SITA, IN Groupe, RecFaces address air passenger experience

SITA has completed the acquisition of CCM, which designs and produces and creates airport interiors.

Headquartered in Milan, Italy, CCM collaborates with architects and designers to create airport experiences. SITA describes it as a strategic move that aims to “redefine how airports function” by “seamlessly blending technology and interior design” to create “future-ready spaces.”

David Lavorel, SITA CEO, commented: “This isn’t just about expanding airports. It’s about reimagining them. With CCM’s deep design and execution expertise, we’re transforming airports to maximize their existing footprint, optimize passenger flow, and create smarter, more flexible and valuable airport terminal environments that evolve with the changing needs of the industry.”

As airports adapt and modernize, SITA wants to be at the forefront of managing airport space efficiently. With the advancement of biometrics and biometric-enabled check-ins at airports, traditional counters are being replaced. “Building efficient, tech-enabled environments is crucial for the future of travel,” Lavorel added.

CCM has worked on more than 300 airports worldwide, designing and creating terminal spaces. As CCM is brought under SITA’s wing, the latter’s experience in passenger processing, baggage handling and airport operations means technology and design can be integrated as a “single go-to solution,” according to SITA.

In the SITA 2024 Air Transport IT Insights report, 63 percent of airports are prioritizing self-service, biometrics, mobile apps, and IT spending ramping up to $8.9 billion as airports focus on automation, AI, and digitalization.

“The market needs a fundamental shift – where technology and design work together to make airports smarter in using their space for more capacity and with flexibility to support the next generation of travel,” commented Sergio Colella, President, Europe at SITA. “That’s why we’re bringing CCM into the SITA family,” he said.

IN Groupe’s Fly’IN deployed at French airport

Marseille Provence Airport, in southern France, is deploying Fly’IN, the biometric solution developed by IN Groupe.

Fly’IN generates a biometric QR code on the passenger’s smartphone, enabling smoother passage through security checkpoints, check-in to boarding, while being fully compliant with CNIL’s personal data protection regulations and GDPR.

Fly’IN integrates identity, biometrics and travel documents allowing simplified enrollment with a one-time identity validation via smartphone or self-service kiosk, and uses an unfalsifiable QR code. All of this should result in shorter lines and reduced wait times at checkpoints for passengers at Marseille Provence Airport.

Over on Forbes, Luke Boddis, senior director of global business development at Checkout.com, shares his insights into how airlines worldwide can “revolutionize” the preflight experience. This includes using passenger verification technology in apps, as biometric verification allows passenger authentication in mere seconds.

“Once verified, passengers can use this biometric profile throughout their journey for expedited check-ins and boarding,” he writes. There’s real-time fraud prevention and seamless integration of QR codes or digital boarding passes with physical touchpoints such as kiosks, gates and security checkpoints.

Boddis outlines case studies in passenger verification, including how Delta Airlines introduced face biometrics at select airports; how Lufthansa launched the Star Alliance Biometrics platform, enabling passengers to check in and board flights using face biometrics linked to passenger app profiles. It’s a tantalizing look at the future of travel and the full article can be read here.

RecFaces to host biometrics panel discussion on smart airports in APAC

RecFaces also has a blog post on the future of seamless travel, as the company is due to host an expert panel on face biometrics in APAC airports. The panel discussion – “Smart Airports Start with Smart Tech: Facial Biometrics for APAC Airports” – will be an online event scheduled for April 30 at 3pm IST and will bring together industry experts on the topic.

Asia-Pacific is the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, with surging passenger numbers and commensurate pressure on airports handling security, efficiency and the travel experience. IATA reports that APAC carriers account for 56.6 percent of the global increase in passenger traffic as of January 2025.

While airports such as Tan Son Nhat Airport in Vietnam’s capital, Ho Chi Minh City, struggle with nearly nine million visitors in the first five months of 2024, resulting in wait times of up to 120 minutes during peak hours, and airports such as Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi face capacity constraints, other airports have turned to technology to help handle the numbers.

“Facial biometrics are no longer a futuristic concept but a necessity for modern airports,” says Oleg Kurochkin, business development director for APAC, RecFaces. “The technology not only enhances security but also improves the passenger experience by reducing wait times and eliminating unnecessary touchpoints.”

For example, Singapore’s Changi Airport Group has reduced immigration processing times to a mere ten seconds using biometric technology. SITA reports that 28 major airports in India have implemented face biometrics, covering nearly 90 percent of the country’s domestic air travel.

With a taster of what attendees might expect from the panel event, Dr. Ajay Talwar, head of business verticals for India and SAARC, Bosch Security and Safety Systems, comments: “The growing complexity of airport security operations – from analytics-driven surveillance to access controls – demands complex solutions that address multiple airport challenges at once.”

“Based on my experience working with major transportation hubs in APAC, I believe that strong technology collaborations are essential for securing such critical infrastructure with high-end, integrated solutions, giving customers the ‘Power to Predict’,” Dr. Talwar said.

To join the online panel, for April 30, attendees can register for free here.

Article Topics

ABC gates  |  airport biometrics  |  biometrics  |  digital travel  |  facial authentication  |  facial recognition  |  IN Groupe  |  passenger processing  |  RecFaces  |  SITA