2015 was a record year for airports with passenger numbers reaching an all-time high. With these growing numbers and increased routes, airports have had to innovate and improve customer experience to stay competitive.

So what's the game changer? We think technology and data, with smartphones at the helm. So today's airports are leveraging NFC, geolocation, beacons and more in an all-out pursuit of customer happiness and seamless travel. 

The foundation of Airport 3.0 is the use of data, sensor technologies and leveraging the power that the smartphone now places in the palm of everyone's hands.

"A smartphone is a critical tool for airports, particularly in terms of understanding passenger location," said Alex Hadwick, Head of Research at EyeforTravel. "When you understand how people move around a terminal then you can speed up security checks, allocate passenger's to empty check-in desks, or design the commerce environment. It is clear from the trends we are seeing that airports need to see a complete picture, rather than considering technology in isolation."

With tech savvy passengers' eager to use new digital services to transform their journeys, the airports that can offer a new ecosystem of connected personalized services wins.

To share industry insights, EyeforTravel have produced an in-depth whitepaper that covers the technology and data that is transforming airport operations. You can download the full whitepaper here.

Here's a peak into what the whitepaper covers: 

• Terminal Travels: Why Passenger Location is Critical: Understanding the location of a passenger can deliver massive dividends to an airport. From customer facing services within their retail spaces, to predictive analytics to reducing congestion, using sensor technologies is a foundation of data that airports can build their systems upon. Hear more on Beacons, Geo-Location services and other sensor technology.

• Data- Driven Airports: A Smart Airport is a Better Airport: Hear how airports are combining data from passengers, aircrafts and the cloud to improve airport operations. Get your update on how airports are using predictive analytics to improve customer experiences. 

• Cruise Control Customers: How is Tech Making the Airport Experience Better: Learn how airports globally are using apps for customer, services, check in and security to make the travel journey seamless. Hear how augmented reality and specialist wayfinding can help and make it an interactive experience.

You can download the full whitepaper here: http://1.eyefortravel.com/LP=14639?source=shreya

EyeforTravel is a community where the world's top online travel brands – from hotels to airlines, online travel agents, cruise, car hire firms and more – come to meet to drive forward growth and innovation in the industry. We aim to provide you with industry focused news, events, reports, updates and information. EyeforTravel Limited is a registered company. The Company Registration number is 06286442. It is also registered in England & Wales. Registered office is 7-9 Fashion Street, London E1 6PX, United Kingdom.

Shreya Ganapathy

Project and Research Director

EyeForTravel

+ 44 20 7375 7150

shreya@eyefortravel.com