The travel industry continually evolves to meet demand fluctuations, regulatory requirements and public attitudes. Unprecedented growth in recent years propelled the adoption of technology to streamline the check-in experience.

1. WHITEPAPER
TAKING TRAVEL TO
NEW HEIGHTS
Exceed expectations with a
touchless customer experience

2. The travel industry continually evolves to meet demand
fluctuations, regulatory requirements and public
attitudes.
Unprecedented growth in recent years propelled the
adoption of technology to streamline the check-in
experience.
Hygienic conditions join safety and convenience as top
priorities for travelers as we emerge from the
pandemic. Renewing the travel experience with
touchless technology will be key to restoring
passengers’ confidence.
Today’s technologies are ready to deploy for this digital
transformation and even richer capabilities. This paper
illustrates the new travel experience and spotlights
airports where NEC I:Delight already is raising traveler
expectations for the new normal and full recovery.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The aviation industry has an
opportunity to reset
expectations and deliver a
seamless and hygienic travel
experience unlike any before.
01 Executive Summary Executive Summary 02
https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2020-07-28-02/
Foundations of a new travel experience were being developed years before the pandemic demanded change.
For example, in 2017, IATA unveiled a concept of a single digital ID that can be used to seamlessly get a traveler
through the various checkpoints at an airport.2
Star Alliance, a grouping of 26 member airlines, launched a biometrics application, called “Star Alliance Biometrics,”
developed with NEC, that travelers could trust to efficiently verify their identity at checkpoints along their journey,
improving the travel experience.3
These low-touch processing technologies form the foundation of the hygienic digital transformation the industry
needs today and they will continue to streamline the growing volume of travelers in the post-COVID-19 world.
With this in mind, NEC and SITA announced a partnership in July 2020 to develop market-leading solutions that
enable a touchless travel experience at airports using NEC I:Delight identity management platform with SITA Smart
Path and SITA Flex infrastructure.4
TRAVEL WILL
REBOUND
All industries have adopted new protocols to reduce risk for employees and
customers, and the airline sector responded with new processes and practices,
including social distancing, health screening and additional cleaning. Passengers
expect this and still want their journey to be efficient, pleasant and secure.
Prepare for full capacity
1
IATA, July 2020: https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/pressroom/fact-sheets/fact-sheet---one-id/
2
IATA, December 2019: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190726005052/en/Star-Alliance-NEC-Corporation-Sign-Partnership-Agreement
3
Star Alliance, November 2020: https://www.staralliance.com/en/news-article?newsArticleId=BMX_PR&groupId=20184
4
SITA, July 2020: https://www.sita.aero/pressroom/news-releases/nec-and-sita-announce-global-aviation-partnership-agreement-to-deliver-the-future-of-digital-identity-at-airports