Technology, Organisations & Operators,

Beginning this year, passengers traveling through Frankfurt Airport (Fraport) can breeze through the various steps in the journey – from check-in to boarding – simply by scanning their faces at biometric touchpoints across the airport. This solution will be rolled out and available to all interested airlines at the airportThe implementation will see additional biometric touchpoints installed by spring 2023. From enrollment at a kiosk or counter, to pre-security automated gates and self-boarding gates, passengers can use biometric technology to seamlessly pass through each stage of the journey by simply scanning their face.
The project breaks new ground in the development of digital travel by providing a true common-use biometric platform at all Fraport terminals, open to all airlines operating at the airport. It combines day of travel enrollment, Star Alliance Biometrics, and additional biometric hubs under the umbrella of the SITA Smart Path platform.
For Lufthansa passengers specifically, thanks to the integration of SITA Smart Path with Star Alliance Biometrics, the technology makes use of the biometric identities of Lufthansa passengers enrolled on Star Alliance’s platform, enabling seamless identification of passengers without additional process steps across multiple participating airports and airlines.
This implementation plays a key part in paving the way for the rollout of biometrics across Star Alliance’s global network, as it endeavors to have more of its 26 member carriers using biometric technology progressively. Key learnings from the Fraport project will be considered for further implementations across the network.
The NEC I:Delight digital identity management platform, which is fully integrated with SITA Smart Path, ranked No.1 several times as the world’s most accurate face recognition technology in vendor tests conducted by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It allows passengers who have opted to use the service to be identified quickly and accurately, even on the move. Passengers who do not wish to use the solution can check in using a traditional check-in counter.ADVERTISEMENTDr. Pierre Dominique Prümm, Member of the Executive Board and Executive Director Aviation & Infrastructure, Fraport AG, said: “Emerging from the pandemic, passengers are embracing technology to boost efficiency and place them in control of their travel. We are extremely excited to be able to transform the experience for all our passengers across all terminals and carriers with one simple, intuitive solution. We also value that SITA and NEC’s innovative technology allows our infrastructure to be truly future-proof, with the capacity to grow with us as industry demands and travel patterns shift.”
Sergio Colella, SITA President for Europe, said: “We are delighted to be working with key industry players to bring the benefits of biometric technology to passengers everywhere. With this implementation, Fraport is leading the industry in responding to shifting passenger demands for greater autonomy and convenience, while helping to maximize operational efficiencies.”
Jason Van Sice, Vice President for NEC Advanced Recognition Systems said: “We have a wealth of experience combining our technical know-how with SITA’s understanding of the air transport industry. We are proud to be upgrading Lufthansa and Fraport customers’ experience with next-generation biometric technology, and we applaud Star Alliance’s initiative to bring these benefits to its broader network.”

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NFINI Travel Information, the exclusive Sabre GDS distribution partner in Japan, and Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, today announced a new, multi-year GDS agreement with AirTrip International Corp. The deal will see AirTrip International capitalizing on Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS) as part of its strategy to spur growth of its outbound business with advanced technology.
Using Sabre’s rich GDS content, including NDC offers, as well as Sabre’s Bargain Finder Max API, AirTrip International will be able to expand its content regime while creating compelling offers for its customers.
Bargain Finder Max utilizes Sabre’s proprietary shopping algorithm and broad array of rich content to deliver optimal itinerary offers in seconds. This will enable AirTrip International to create customized booking experiences for travelers by tailoring search results for the most relevant fares, based on itinerary preferences.
“This is an important partnership for AirTrip International, and we are excited by the prospects of this collaboration,” said Yusuke Shibata, President & Representative Director / CFO of AirTrip International. “Our mission at AirTrip is to use advanced products and technologies with our unique position in the Japanese market to deliver a best-in-class travel experience for our customers. This mission is even more relevant as travel recovery gains momentum in Japan. Sabre is well-positioned to share its next-generation content and technology which will be an essential component in providing a superior customer experience.”
AirTrip International established itself as a preferred choice of travelers in Japan’s highly competitive markets by focusing on meeting customer needs through a superior product experience. The OTA has proved itself to be resilient in its ability to adapt its business model quickly to the challenges which have emerged throughout the pandemic and is now focused on technological advancement for future growth.ADVERTISEMENT“We very much welcome the AirTrip International decision to choose the Sabre GDS as a distribution channel in Japan,” said Kimio Uemura, CEO, INFINI Travel Information. “It validates our vision for the Sabre/INFINI partnership and the need for advanced industry solutions that meet service needs, while effectively supporting travel agents’ desire to expand the breadth of their business models globally.”
“As travel agencies look to secure a competitive edge amid continuing recovery, they need a technology partner with the stability and resources to continue investing in advanced and new technology solutions,” said Brett Thorstad, Vice President, Sabre Travel Solutions, Agency Sales, Asia Pacific. “There’s a huge opportunity for AirTrip International to act fast and position itself for growth. AirTrip’s decision to become part of Sabre’s GDS will enable the OTA to tap into expected increased demand, during the recovery period and beyond.”

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Brits travelling to Europe this summer risk racking up extra mobile charges – even if their network provider offers free EU roaming.
This is due to many networks imposing a Fair Usage Policy (FUP), which puts a cap on the amount of mobile data consumers can use while on holiday before incurring a fee, regardless of their plan at home.
On Tuesday, giffgaff is set to reduce its FUP restriction from 20GB to 5GB. Customers who go over the limit while abroad will be charged 10p per MB to continue roaming. This means that using an extra 1GB without buying a new plan will cost at least £100.
On 26 September, Asda Mobile, which runs off the Vodafone network, will cut the amount of data its roaming customers can use from 25GB to 5GB, with a 10p/MB out-of-plan charge. This is part of a number of changes that will also affect the provider’s pay-as-you-go customers.
The data cap in a FUP can vary wildly across providers. Vodafone has set its bar at 25GB, while Three’s is under half that at 12GB. EE and Sky Mobile have not imposed a cap, although under the government’s rules, customers that roam abroad will not be able to spend more than £45 a month on data.ADVERTISEMENTO2 and Virgin Media, who claim their customers can roam like at home, both have FUPs in place. While O2’s fair usage limit is 25GB for all customers, Virgin Media’s limit is linked to the cost of a customer’s overall monthly plan. This means for every £1 of your usual monthly bill, you can access 543MB of data. For example, a Virgin customer roaming abroad on a £50-per-month tariff with unlimited data at home can use a maximum of 26.71GB while roaming. 
Catherine Hiley, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “For those heading abroad this summer, the mobile roaming rules are tricky enough to understand, yet Fair Usage Policies add another layer of complexity.
“The lack of consistency from providers on data limits is hard to understand – and in the case of Virgin Media – hard to calculate. With such a range of restrictions, it could mean that families travelling on holiday may find some members run out of data far more quickly than others.
“While 5GB may seem like a fair amount of mobile data, giffgaff and Asda Mobile customers will soon face hefty fees if they break their limit without putting a new plan in place.
“Consumers on unlimited plans could find downsizing tough on their travels. If they’re used to regular data-heavy activities like downloading or streaming films,  they may well hit the data wall much sooner than anticipated.
“Anyone planning to use their phone abroad should check their provider’s Fair Use Policy and, if they think they’re likely to reach the cap, consider buying a data add-on.
“While on holiday, use Wi-Fi where possible on a safe and secure connection to preserve your allowance. Alternatively, consider a plan from a SIM-only provider without a Fair Use Policy, like ID Mobile. They offer a 50GB deal for £10 a month or an unlimited plan for £16 a month.”

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Now that the world is open following the pandemic, the world is making up for the lost time. The travel industry, in particular, has been reaping the benefits of the post-pandemic. According to the numbers presented by AugustaFreePress.com, downloads of travel/navigation apps increased by an impressive 18% y-o-y growth during the second quarter of 2022. Overall, the downloads of top travel/navigation apps reached 137 million during this period.
137 million downloads on both app stores in Q2According to numbers provided by SensorTower, a total of 137 million downloads of top travel apps on the App Store and Play Store combined took place in the last quarter. This was the third consecutive quarter to see improvement in number of downloads.
The graph shows that downloads hit an all-time low during 2020 as COVID-19 rampaged the world. However, the US travel industry started to recover in 2021. The total number of app downloads progressively increased during the year’s first three quarters. From Q4 2020 to Q3 2021, the number of downloads consistently grew from 70 million to 123 million – a growth of 76%. However, the escalating curve changed its direction in Q4 as downloads dropped to 106m. This drop was not surprising as numbers in Q4 generally drop.
The downloads picked up during the first quarter of 2022 and reached 115 million. Year-on-year, this figure represents a 33.7% growth from 2021. Around the same time, the Omicron variant became a cause for concern, but it appears that it didn’t have much impact on numbers.
The growth in downloads has continued into the second quarter of 2022. The number of downloads increased to 137 million in Q2. Historically, this was the best quarter for travel/navigation apps as the number even eclipsed Pre-covid downloads. As compared to Q1, downloads increased by 19%. In terms of Y-O-Y growth, the rate dropped from 33.7% in Q1 to 18% in Q2.ADVERTISEMENTThe US tourism industry is at its peak during Q3, which is also reflected in travel app downloads. Historically, travel app downloads hit their peak during the third quarter of a year. Hence, one can expect the upward trend in download numbers to continue in the third quarter.

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SITA has announced the launch of SITA eVisa and SITA Electronic Travel Authorization to meet the rapidly growing demand from governments for digital visa systems to stimulate national economies after COVID-19, strengthen security and improve the travel experience.
Governments globally are shifting to modern travel authorisation solutions, like electronic visas and Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs). According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), traditional visas – applications made via a consulate or embassy – decreased from 77% in 2008 to 53% in 2018. There is a growing demand for digital travel solutions.
The advantages of digital authorisation solutions include improved security, reduced administrative burden, easier travel, and increased visitor flows, promoting spending that benefits local economies and creates employment. For example, one government’s introduction of an eVisa scheme covering 40 plus countries in 2014-2015 led to a 21% increase in international visitor arrivals and the creation of 800,000 jobs accounted for around 20% of the growth seen in the country’s travel and tourism over the period.
SITA has deployed border management solutions for over 25 years to support cross-border mobility while safeguarding borders, helping over 70 countries today. In 1996, SITA pioneered the first ETA system for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The aim was to give authorities advance visibility into the huge influx of tourists crossing the border, helping to reduce immigration bottlenecks.
For one major government customer in Asia Pacific today, SITA’s ETA system enables over three million ETAs to be issued each year, 96% of applications result in the automatic issuance of an authorisation, and 99% of all applications are successfully processed in less than 12 hours.ADVERTISEMENTThe mobile capability of SITA’s new eVisa and ETA capability allows travelers to make applications and provide their biometric information using their personal devices before they travel. For travelers, this is simpler, more convenient, and less time-consuming than applying for more complex traditional or on-arrival visas. For governments, they can biometrically verify the applicant’s identity. The mobile app also creates ICAO-compliant Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) – a development in digital identity for travel that may replace physical passports in the future.
SITA’s eVisa and ETA solutions provide visas containing ICAO’s Visible Digital Seal (VDS), an encrypted bar code that enables visas and ETAs, paper or electronic, to be digitally verified for authenticity, offering enhanced security and fraud prevention.
Jeremy Springall, Head of SITA AT BORDERS, said: “Adopting eVisa and ETA supports national prosperity. We’ve productised our proven and robust travel authorisation systems to benefit more nations around the world as they shift to digitalise and future-proof their borders. The solutions help countries to cope with growing passenger volumes, improve security and efficiency, and deliver a more seamless travel experience that travelers demand, removing the complexities of applying for traditional visas”.
Springall added: “The adaptability of these two solutions means that they are fully interoperable with existing border control and airline systems. And, they comply with international standards and best practices.”

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Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, has announced its long-term goal to build green tourism, covering three key areas, including: working with partners to launch over 10,000 low-carbon travel products; promoting sustainable travel concepts and engaging 100 million travellers in low-carbon practices; and, aiming to further reduce carbon emissions across its own operations.
Launching 10,000 low-carbon travel products
Trip.com Group aims to launch over 10,000 eco-friendly travel products, with several initiatives already underway in the Group’s long-term plan. Trip.com and Skyscanner, sub-brands of Trip.com Group, have partnered with CHOOOSE, a company dedicated to offsetting the CO2 emissions for flights by supporting impactful climate solutions worldwide and enabling customers to seamlessly address their CO2 emissions as part of the customer experience. Users from over 35 different Trip.com sites are now able to purchase this carbon offsetting option across almost all flight inventory.
In mainland China, Trip.com Group’s sub-brand Ctrip, has been working with suppliers to offer a wide variety of eco-friendly travel products, such as zero waste camping and eco hiking. Trip.Biz, a corporate travel brand of the Group, has recently conducted a campaign to promote “Green Hotels” and “Green Flights” in mainland China. The corporate travel brand was also awarded a Silver rating by EcoVadis, an internationally recognised corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating platform in 2022. In its car rental business, Ctrip advocates travel with alternative fuel vehicles and through this promotion has seen related orders grow at an annual rate of approximately 140%. According to the current order assessment, compared with traditional vehicles, renting alternative fuel vehicles will reduce carbon emissions by about 10,000 tons in 2022.
Promoting sustainability awareness and inspiring 100 million travellersADVERTISEMENTAs part of the Group’s long-term commitment to improving sustainability awareness, consumer brand Trip.com surveyed its customers to learn more about user sentiment towards sustainable travel and how the pandemic has impacted consumer opinion. Crucially, the survey revealed that travelling sustainably is essential to most respondents.
Trip.com Group continues to build upon its content marketing strategy to provide awareness of more sustainable options. Trip Moments, the home of user-generated traveller content on Trip.com, encourages users to review, recommend and share their travel content with over two million travellers worldwide. Building up to World Environment Day 2022, Trip.com South Korea held various events and activities to encourage users to think more sustainably and share content on Trip Moments with the hashtag ‘sustainable travel’ – driving awareness among users.
In promoting sustainable tourism, Ctrip is using its self-produced variety show to advertise eco-friendly travel. The green travel variety show is a collaboration between Ctrip and National Geographic featuring environmental experts and travel professionals who accompany special guests to explore sustainable lifestyles whilst discovering the beauty of China’s cities and countryside. It is China’s first travel variety show focusing on ecological awareness.
Reducing carbon emissions across operations
As a one-stop travel service provider with more than 30,000 employees and businesses across the world, Trip.com Group continues to value operational practices that look after the environment. The Group pledges to further reduce carbon emissions across its own operations in the near future.
The Group has adopted several environmental initiatives, including building intelligent energy management system, solar hot water system, and renewable heating system to reduce energy consumption. Its headquarters in Shanghai has been awarded LEED Gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. From 2019 to 2021, a new round of energy saving investment was made in the Trip.com Group Shanghai headquarter offices, this upgrade resulted in a 45-50% reduction in energy used for lighting the buildings.
In 2021, Trip.com Group announced to establish its ESG Committee and joined the UN Global Compact, committing to create a more sustainable future for tourism and society.
Jane Sun, Trip.com Group CEO commented, “We have always adhered to the vision of ‘pursuing the perfect trip for a better world ’ and will work with our users and partners to further reduce carbon emissions in a more holistic and systematic manner. We still have a long way to go and much more to do.”

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