Digitally improved BIA in 18 months, says SITA
The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is keenly moving towards digital transformation that in about 18 months will be evident to all travellers to the country as discussions are underway with immigration authorities to automate the services provided by them.
SITA (Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques), the aviation industry’s IT connections specialist, is currently in discussion with the Immigration Department in Colombo to ensure immigration officers at the airport can in future be replaced by biometrics scanners. This is expected to reduce the long queues at the airport in front of immigration and ease the congestion as well.
SITA Aero’s President Asia Pacific Sumesh Patel speaking with The Sunday Times Business on the sidelines of a recent media briefing (on SITA’s business) held in Colombo said that discussions are centred on enhancing the advanced passenger processing.
He noted that while the immigration authorities are “eager and ready” some matters still need to be worked out.
A difference in arrival and departure experience at the BIA is expected within the next 18 months, Mr. Patel said. The advanced self service kiosks are made available at the BIA where passengers on SriLankan Airlines have the convenience of using this service, he explained.
At present there are eight kiosks and 20 more will be coming in this month, shipped from Malaysia, it was noted.
A growth in travellers using these kiosks at the BIA has increased last year from 12 per cent to 25 per cent this year. But this facility is available only for those flying to destinations that grant on arrival visas.
However the adoption of kiosks for self-check-in is slow in airports globally due to the concerns relating to the visa approval for passengers.
These documents’-related visas have become a growing concern as airlines do not want to take the risk of flying in passengers that do not have a valid visa.
This Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) facility provides passengers with the opportunity to get all their details including all related travel documents available digitally on the mobile phone and personal identification through biometrics.
The DTC ensures minimal physical contact between passengers and officers at the airport and helps to ease congestion. This system is still at the pilot stage at most airports in about 12 countries worldwide.
SITA already offers improved airport management system by providing better operational and up to date information across all points simultaneously. Self-baggage check- in is also being made available at the airport with baggage tags printed on scanning the passports of passengers.
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