Malaysia Airports launches new passenger experience app based on big data analytics

AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: The app aims at speeding up the process of travel from home to gate

Malaysia Airports, the operator of Kuala Lumpur International, has launched a new mobile app which uses big data analytics (BDA) to boost passenger experience.

The app, MYairports, enables its user to plan their  journey to the airport ahead of time and be navigated intelligently through the checkpoints, designed to help passengers go from home to the boarding gate in the shortest time possible.

This digital airport experience is made possible with the integration of BDA and aims to elevate the service level as one of the initiatives under the total airport experience (TAE) pillar of the organisation’s business plan, RtS2020.

The app also signifies the progression of Malaysia Airports towards embracing Arthur Little’s Airports 4.0 whereby real-time digital interaction with passengers is key and regarded as a must have.

Malaysia Airports is currently undergoing a digital transformation that encompasses the use of BDA and the Internet of Things (IoT) devices to enhance the airport operations by anticipating foot traffic flows, managing facilities for passenger comfort and reducing queue time and congestion.

The MYairports app is already available on Google Playstore for Android users and App Store for iOS users.

According to the operator’s Managing Director, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, the organisation, as the custodian of 39 airports in the country, is always thinking of ways to improve the passenger journey to be a joyful Malaysian experience.

He said that with technology playing a major part in today’s world, it was ideal to harness mobile technology and craft a seamless home to gate experience for airport passengers: “The MYairports mobile app is meant to help passengers plan your journey in the palm of your hands. With this app, you will be able to get live updates on flight information, time left to board your flights, shopping and dining promotions and important airport information. More excitingly, our MYairports app will feature dynamic wayfinding around KLIA,”.

Badlisham further explained that the technology implementation for the app will be constantly evolving: “For now, the app features information about KLIA Main Terminal. However, information on klia2, the second terminal will soon be made available, followed by the rest of the international airports. There will also be a Mandarin version of the app as it is now available in Bahasa Malaysia and English. Other more exciting features in the coming phases will include live queue times at various touchpoints at the airport such as check-in and immigration counters, as well as security checkpoints. For shoppers, the ecommerce feature will enable purchases to be bought online and picked up at the airport upon arrival.”

Speaking on Malaysia Airports’ transformation journey into becoming a service leader, Badlisham commented that this app was part of the key strategy in embracing Industry 4.0 which translates into Airports 4.0 for the organisation. He announced that by the end of 2019, more systems will be in place such as the automated queue management system, an upgraded customer feedback management system and a passenger flow management system. Passengers can look forward to breeze through our airports faster due to a significant reduction in wait time.

The MYairports app was launched by YB Khairul Adib Abd Rahman, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Transportation at the KLIA Experience Lab today and more than 10,000 active downloads of this home-to-gate journey planning airport mobile app are expected by Malaysia Airports by the end of this year.