PTW speaks to Oliver Ledgard, EMEA government and aviation lead at Zebra Technologies, to find out more about the company’s plans for its debut at Passenger Terminal Expo 2024.
What has brought Zebra Technologies to Passenger Terminal Expo 2024 for the first time?
Airlines and airports face unprecedented challenges today and we believe our technology can drive efficiencies across the board, automating above- and below-the-wing processes that will be able to dramatically improve customer satisfaction and safety without increasing costs.
We are a major player in the industry, with a combination of more than 70 airlines, airports and solution providers globally using Zebra Technologies. Our partner network is a who’s who of suppliers to the industry, many of whom are at the show. So, in addition to raising our profile, we can catch up with our existing customers and partners, and meet a new network of people to build relationships with and understand the challenges they face.
What solutions will the company display at the expo?
We are showing a wide range of solutions, addressing applications both above and below the wing. For example, we have radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions already in use by some of the largest airlines in the world for baggage tracking and handling, maintenance and equipment inventory management, boarding pass reading, life vest checking, catering trolley tracking, and, in conjunction with temperature sensors, food quality and safety. Additionally, our tech is being used for de-icing aircraft, so we can help ensure a safe take-off anywhere in the world.
We also have a range of handheld devices for airline and airport agents, and we have a mobile payment solution that can be used with airport retailers or at check-in desks for excess baggage payments. With our technology, we can enable airlines and travel companies to offer passengers a seamless journey end to end, with bags picked up from home and delivered to their final destination, with check-in completed remotely, lounge access facilitated swiftly with handheld devices and mobile payment for all other services and goods en route.
How are these solutions innovative?
Speed of innovation and development is key in this industry. In this respect, a key advantage of Zebra Technologies is the sheer depth and breadth of our solutions, in addition to our use of and expertise with the flexible Android operating system.
Our expertise has resulted in robust partnerships with customer and independent software vendor (ISV) developer communities. It means we can work closely with developers, enabling them to quickly create solutions to meet specific customer needs, and we can deliver a wide range of solutions off the shelf.
How can Zebra Technologies’ technology drive efficiency in the transportation market?
Zebra Technologies’ solutions are already supporting huge efficiency gains in the airline industry. We are helping to reduce reliance on manual processes and enable efficiencies across the board. Airlines using Zebra can experience faster turnarounds for aircraft as a result of efficient de-icing, quicker equipment checks, more accurate baggage handling, smoother onboarding for catering services and shorter queue times for passengers in the airport.
And, with the power of Workcloud Communication, our customers can use one platform across their device fleets to keep communication secure and reliable, ensure workflows are intact and minimize disruption on the front line. Organizations can broadcast messages to everyone in an instant and give teams all the communication options they need to stay in touch and focused on the job.
To learn more about the Zebra Technologies solutions on show at the expo, visit Booth C140 at Passenger Terminal Expo 2024, April 16, 17 & 18, 2024 in Messe Frankfurt, Germany.
Register for your free fast-track exhibition pass, here.
This article originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of Passenger Terminal World. To view the magazine in full, click here.
