How AI Is Revolutionizing the Air Travel Experience
Introduction
With nearly a decade of experience at the world’s largest airline, I’ve witnessed first-hand how emerging technology has impacted the travel experience, both positively and negatively. As a Program Manager on the Airport Biometrics Strategy Team, I had a front-row seat to witness and experience the evolution and expansion of facial biometric recognition technology at U.S. airports. Both the ups and downs of how travelers and airline employees reacted to this generational change of technology implementation. As technology continues to evolve and Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to transform various industries, the air travel industry will be no exception. From booking flights to personalizing travel experiences, AI is revolutionizing how we plan and embark on our trips. With continuous technological advancements, the air travel industry is entering a new era of convenience, efficiency, and personalization.
There are clear examples of how travel can change in the coming years, not only in technology but in who travels—and why. Business travelers dominated air travel for the past few decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed that. In just the past few years, leisure travel has skyrocketed, and with that comes an increase in uninformed and less experienced travelers. As such, airports and airlines must adjust how they do business to help these travelers through their journey. AI technology will aid airlines and airports with their current issues and help travelers in their journey; below are just some examples of problems faced at an airport and how AI will help to alleviate them.
Carry-On Bags
AI can start helping with the never-ending problem of carry-on bags on a flight. In the near future, this technology in the gate area will count and dimension all the luggage to ensure the appropriate number of bags will fit in the overhead bins. In the further future, AI technology will be able to assign slots to passengers to ensure all the bags get on in an orderly manner, reducing customers' anxiety about their bags getting on the plane with them and rushing to board first.
Boarding Process
One of the biggest challenges in air travel today is that passengers are not reading the signs provided nor listening to announcements at the gate; therefore, when information and updates are shared, travelers need to be made aware. Within the next five years, AI technology could change this by allowing passengers to have audio-based chatbot interactions through their headphones or earbuds as they move through the airport, with information such as gate location, time needed to get there, boarding time, etc. These interactions will enable the customer to focus on what they have going on in their life, with the addition of information being fed to them about their journey in real time.
Furthermore, in ten years, airports and airlines will reach a new era of hyper-efficiency, and passengers will experience an equally hyper-automated process that largely eliminates direct interaction with airport workers. Boarding could become an AI-managed lineless process with bin management that would help reduce the chaos at the boarding gates that many experience today. For example, passengers could receive messages stating, "Your priority boarding window is between 8:26 and 8:28." However, further reduction of passengers at the gate could happen with passengers being delivered directly to an airside express boarding with an autonomous fleet, featuring on-route TSA screening.
Onboard the Plane
On the plane, the pilot often asks passengers to avoid congregating in the aisles, but people start queuing for the bathroom on every flight—especially after the meal service has concluded. By leveraging AI, however, airlines could create a digital bathroom queue. If only the people next in the queue stood up, it would allow everyone to remain safely seated until it was their turn. Another great example of future onboard technology is how the food and beverage service carts would be configured, leveraging AI to create models predicting the food and drinks necessary on each flight, which would help reduce waste from the airlines.
Emotion, Health & Wellness Monitoring
One of the most controversial examples of the power of AI is using it to power in-cabin computer vision systems to spot distressed passengers or bad behavior onboard to ensure the safety and security of passengers and crew members. By detecting and monitoring unusual behavior or distress in passengers, the system can alert the crew and prevent potential threats or harm. Additionally, by identifying passengers who require immediate assistance, the airline can provide the necessary support and help, thus improving their overall experience. This could include offering medical aid, addressing flight anxiety, or providing special accommodations.
With airlines constantly looking for ways to differentiate themselves and providing a better customer experience, leveraging AI technology to monitor health and wellness can help airlines show their commitment to passenger health and safety, giving them a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Ancillary Sales
Even though reducing the number of people going through an airport sounds incredible to the traveler, this does not help the airports and airport vendors; fewer passengers in airports means less money for those vendors. Vendors could use AI-powered marketing to travelers' devices and create pre-flight guided tours through the airport to increase revenue. For example, the “Vino Volo Pre-Boarding Experience at DIA" takes passengers from front door to gate and provides them with all the desired products until they have boarded.
Conclusion
Leveraging AI technology in the air travel industry has revolutionized how we plan, book, and experience our trips. From personalized recommendations to seamless communication, AI has dramatically enhanced travel experiences and made it more efficient and convenient. As the technology and its use cases advance, it will be exciting to see how AI will further shape the future of the travel industry. With the potential to improve sustainability efforts, create more inclusive travel experiences, and enhance safety measures, AI has the power to transform the industry for the better. However, it is also essential to consider the ethical implications and ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically.
Overall, using AI in the air travel industry has brought new opportunities and possibilities we could have never imagined. It is an exciting time to be a part of the travel industry, and as we embrace AI, we can look forward to a more seamless, personalized, and enjoyable travel experience for all. So, whether you are a traveler or a travel company, it's time to embrace the power of AI and unlock its endless potential in the world of travel.