Technology to ease document woes introduced
Star Alliance has launched a piece of technology that allows their passengers to ensure that they have the right travel documents for their journey.
Once information about documents held and the journey to be undertaken is tapped in, the Auto Doc Check, developed by representatives from 11 of its members carriers, will return a yes, no or conditional response on whether the passenger can travel.
Travel warnings and conditions associated with the rules of the country are shown on screen that are then accessed by a carrier’s host system and tailored for its passengers.
Customers checking in off-airport, either online or at self service units, can also use the technology.
“Up to now it has often been a challenge for check-in personnel and passengers to keep current about what documents are needed for travelling abroad,†said vice president, products and services, Star Alliance, Lee Hock Lye.
“For example, a Singapore resident travelling to Australia and then to South Africa with a British passport: does he need a visa for any part of the journey? With state-of-the-art technology now evaluating the passenger’s travel documents and deciding if the passenger is allowed to travel, Auto Doc Check is taking the guess work out this decision.â€
He added: “Once a passenger indicates the documents he plans to carry with him, Auto Doc Check immediately lets him know if he has sufficient and valid documents or not. This can reduce the number of touch points at the airport, since document checks have already been performed at the first point of check-in.â€
The technology, which will be launched on Singapore Airlines, helps airlines as well as their passengers. If a passenger is allowed to travel without the proper documents, they can be turned away at their destination and the airline may face heavy immigration fines. Delays could also be reduced as it takes less time to process customers at check-in if their document needs are already addressed.
By Dinah Hatch
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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