While growth in passenger traffic brings huge benefits to airports, the forecasted growth in traffic is a huge dilemma for under-resourced airports and border control officers.
Eight billion passengers taking off, landing and being funnelled through constrained immigration and customs control points by 2043 is cause for concern, with airports facing a capacity shortfall of 1.5 billion by 2040 and an aviation industry workforce gap of 1.6 million people looming by 2030. At the same time, pressure is mounting on government to counter emerging security threats, terrorism, human trafficking and global health threats.
According to Andy Smith, Director of Industry and Innovation at SITA, while one solution for airports is to invest in infrastructure projects or resources to prop up outdated traditional systems, a potentially more cost-effective and sustainable solution is to join the global uptake of digital borders.
According to IATA’s 2024 Global Passenger Survey, demand for digital uptake is being driven by passengers, with 73 per cent of travellers preferring to use biometric data to board and go through passport control. In addition, 45 per cent of those surveyed expressed a desire to complete immigration procedures before arriving at the airport, while the next generation of travellers is pushing for the widespread rollout of global digital travel systems. Not only do these travellers prioiritse convenience and efficiency, they also spend at a scale that surpasses previous generations, says Smith.
He also notes that “between 2004 and 2028 some 5.6 trillion biometric digital identity transactions will take place around the world, bringing in around USD 315 billion in revenue, while simultaneously helping to improve efficiencies, ramp up fraud protection, enhance the customer experience and streamline regulatory compliance.”
As a result ,digital wallets and digital identities are set to become widely rolled out. This demand, emphasises Smith, underpins the need for airports to choose carefully when selecting their border management solutions partner.
“Fortunately, many governments now see how technologies can be incorporated to complement existing physical processes and checkpoints which alone cannot meet the demands of sophisticated travellers and the high-volume airline industry,” he explains.
Smith cites the forward-thinking Caribbean island of Aruba as a great example of a destination that has embraced digital solutions and platforms.
“A digital border moves the parameters of existing border management right back to the time of booking a ticket and the moment when a passenger applies for a digital pre-clearance in the form of an eVisa, traditional entry visa or ETA.
“A digital border affords airlines and governments time to cross-check passenger details and conduct security checks, reduce workloads and make the entire process smarter, faster and more secure,” adds Smith.
What’s more, emerging nations across Africa, Latin America and Asia are increasingly recognising the power of digital borders to leapfrog them into more efficient operations from checking passenger data and streamlining border activities to controlling migratory flows, assisting with risk prevention and optimising border agent activities.
Image source: SITA
