The design of a new Airport Terminal is always an opportunity to introduce new trends that streamline and facilitate the processes. The passenger's experience depends to a large extent on how they have overcome each of these processes in their obstacle course to their aircraft seat, at which point they settle in and forget everything they have been through.
Our world is changing rapidly through the widespread use of technology, and airports are leaders in that change.
Our world is changing rapidly because of the widespread use of technology, y airports are leading the way in this changeIn some cases, it can even transport the user to a futuristic environment, as if it were a new episode of the famous TV series "Black Mirror". Today, automated solutions are already installed for airport processes, providing a seamless flow with applications that solve passenger check-in, self check-in of baggage, facial and fingerprint recognition, e-boarding stations as well as technology that facilitates the detection of explosives using tomographs, or bluetooth alerts about offers in the terminal shops. However, we must try not to make the mistake of implementing the latest technological solutions without taking into account factors such as the airline commitment and user behaviour.
We can identify three groups with different interests that need to be accommodated by the service offered and the solution chosen:
- Passengers and users. Accustomed to using infrastructure in a certain way, which differs a lot from one place to another. The country factor is very important.
- Entities involved in the processes (airlines, police, immigration authorities). They seek comfort and security in their actions.
- Airport operators. More focused on efficiency of operation and ease of maintenance of infrastructure.
Experience tells us that groups 2 and 3 will go as far as possible for automated processes, without the support of physical staff, while group 1 "suffers" the imposition of this strategy. This suffering in many cases is not such, and becomes an enjoyment on the part of the passenger with regard to the degree of autonomy in their journey. We realise that group 1 brings together many different types of passengers, and this diversity should not be ignored. In addition, the use of new technologies needs a learning period, managed by groups 2 and 3, who have to educate and guide group 1.
In a geometrical simile, this triangle should seek a more equilateral shape, which would ensure that the common benefitand avoid the usual isosceles configurations, where one of the three components is severely handicapped. This is one of the great challenges of airport design today.
