According to “Travel Technology Investment Trends,” a new study commissioned by Amadeus, airports are digitally transforming, with the sector expected to increase investment in technology by an average of 17 percent in 2024.
The online survey commissioned by Amadeus was conducted by market research company Opinium with senior technology decision makers from 50 airports and 100 airlines during December 2023. Respondents were drawn from the U.K., France, Germany, U.A.E., U.S., Mexico, Brazil, India, China and Korea to provide a globally representative sample of the industry. Data from the study points towards shared airport and airline objectives, with both seeking to improve the passenger experience. Senior airline leaders confirmed that “improving the passenger experience at the airport” is their top technology priority. This matches closely with leaders of airports, who also stated this objective as the No. 1 reason for investing in technology.
Both airports and airlines view biometrics as a transformative technology, with 66 percent of airport and 65 percent of airline executives planning to implement biometrics at key airport service points like check-in, bag-drop and boarding over the next three years.
The survey also highlights the aim of airports and airlines to work better together to reach their shared objectives, with 64 percent of airport leaders planning to “implement improved data sharing agreements with airlines” over the next three years.
Over a longer-term horizon (five years), what the top technology airport leaders plan to implement is “more advanced and collaborative technology at the Airport Operational Control Center (APOC).” Such tools enable airports to simulate the impact of operational decisions before they happen and deliver new unified communications channels to work more responsively with stakeholders including airlines.
| Which of the following technologies are you planning to implement? | Next 12 months | Next three years |
| Data analytics for insight into key airport processes and demand | 40% | 42% |
| New technology for airport operations (e.g. Airport Operational Database) | 36% | 36% |
| Biometrics for passenger services (e.g. check-in and boarding) | 26% | 40% |
| Improved data sharing with airline partners | 36% | 28% |
| Moving passenger services to the cloud (e.g. moving check-in around the terminal or off-airport) | 32% | 28% |
Yet when asked about their top technology challenges, half of airport leaders surveyed pointed to “a lack of common technology that brings stakeholders together around shared processes” as their No. 1 challenge.
| What do you see as the biggest airport technology challenges? | Next 12 months |
| Lack of common technology that brings stakeholders together around shared processes | 50% |
| Inability to maximize usage of airport’s assets e.g. check-in desks, stands, gates) | 42% |
| Inability to easily capture and analyze key airport data | 42% |
| Inflexible on site passenger processing tied to specific locations e.g. check-in desk | 38% |
| Lack of data shared by airline partners | 36% |
Leaders also cited inflexible passenger systems that force airport services like check-in and baggage to be delivered from specific locations. This challenge explains why a third of airports said they plan to move such systems to the cloud this year in search of greater flexibility, with 92 percent of those surveyed seeing value in offering passenger services from new locations inside and outside the terminal.
| Which of the following locations do you think it would be useful to provide check-in and baggage services? | Next 12 months |
| New locations around the airport e.g. car park | 52% |
| Major hotels in the vicinity of the airport | 46% |
| City center locations | 40% |
| Major events such as conferences or sporting venues | 38% |
| Cruise terminals | 28% |
For more information, visit www.amadeus.com.
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