An interview with Ilya Burkin, Regional Sales Director, ADB SAFEGATE Airport Systems. By Ross Falconer
Baggage collection is one of the main bottlenecks of a smooth passenger journey, with crowding at the carousel potentially a serious problem, especially since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Ilya Burkin, Regional Sales Director, ADB SAFEGATE Airport Systems: “As with everyone in the aviation business we had to adapt, change our perspective and workshop some new ideas. One of those ideas is that we can provide information on when a bag is loaded onto the carousel and is subsequently ready to be collected, which can be provided directly to a passenger’s phone after scanning a QR code.”
“As with everyone in the aviation business we had to adapt, change our perspective and workshop some new ideas,” begins Ilya Burkin, Regional Sales Director, ADB SAFEGATE Airport Systems. “One of those ideas is that we can provide information on when a bag is loaded onto the carousel and is subsequently ready to be collected, which can be provided directly to a passenger’s phone after scanning a QR code. The passenger can then decide where to wait for their baggage without the need to stand by the baggage carousel. This supports social distancing and creates a far better passenger experience, with fewer passengers around the carousel.”
The ADB SAFEGATE solution can also be integrated with airports’ and airlines’ own mobile apps, pushing the information through those channels. This, additionally, has the potential to open commercial opportunities and expand online engagement with passengers.
Innovation is crucial for the air transport industry and its recovery. “We are not only talking about creating a safe environment, but also rationalising costs, creating additional revenue streams, and accelerating the pace of change,” says Burkin. “Usually passengers see just the tip of the iceberg, with the work of thousands of people, dozens of IT and engineering systems, and complex operational processes all contributing to that perfect passenger journey we all strive to create.”
“A concern which must be addressed”
2020 is ADB SAFEGATE’s centenary year and, on its 100th anniversary, the company is reconfirming its commitment to the aviation industry by producing new products and services. Its AS-TRAK baggage management solution has extensive capabilities in tracking baggage at every stage of its journey, which Burkin explains “helps airports to save money and provide a better passenger experience, as well as additional revenue streams through open integration with third-party systems.”
“In one of the largest airports in the world, AS-TRAK is used by more than 80 airlines,” Burkin adds. “Our solution delivers up to a 90% reduction in luggage processing time and has saved one airline alone over US$14 million (€12 million) in bag repatriation costs. Although globally the cost to airlines is still US$2.4 billion (€2 billion) a year.”
In terms of automating and improving baggage operations, AS-TRAK also offers automatic re-flight functionality, it has open API (application programming interface), and is cloud/web-based.
Meanwhile, the response to the new solution to help avoid crowding around baggage carousels has been overwhelmingly positive. “We have requests from airports and airlines around the world, and the industry recognises this is a concern which must be addressed,” Burkin comments. “The solution we offer is quite straightforward and efficient. There were questions about human behaviour and whether passengers would adopt a new solution, but our trials have proved pessimists wrong – people love when they are given an alternative, something which makes their life easier and safer.”
Indeed, while the new solution to minimise crowding around baggage carousels is timely during the COVID-19 pandemic, Burkin anticipates that travellers will continue to embrace it post-pandemic. “One of the most positive items of feedback from the airports was ‘why haven’t we thought about it before?’. Being a frequent traveller myself before COVID-19, I can say waiting is not my forte and I would 100% use a solution like this in the future if it were provided by an airport or airline.”
Burkin adds that ADB SAFEGATE is also in discussions on how its solutions can support social distancing around the gate, so as to minimise overcrowding when flights are departing at the same time. “Our aspiration is to help airports to overcome this crisis and for our products and services to contribute to reaching that goal.”
