Smart Tech Strategies to Transform Air Passenger Experiences

Speakers

Webinar summary and key takeaways

Air travel has changed dramatically - and so have passenger expectations. Today’s flyers demand seamless, digital-first journeys while governments tighten compliance regulations. How can airlines meet these rising demands without sacrificing operational efficiency?

That was the central theme explored in our recent panel webinar featuring leaders from Aer Lingus, Air France–KLM, Scandit, and expertly moderated by Dreamix. Here’s a concise round-up of the some of the insights shared — including the real stories of how they are tackling today’s challenges with smart data capture and ID scanning technology.

Meeting the new baseline for air travel

Passengers now expect end-to-end digital experiences. They want to check in online, scan travel documents at home, and breeze through airports without delays or surprises. As Fabien Mollinari (Aer Lingus) noted passengers now expect three basics:

• Tech that works - including mobile check-in and seamless document submission
• Smooth airport experiences - especially at bag drop and boarding, 10-15 minutes and no friction
• Luggage that arrives - no excuses

But this is just the beginning. Airlines face increasing pressure to comply with programs like EU Entry/Exit System (EES) and electronic travel authorizations (ETAs). Laurens Jansma (KLM) emphasized that verifying documents early — ideally at the reservation stage and not just at check-in - helps airlines avoid last-minute issues, reduce fines, and protect staff from frustrated travelers.

Ben Hempel (Scandit) pointed out a key tension: while customer expectations climb, many airlines still face staffing challenges. Technology, especially mobile-based ID scanning and self-service, is helping bridge this gap while reducing friction across journeys.

Smart use of ID scanning is one way to create more frictionless travel

Airlines today must process millions of passengers through various touchpoints, each using different channels to check in and submit required API data for compliant and seamless travel.

As part of their approach to tackling this, both KLM and Aer Lingus highlighted the use of Scandit’s ID scanning solution - ID Bolt - to enable automated, mobile-based ID scanning, allowing passengers to pre-verify travel documents.

Fabien Mollinari (Aer Lingus) explained that they implemented ID scanning technology, to improve their check-in process and, ultimately, efficiently gather passenger information across multiple channels and booking sources, “We needed a solution that is convenient, fast, and reliable to scan ID cards and passports to avoid manual input errors. The Scandit technology is so fast you click and it's already scanned.”

They integrated Scandit into a new user interface called Agent UI, allowing for faster and more secure check-ins, especially for mobile agents on the airport floor. He reports that the results have been impressive, with plans to expand the technology to online channels as well.

Laurens Jansma (KLM) explains that Air France-KLM initially implemented document scanning to address the issue of ineligible passengers at boarding gates, which caused delays and penalties.

They later sought a more comprehensive solution including biometrics and facial recognition, but faced challenges with internet connectivity in various locations. The airline ultimately chose Scandit for its quick and accurate document scanning capabilities in these circumstances. Laurens Jansma (KLM) notes, “We process about half a million scans a month now - and that will only likely increase.”

He explained that KLM had to implement the solution in phases due to legacy systems and IATA standards, first rolling it out in mobile apps and soon on their website's booking management section.

Digital transformation is a shared responsibility

The panel agreed that passengers must also play their part and it's vital to help them. Airlines are increasingly nudging travelers to scan documents early and educating them about evolving requirements. Proactive communication is key to minimizing non-compliance and improving satisfaction.

Laurens Jansma (KLM) shared their success in using behavioral insights for different regions - like redesigning banner colors for document scanning calls to actions from blue to red - which led to a higher scan rates and a drop in boarding issues for certain destinations. It shows how combining tech with design thinking and UX/UI can move the needle on compliance.

Gary Kenny (Dreamix) emphasized the key word is balance, stating, “Airlines are in between a rock and a hard place. You want to keep your customers happy, but you also have to ensure that they do what's necessary for them. So any tools that we can bring in to help to make everyone’s life easier is a good thing”.

Future innovations: biometrics, AI & hyper-personalization

Looking ahead, panelists envisioned greater adoption of biometric identification, predictive analytics, and touchless workflows that empower both passengers and airline staff. As Ben Hempel (Scandit) put it, “We’re helping customers remove friction points — whether by enabling self-service or empowering agents with better tools.”

The panel was bullish on future innovation:

• Fabien Mollinari (Aer Lingus) envisions travelers using biometric facial recognition via digital wallets
• Laurens Jansma (KLM) sees AI verifying complex documents like eVisas
• Airlines are also exploring ways to pre-fill travel credentials, enhancing personalization and eliminating redundant input steps.

Thanks to our expert speakers for sharing their insights and examples!

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