An area of air transportation that is coming under increasing pressure as we approach the new millenium is in airport operations. The reason certainly lies in an annual growth rate greater than the global GDP, which makes impossible to re-build existing facilities or replace them at the same pace as airline passenger growth and which force airlines to examine new ways of processing passengers and airports to seek new ways of customer interaction. The smart card provides airlines the opportunity to make savings in distribution costs, provides better security against fraud, allows more of their passengers to use self-service facilities, and provides a better means of identification of their frequent travellers. The most important advantage of travel smart cards lies in easing passenger movements and improving airport flows. Passengers equipped with a multi-functional smart card, including a biometric ID, provide information in a "one-stop" check process, which, together with other information generated from the journey and shared between all involved parties, facilitate and speed passenger and baggage traffic flows. For the covering abstract see ITRD E114174.
Samenvatting