We all love to travel. The palazzos of Italy, the cafes in France, the mountains of Peru…. Luckily, while we’ve been trapped at home the world has kept innovating to get us back in the air and to our favourite destinations. Air travel is on its way back and here are 5 of the best innovations to help us travel safely across our new world:
1. “Smart Tunnels”
Dubai is out-in-front with state-of-the-art “smart tunnels”. These are pathways in their airport that are outfitted with biometric as well as thermal scanners, to get travelers through customs in 15-seconds, inclusive of screening for fevers and flagging quarantine protocols.
2. Companion Travel Handbike
For those traveling with accessibility concerns, the Companion Power Add-on is a must-own. It’s great for day-to-day urban needs as well, but having a small, lightweight device that clicks onto any travel wheelchair in seconds – converting it into a powered scooter that packs right into your luggage – is value on a different level than other devices. The system is manufactured by an innovative company in Toronto and is quickly building momentum as a portable alternative to power-wheelchairs. It has a 25 km range and 3-hr recharge cycle. So, in the new world of socially distant airport airports, this type of device can give you confidence that you can quickly cover long distances – whether that’s to get from security line-ups to gates, or to stay far away from crowds until boarding time – and that you won’t exhaust yourself trying to wheel your chair during your travels.
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The Cheelcare companion is a lightweight, easy-to-use power assist add-on which attaches to the front of your manual wheelchair. Turn your chair into a powerchair in 10 seconds or less!
3. Autonomous UV Robots
In Hong Kong international airport autonomous vehicles are being used to decontaminate bathrooms and baggage areas in under 60 seconds through concentrated ultraviolet light. The unique properties of the light disinfects surfaces without damaging any of the surface materials. Historically these autonomous vehicles have been used in hospitals to disinfect operating rooms between procedures.
4. Full-Body Sanitization Stations
Also in Hong Kong, the airport has rolled out a number of contactless, full-body sanitization terminals to prevent airline crews from unknowingly carrying the virus onto planes. There are further plans to add more stations for passengers as well.
5. Scheduled Security Checks and Boarding Times
This may not be a technical innovation, but pre-scheduling appointments for security checks and boarding times, like in Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport, goes a very long way in minimizing crowds at traditionally packed areas of the airport. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this process popping up at other major airports all over the world.
Honourable Mentions:
- Smartphone Apps for contactless and lineless check-in and boarding.
- Biometric scanners to move passengers through check-in
- Virtual vendor and gate attendants to answer questions and oversee smooth passenger experiences without the added risk of in-person exposure.
