “This year’s Airport IT Insights Report reveals a significant acceleration in the investment of digital solutions to make airports smarter, easier for passengers to navigate, and their interaction with numerous stakeholders seamless.”
The report notes biometrics and self-service technologies are at the forefront of this change, with airports prioritizing self-service initiatives such as self-check-in and self-bag-drop. The report found 86 percent of airports are planning some self-service technology implementation by 2025.
Business intelligence solutions are also at the forefront of airport IT investment priorities, with 93 percent or more planning business intelligence initiatives for asset management and flight operations by 2025. A majority of airports are seeking to implement automated predictive alerts prior to flight disruption events as well as business intelligence initiatives to enable the scaling of operations based on demand, the report found.
“Air travel has recovered faster from the pandemic than anyone in the industry had initially expected, particularly in Europe and the US, said. David Lavorel, CEO, SITA. “While the recovery is welcome, airports and airlines have found themselves on the back foot with staff and resource shortages. This has put strain on operations, resulting in an increased risk of congestion, delays, cancellations and mishandled baggage. Digitalization is seen as key to addressing these challenges, providing more scalability and flexibility.”
