The results of a recent study commissioned by Spafax in association with YouGov show that 67% of travellers want Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help them get the most out of their time at the airport.

Respondents from across the UK were asked to imagine an upcoming trip from London to New York and select what they would like to see from an airport of the future.

While older travellers were more wary of a tech-assisted airport experience, the data insights unveiled an exciting opportunity for brands to reach a captive audience in new and engaging ways.

Airport lounges in particular were found to be spaces that have evolved from simply providing a faceless waiting room to providers of experiences in their own right. “The results send a clear message to us that people want the introduction of technology, but only in a way that enhances their trip, entertains or is enjoyable,” said Charles Vine, head of brand alliances at Spafax.

When asked how they would most like AI to assist them with their trip, 67% of the British public were found to want AI to help them get the most out of their time at the airport – whether that be assistance navigating the airport terminals or speeding up the check-in process.

The poll of 2,110 respondents also revealed: 37% of people under 34 would play augmented reality (AR) board games with other passengers but only 9% of over 55s would. Similarly, while 17% of 18-24 -year-olds would like to try on hologram clothes at an airport, only 7% of over 55s would.

When questioned on whether they would want AI to help with their journey through the airport or to speed up the airport process 38% agreed they would, and 35 % want it to give information on news in their destination. Meanwhile, 36% of women would choose, when in an airport lounge, a virtual reality (VR) preview of tourist attractions at their destination, along with the opportunity to pre-book tickets once they’d browsed.

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