Digital services are being used more and more at Helsinki Airport.
'We want to provide the opportunity to use technology and digital services that improve the experience at the airport,' says Heikki Koski, VP for Finavia.
Ticket readers at security checkpoints
Joining the convenient facilities in 2015 is a ticket-reading device for security checks, to be piloted at Helsinki Airport from the very start of the year.
'The security-check procedure will change, with passengers having their tickets read already at a gate before they enter the security area. This eliminates any need to dig for tickets once the passengers reach the security checkpoint,' Koski explains.
E-boarding at the gates
Boarding too will be faster, thanks to the electronic boarding check to be introduced in early 2015. It uses an electronic device for checking boarding passes, comparable to security-checkpoint ticket-readers, says Koski, who explains: ‘Passengers just show their passes to the reader device instead of handing them to an airport official.'
Elimination of the manual element allows the gate personnel to focus better on taking care of passengers who need assistance, without delays in boarding.
The first e-boarding-equipped gates will enter use at Helsinki Airport at the beginning of the year.
Ongoing development work
Constant advances in technology enable an increasing number of services aimed at enhancing the passenger experience.
'An important group of services is those related to basic departure processes, such as check-in and luggage drop. Similarly, communication and guidance can be boosted by digital and interactive information – info kiosks, for example,' says Koski.
The Helsinki Airport app and its continuous development enhance use of the airport's services in yet another way...
Koski explains: 'The internal positioning services soon to be implemented are a good example. They will help the passengers to navigate the terminals, find the right services, and judge how much time they need to reach the gate.'
