Speaker Series: Airport IT & Security

Looking back at Airport IT & Security 2018, what did you enjoy talking about most?

At Airport IT & Security 2018, I enjoyed talking about digital identities and the digital management of data sharing across the industry. Aruba Happy Flow encompasses digital identities and management into a data sharing platform, which is uniform for all passengers, keeping the data secure. This in turn allows the shareholders, usually governments, to check the identities. It is crucial that platforms such as these develop, as it means that only one identity check is necessary as the data is shared between all stakeholders. 

What did you enjoy hearing discussed most at Airport IT & Security?

I enjoyed the wide range of speakers that attended, and specifically the content on artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. Moreover, the pieces on data privacy, GDPR and the legality of data sharing as this is pivotal to the Aruba Happy Flow programme. 

How can you see the industry changing over the next 12 months?

With seamless end-to-end travel becoming more and more essential to the passenger I see the industry moving to a more circular framework when it comes to seamless travel. The One ID project which IATA is working on, will see a complete revolution within the industry; standards for identity checking will change and the interoperability of the data, integral to the process, will become of paramount importance. Standards of data sharing are changing which means that privacy, technical standards and cultural variations all need to be considered as the technology  needs to adapt to facilitate the growth we expect. 

What are the biggest challenges currently facing the industry?

Growth. To tackle this we need to move certain processes off-airport to ensure infrastructure is used in the best possible way. This off-airport shift needs to occur without compromising the security of the digital platform – identity has to remain secure. Stakeholders need to work together as they haven’t before. This is not just through passenger facilitation, but through the use of autonomous vehicles and other airport processes which connect all aspects of the airport resulting in data sharing on many levels. 

Looking ahead to Airport IT & Security 2019, what do you think will be the most discussed topics?

As the industry continues to develop, and the digital travel identity proposed by ICAO starts to become a reality, there will be a paradigm shift within the industry as more and more people can experience a truly seamless end-to-end journey. 

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