AirAsia is (still) making big moves in the ASEAN region and digital bag tags are evolving to a level that might be useful soon. Plus some news on IFE/C going active and getting profitable. The 2019 Future Travel Experience Asia was a great show and these are just a few of the highlights.
Ground Services
JetBlue adds support chat to mobile apps
Need to get in touch with JetBlue’s customer service team? Skip the phone call and open the airline’s app. Thanks to its partnership with customer service technology company Gladly, JetBlue now offers a fully integrated support chat option in its iOS mobile application. Android integration will go live in the coming weeks.
Live from the CRJ550: PaxEx Update 25 Oct 2019
United’s newest aircraft type takes flight this week and the CRJ550 interior really is as special as the company has been hyping. Airbus orders and Boeing delays plus some fancy new wifi and upgraded airports on the horizon. Another busy PaxEx week.
Doha aims to complete new airport, copy Changi
More gates. More fancy art. A water feature and garden that look surprisingly familiar. These are just a few of the updates slated for Hamad International Airport in Doha as it seeks to complete its terminal build out.
Biometrics expand in Asia, Europe and the Middle East
Where will travelers find biometric systems next? As the technology continues to evolve and expand new airport implementations are coming online around the globe. Here are a trio of recent activations that span the range of services and values to passengers.
A big bet on biometrics-based boarding for American Airlines at DFW
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport will soon be home to the largest collection of biometric-based boarding gates of any airport in the world. The news comes as American Airlines launches use of the technology this week at DFW on select departures from Terminal D. While just a few gates are fitted today the airline and airport expect that nearly 75 gates across terminals A, B, C and D will have the systems online by the end of the year.
TSA backs down on increased crew screenings
Airline employees earned a reprieve this week after the TSA backed down on planned changes to the Known Crewmember (KCM) security screening process. the weekend it emerged that all KCM checkpoints would require crew to be in uniform to pass through. This would effectively preclude otherwise eligible employees from using the lanes while traveling for personal trips.
Air France goes all-in on RFID bag tracking
Wondering where your checked bag is? Air France will soon have more and better data to help answer that question for passengers as the carrier commits to RFID tracking of bags beginning in 2020.
United Airlines partners with CLEAR, expands at hubs
United Airlines announced a partnership with CLEAR this week, expanding its participation in the biometric security screening program. The carrier will make a strategic investment in the company, including the addition or expansion of CLEAR locations at the carrier’s US hub airports.
Heli-transfers take flight for La Compagnie
Is there a way to make helicopter transfers affordable and convenient? The new option from La Compagnie and Monacair between Monaco and Nice might be the closest such thing yet.