CABI TOURISM TEXTS
2nd Edition
Tourism Information
Technology
PIERRE J. BENCKENDORFF
PAULINE J. SHELDON
DANIEL R. FESENMAIER
COMPLIMENTARY TEACHING
MATERIALS
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Chapter 7
Aviation and Information Technology
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Chapter 7 Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter you should be able to:
1. analyze the impact of IT on airlines and air travelers;
2. explain how airline reservation systems work and how
they connect with other information systems;
3. understand how information systems support
management decision-making in airlines;
4. examine how information technologies are used by
airports to streamline the passenger experience; and
5. evaluate the present and future information technology
applications in airport operations.
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Key Concepts
Airline reservation system (ARS)
Baggage handling system (BHS)
Customer relationship system (CRS)
Fare Quote System
Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS)
New Distribution Capability (NDC)
Passenger name record (PNR)
Passenger Service System (PSS)
Revenue management system (RMS)
Safety Management System (SMS)
4
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Types of Airlines
Low-cost
Commercia
carriers
l airlines
(LCCs)
National Charter
flag carriers Types airlines
of
Airlines
5
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
AIRLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS
DEPARTURE SYSTEMS
Schedules & availability Fleet management
Departure control system
Fare quotes & rules Schedule optimization
Gate control
Passenger information Revenue management
Flight dispatch
Ticketing Flight operations systems
MARKETING & CRM SYSTEMS TRAVEL INTERMEDIARIES GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Direct bookings Traditional agents & OTAs Availability: schedules
Loyalty programs Travel management companies Pricing: fare quotes & rules
Customer service Tour operators & wholesalers Distribution: booking & ticketing
TRAVELERS IN FLIGHT TECHNOLOGIES
Business & leisure Entertainment
Groups Communications
Frequent flyers Crew support systems
FIGURE 7.1 Key IT systems used by airlines.
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Airline Reservation Systems
Key Components:
1. Flight schedules and availability: availability display.
2. Fare quotes and rules: Fare Quote System, fare
rules, cabin classes, booking codes, fare basis code.
3. Passenger information: passenger name record,
record locator, special service requests.
4. Electronic ticketing: e-ticket, boarding pass.
7
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Fleet Management
Fleet
assignment
Fleet
Fleet
maintenanc
acquisition
e
Fleet
management
systems
8
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Flight scheduling systems
Scheduling systems must be able to handle:
Strategic goals
Route network
Passenger demand
Aircraft type
Human resources
Environmental & safety regulations
Airport restrictions
Contingency planning
9
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Revenue Management Systems (RMS)
Capabilities:
Historical data
Forecasting
Modeling
Decision support
10
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Departure Control Systems (DCS)
Capabilities:
Check-in Denied boarding
Boarding passes No shows and standby
Seat allocation passengers
Checked baggage Interline connections
Load control Interoperability
Passenger identification
11
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
In-flight technologies
Passengers
In-flight entertainment (IFE) system
Geographic information system (GIS)
Communication systems
Crew
Tablets
Navigation, communication and flight logs
Point-of-sale devices
12
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
ORIGIN AIRPORT TRANSIT DESTINATION
Pre- Pre-
Check-in Security Boarding Stopover Arrival
arrival boarding
FIGURE 7.2 Stages of the passenger journey.
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Automated
parking entry
Automatic check-in
upon entry to terminal
Parking
availability
Directions
to terminal
Notification & offer to
book later flight if late
FIGURE 7.3 Example of geofencing around an airport.
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Check-in options
Online check-in
Self-service kiosks
Auto check-in using geofencing and
smartphones
Check-in counters
15
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Key Steps in Security Scanning
X-ray
Confirming Body
baggage
traveler identity screening
screening
16
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Pre-boarding technologies
Passengers
Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS)
WiFi hotspots
Recharge stations
Mobile apps (e.g. airport navigation, GateGuru)
Airports
Business intelligence tools (passenger volumes, queues,
dwell times)
Point-of-sale (POS) systems
Alerts and notifications
17
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Arrival
Immigration databases (e.g. ‘No Fly List’)
e-passports
Scanners and cameras
Passenger Identification: biometrics systems and
future systems that will analyze walking gait, body
language, heart rhythms or DNA profiles to identify
passengers
18
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Baggage and cargo handling
Baggage handling systems (BHSs)
Bag tags with optical bar codes
Conveyer belts and robotic systems for sorting
Baggage tracking systems (e.g. Bagtrac)
Lost baggage systems (e.g. World Tracer)
Self-service bag drops
RFID bag tags and chips in luggage
19
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Safety and security systems
Communications systems
Navigation systems
Surveillance systems
Flight and weather information systems
20
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
Noise
reduction
Carbon
Energy use emission
reduction
Environmental Technology
Water quality
monitoring applications
21
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Discussion Questions
1. How will advances in smartphones and apps impact the marketing,
distribution and delivery of aviation products?
2. Throughout this chapter we have identified a number of applications
allowing airlines and airports to track passengers by using signaling
technologies such as NFC, RFID and BLE embedded in baggage
tags and smartphones. What are the pros and cons of these
applications? What privacy or ethical issues might arise? How can
airlines and airports overcome these issues?
3. Visit the FFP website for an airline you know. Look for information
about redeeming and earning FF points (miles). List all the ways in
which members can earn and redeem points. How does the
technology on the website support the FFP? What improvements
would you like to see?
22
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Discussion Questions
4. By 2020 the global airline fleet is expected to be twice as large as in
2012 and by 2030 passenger numbers are expected to be double.
Watch the following video from SITA to learn more about this
growth: http://youtu.be/NPi7aeP-LLo/. Supplement the information in
this chapter and in the video with your own research and discuss
how IT can help airlines and airports cope with the challenges of this
expected growth.
5. Visit the website for Changi Airport in Singapore and browse
through the pages about terminal facilities and services. Note down
examples requiring use of information technology. What IT inspired
airport services do you expect to see in 10 years?
6. How might airports and airlines use new technologies such as
augmented reality to streamline and improve the passenger
experience?
23
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Useful Websites
SITA Amadeus IT Solutions
www.sita.aero www.amadeus.com/airlineit
Boeing Changi Airport
www.boeing.com www.changiairport.com
GateGuru Virgin America
www.gateguru.com www.virginamerica.com
SkyTrax Future Travel Experience
www.airlinequality.com www.futuretravelexperience.com
24
CABI TOURISM TEXTS
Case Study SITA
Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques.
Formed in 1949 by a consortium of European & British airlines.
Developed world’s first business packet switching network .
Employs 4500+ staff in over 200 countries.
Key solutions include:
Sector Solutions
Communications & voice, data, messaging, mobility and desktop applications to
Infrastructure support aircraft operations, air-ground communications, air traffic
control and flight operations;
Airports passenger processing, baggage management and operations
management;
Airlines passenger management, reservations, e-commerce solutions, fare
and ancillary services; and
Government border management, biometrics, risk assessment and identity
verification. 25
