Passengers’ baggage is collected by robots,

they relax in a luxurious waiting area complete with an indoor garden before getting a face scan and swiftly passing through security and immigration this could be the airport of the future. It’s a vision that planners hope will become reality as new technology is rolled out, transforming the exhausting experience of getting stuck in lengthy queues in ageing, overcrowded terminals into something far more pleasant. The Asia-Pacific has been leading the way but faces fierce competition from the Middle East as major hubs compete to attract the growing number of long-haul travellers who can choose how to route their journey. In an official statement, Seth Young, Director, Center for Aviation Studies, Ohio State University has said the regions are the two leading pockets of technology growth because they are really competing to be the global hubs for air transportation. Facial scanning in particular is generating a lot of buzz. Changi in the affluent city-state of Singapore, regarded as among the world’s best airports, is set to roll out this biometric technology at a new terminal to open later this year. Passengers will have their faces scanned when they first check in and at subsequent stages, theoretically allowing them to go through the whole boarding process quickly without encountering another human. Robots are appearing at some major hubs, including at Seoul’s Incheon airport, where they carry out tasks including cleaning and carrying luggage, while Changi’s new terminal will have robotic cleaners complete with butlers’ uniforms. Airports are also trying to overhaul their image as dreary places that must be endured in order to get from A to B, to somewhere travellers can enjoy spending time. Amsterdam’s Schiphol is aiming to become the world’s leading digital airport by 2019, and has been testing hand luggage scanners that allow passengers to keep liquids and laptops in their bags. It is also looking at biometric technology. Despite the buzz surrounding new technology, there are concerns that rapid innovation could threaten long-held ways of doing business. A report from consultancy Roland Berger warned that airport revenues from retail and parking could fall by between two and four billion dollars due to the new innovations. Still, the landscape may not transform so quickly as many airports face difficulties in introducing new technology, from resistance to change to availability of financing. While the challenges remain, the digital transformation is something that travellers are bound to look out for.