Contactless travel is quickly becoming the new norm. Airports are working to implement more contactless technology in all aspects of travel.
Society was already moving in that direction, with things like ticketless check-in online prior to boarding flights, but the pandemic highlighted the need for improved social distancing as well as health and safety measures.
With COVID restrictions are slowly being lifted, travel-related businesses realize they could use safer contactless measures such as:
- Tickets
- Check-in
- Luggage
- At airports
- In-flight purchases, upgrades, and more
Tickets
Contactless travel was already well underway prior to COVID-19, but the recent pandemic has highlighted the fact that most of the common aspects of travel that still involve human contact, do not necessarily need to do so.
It was only a few decades ago that tickets for flights, trains, even your local theatre production were ordered from a box office or through a travel agent and then sent by mail to your home. With the advent of the internet and a higher rate of internet literacy, this changed such that everyday travel could be booked online with tickets printed from home.
Now those tickets are booked online via mobile devices with barcodes and QR codes scanned directly from the device, with no physical interaction.
Luggage Delivery Services
At Luggage Delivery Company, we pick up luggage from your doorstep and deliver it directly to your destination, our services help and relieve the stress of lugging loads of luggage through the airport. This also eliminates the need for unnecessary airport contact for check-in. Rather than standing in line after completing standard check-in online only to drop off checked luggage, passengers can arrive closer to their flight’s departure time and proceed straight through security.
What’s more, even security is easier with limited bags. While carry-on luggage is not often unmanageable or heavy compared to checked bags, luggage delivery company can take those too, so that security is a breeze and long lines are a thing of the past.
Check-In
Check-in was where human contact began for most travel. Whether it was getting on an aeroplane or boarding a train, people would typically get their first bout of interaction when they arrived at the station or the airport. No longer is this the case. In fact, for many domestic flights, with carry-on luggage only, the check-in process is entirely online or, if conducted at the airport, done through a digital terminal. The limited interactions and contact with airport staff only take place for those who need to get in the queue thereafter and leave their checked bags. But even this is beginning to change for the better.
At Airports
Many airports are working toward completely contactless payments for patrons. As you wait for your flight and feel a bit peckish, you might wander to a nearby airport bar or restaurant, or even a smaller takeaway kiosk. Whichever of these you choose, airports are now working on contactless payment systems similar to the terminals where you check in. Instead of walking up to the counter and paying, you can check yourself out and pay with a chipped card enabled for contactless payments. What’s more, you can use the same contactless payments at restaurants where you sit and dine, waving your card over the payment terminal then having your food delivered to your table with limited in-person contact.
Upgrades, In-Flight Purchases and More
It was once the case that upon check-in, potential upgrades for an upcoming flight required contact with an airline employee at the gate, or during check-in. Now, when you check-in online you can see any available upgrades and make them directly from your home computer, laptop, or mobile phone. In-flight purchases like food, drinks, internet, or movie passes are made available on some international or domestic flights age of time. Those who do not, still offer contactless payment with chipped credit or debit cards only, not cash.
Overall contactless payments, check-ins, upgrades, and luggage delivery services are working hand in hand to improve travel experiences all the while minimizing any unnecessary contact. Checking in online means fewer pieces of paper, terminal-based payments means contactless payments for upgrades or food, while Luggage Delivery Company delivers your luggage without ever having to contact anyone.
