Manila Airport takes off with major tech upgrade
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Passengers at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will soon be able to get to the gate faster following the introduction of a series of new high-tech systems.
Manila International Airport Authority has selected SITA to overhaul the technology at Terminals 1 and 2 of the Philippines’ busiest airport. This upgrade will see NAIA form part of IATA’s Fast Travel programme, which is aimed at speeding up airport procedures.
In this first stage of the project, SITA’s AirportConnect Open passenger processing system will be implemented in both terminals. This will enable the airport to introduce self-service check-in kiosks, self-baggage drop areas, baggage tracking technology and self-boarding gates.
A new departure control system will also be implemented, providing back up to airlines in cases of disruption of their systems.
“Our aim is to improve the airport experience for passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. SITA’s next-generation technology allows the airlines to offer fast and efficient service in Terminals 1 and 2 and its baggage reconciliation system will also ensure bags are electronically tracked until aircraft loading, reducing passenger inconvenience of mishandled bags,” said Ed Monreal, GM of Manila International Airport Authority.
“We are starting with shared airport systems and as we progress in our transformation we plan to introduce self-service technology such as check-in kiosks, bag drop and possibly self-boarding. The airlines have committed to test these self-service systems in the coming months as we work together to alleviate the peak season passenger surge,” he added.
Following the initial upgrade, Manila International Airport Authority will also evaluate new security systems which could incorporate mobile bar-coded boarding passes.
“This is an exciting time for the air transport industry in the Philippines. Passenger traffic is growing and there is a clear commitment from the authorities to transform the passenger experience at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. SITA’s world-class technology will replace legacy systems at NAIA and underpin that transformation. It will provide the opportunity for a better passenger experience at every step of the journey while enabling efficient airport operations,” said Ilya Gutlin, SITA’s president for Asia Pacific.
NAIA currently handles more than 37 million passengers annually, making it one of Southeast Asia’s busiest airports.
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