Improving the Passenger Experience with Passenger Flow Management

The most stressful part of air travel for many is the waiting at the airport. Crowded terminals and longer queues and wait times for check-in, security, customs, baggage claim, and even taxi queues quickly turn anxious travelers into frustrated passengers. Many airports have implemented a Passenger Flow Measurement or Queue Measurement System (QMS) to track and quantify the number of passengers waiting in line and for how long. Some airports are even using this data to display estimated wait times and keep passengers calm. Unfortunately, measurement systems alone aren’t enough to make an airport efficient and responsive to passenger needs.

This paper discusses the shortcomings for those who rely solely on measurement technology and reveals how a Passenger Flow Management approach can help airports optimize wait times, reduce overhead, maximize revenue, and improve the overall passenger experience. It also highlights sensor technologies that can be implemented to further understand passenger volume and activity and improve the passenger experience.