Top 5: This Year's Best Airport Technology Innovations

Airports are removing the liquid size requirements, and US passengers may soon be allowed to leave their shoes on.

Technology often brings enhancements for passengers looking to reduce stress and make travel more efficient. In recent years, self-service tech, in particular, has been at the forefront as airports integrate automated systems to enable passengers to do everything from self-check-in to biometric boarding.

Spending on information technology is also on the rise. Some 93% of airports expect their technology costs to increase this year or at least remain the same as last year. In 2022, airports spent an estimated $6.8 billion on information technology and related upgrades.

Airports have quickly adopted more biometric technology over the past several years as passengers and operators look for a more contactless experience. Locations worldwide have increasingly installed self-check-in kiosks and even self-bag drop stations where passengers can scan their boarding documents, tag their bags and send them down the conveyor belt without having to interact with airline staff.

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The next step includes the adoption of biometric check-in and boarding processes. Already present at several airports worldwide, this technology can be expected to spread further given the post-pandemic travel mindset. Biometrics are currently used for immigration in several countries, allowing passengers with eligible passports to enter the country without speaking to a customs agent. However, some locations still require incoming passengers to get their passports stamped by a border control agent.

There are also ongoing trials and programs to allow passengers to use airline apps to verify their identity and boarding passes, enabling them to travel through airport security and board the plane without pulling out their passport or ticket.

An increasingly large focus is on developing connected technologies to provide a more seamless travel experience. Small sensors can now be embedded in a wide range of products, from robots to coffee pots, to give operators more information to help streamline operations. Smart devices can communicate relevant information, including operating statistics, usage frequency, and even estimate the time needed before specific parts can be replaced.

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The technology can also be helpful for customer-facing aspects of the airport experience. Smart devices, from the baggage system to airline lounges, can be implemented everywhere to adapt to and understand customer behaviors. They can also be used to track the state of highly trafficked areas like security lines and even airport bathrooms, where they have been installed to monitor the levels of soap and paper towels in the dispensers.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched its Mobile Passport Control program earlier this year. The mobile phone application allows eligible passengers flying to the US from Canada to avoid customs lines. Eligible travelers may submit their travel documents, photos, and customs declaration information through a secure app.

Travelers who complete the process no longer have to complete a paper form at the border or use an automated passport control kiosk. Instead, the traveler will receive an electronic receipt with an Encrypted Quick Response (QR) code, which they bring, along with their physical passport, to a border control officer for inspection. The process aims to reduce wait times and congestion at major airports, leading to more efficient processing.

Several countries also use technology to allow customers to leave their liquids in the bag when passing through security. The UK government announced at the end of last year that all airport security scanners nationwide would be upgraded following successful local trials.

Learn all about the next-generation liquids scanners here on Simple Flying.

In Finland, passengers traveling through the capital's Helsinki Airport can now travel with up to 2 liters of liquids in their hand luggage. This has allowed passengers to bring water bottles, soda purchased outside of security, and other fluids with them for the first time since 2006.

Passengers may soon be able to leave their shoes on when passing through security, often the part of travel that US travelers loathe the most. Travelers in the United States have long been required to remove their shoes when passing through airport security, even as technological advances have reached a point where they no longer have to remove large items like laptops from their luggage.

The US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has licensed technology for a shoe scanner that may change this. Departing passengers could step onto a small platform that uses electromagnetic waves to check for any object hidden inside shoes that could pose a threat onboard. The process takes around two seconds, while the Electromagnetic waves are used to generate an image of the shoe and look for potential threats.

The process could also reduce false alarms and secondary screenings and improve wait times at security kiosks by as much as 15% to 20%.

What technology are you most excited to see this year? Let us know in the comments.

Jonathan served as an International Air Cadet Exchange Ambassador to Canada, and was stationed at RAF Lakenheath as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S Air Force. With a passion for discovering new destinations, he has visited over 70 countries from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe. Jonathan holds degrees in Nursing and European Studies. Based in Essex, England