Airports to invest USD8 bn on IT to enhance facilities: Survey

Globally airports are expected to invest over USD 8 billion in information technology space this year as more and more aerodromes upgrade the facilities to enhance passengers' experience, according to a survey.
The annual Airport IT Trends Survey, co-sponsored by Airports Council International (ACI) and SITA in association with Airline Business, also indicated that operators were looking to develop 'smart airports' over the next three years with IT playing a major role in shaping them up.
"The rate of investment in IT at airports around the world is rising. SITA estimates it will hit USD 8.7 billion in 2015. This forecast is a climb from 5.82 per cent of revenues in 2014 to 6.25 per cent this year," the survey said.

Airport Chief Information Officers (CIOs) were also predicting even higher budgets for 2016 with 64 per cent expecting an increase over this year, it said adding, "nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of airports consider passenger processing a high priority for IT investment, up from 59 per cent last year."
Noting that airports always have passengers as a high priority, SITA vice president for airport solution Matthys Serfontein said, "this year we see a clear acknowledgment that technology can help improve the passenger experience."
Airport CIOs are committing their rising budgets to introduce technologies such as beacons, mobile services and increased self-service, to make it easier for passengers as the world's airports become increasingly busier, he said.

In addition, this year, 84 per cent of airports see passenger and airport security as either a primary or secondary priority for IT investment, up from 76 per cent in last year's survey.
This highlights a growing determination by more airports to try and address a common pain point for passengers, he said.
"With 81 per cent of airports investing in beacons and other sensors over the next three years, passengers can expect a more predictable journey through the airport as new features, such as wait time and walk time to the gate, become commonplace," Serfontein said.