Major airports in the United States have experienced significant increase in air traffic over the last five years, and 2018 is no exception. Intuitively, the summer months are prime time for travel. Compared to 2017, air travel is estimated to increase by 3.7% between June 1st and August 31st.
To any airport digital signage owner, these numbers are a clear indicator to step up the signage game. To spark your imagination, below are a few reminders and ideas on how to do just that. Improving your airport digital signage campaigns promises to bring in return as air traffic is about to skyrocket in these upcoming months.
Airport digital signage means more than flight information
The sky is the limit, but that does not mean you should limit your displays to mere flight information. With the world growing accustomed to the act of flying (growing being the keyword here), standard flight information isn’t as important as it used to be. Yes, fliers still look for updates on their departure gate or whether boarding has already started and they should skip ordering the extra drink at the bar. However, as passengers become more seasoned and flight updates more widespread across the premises, signage applications have evolved past that!
Passengers of course need flight information, but this need only holds a fraction of the power digital signage has to offer. If used solely for flight information, valuable signage potential remains unspent. A while ago, we focused on specific ways airport digital signage can be used. Here’s a quick refresher course to remind you:
- Inform travelers about scheduled flights and eventual changes
- Enhance with interactivity for easier browsing
- Advertise or sell advertising space
- Entertain through non-commercial content to lower boredom and perceived waiting time
- Smoothen communication for both the external and internal audience
These are elementary ways to use digital signage at an airport. Now let’s take a look at the bigger picture and see how the growth of air traffic impacts your airport digital signage campaigns.
Airports have matured into cities!
As they expand, one might view airports as smaller cities. Many airports now are vast hubs, where the transportation isn’t limited to flying. Taxis, shuttles, trains or buses are an integral part of the airport “city”, meaning people have plenty more to look out for than just flight information.
Digital signage can display a variety of content and rotate between different sets of information. With the city-themed idea in mind, it’s clear that airport digital signage should utilize this feature to the max!
In between showing the status and information of specified flights, airport digital signage can show departure times and destinations of nearby buses or trains, for instance, or ads for the closest restaurant or hotel.
Provide advanced wayfinding to travelers
Wayfinding at airports is a common concept. However, the method of its application has changed quite a bit, and continues in fact to be still changing. You may opt to provide wayfinding via a video wall or a set of displays which simply tell the traveler where they should go if they want to get to the immigration hall or the baggage claim. This application is great by itself, but there is more you can do when in wayfinding.
Airports are places with more than just check-in lines. Despite obviously being in the traveling industry, there are many aspects of hospitality which have taken over. With the requirement to check in considerable time prior to boarding, there is a lot of free time.
Airports aim to meet all travelers’ needs, be it shopping, dining, entertainment etc. Wayfinding can make all these easily accessible to any traveler. Not only does it increase passenger/customer satisfaction, it opens the doors to more profit both for the businesses they visit as well as the digital signage owner who sells the ad space.
Boost check-in, security and boarding efficiency
With the staggering numbers of travelers turning around this summer, it becomes a challenge to maintain efficiency at an optimal level. Let’s be honest, it can even be a little bit intimidating with so many people in one confined space when there is a hold up.
Check in is just in the open departure hall, but there are many other lines at the airport. Security can be tiresome, with constantly increased security measures. There are so many steps in the process like taking out your hand luggage, separating your laptop from your bag, taking liquids of specific package size and placing them in a clear zip lock bag, removing your belt, your shoes etc. Once it’s done, you must collect your belongings without causing a hold up. Sadly hold ups do happen when passengers are not prepared for a particular security procedure.
Enhance the passenger journey
Airport digital signage can help simplify and speed up the passenger journey. Keeping passengers informed can ensure they’re moving in the right location and performing the right actions without the need of individual instructions. As airport traffic keeps increasing rapidly, so does the need for innovation and adaptation. This is where advanced uses such as robotics and AI could come into play.
The efficiency boost provided by airport digital signage doesn’t only raise passenger satisfaction. It also helps employees do their jobs easier and with less frustration. Another way to enhance efficiency can be through unique uses reserved to airport kiosks. These may include interactive wayfinding and information browsing, as well as alternative locations where passengers can check in or update their boarding passes if changes have occurred mid-journey.
Efficiency and passenger satisfaction are more important than ever, as the air travel industry keeps expanding. Although there are spikes in air traffic each summer, it’s important to remember that the annual traffic grows, too. With these projections in mind, it will become very challenging to maintain efficiency on such a massive scale.
The air travel industry is moving forward, and airport digital signage is now an integral part of it. More of its advancements will most certainly ensue. At the rate of its development, we won’t have to wait long to experience them.
