Three world leaders meet at ACI Airport Day to rethink the future of the passenger journey at Caribbean airports
How can we rethink the passenger experience in an increasingly digitalized airport world? This was the question at the heart of the “Technology & Customer Experience” panel organized during ACI Airport Day, which brought together three experts from leading international companies: Embross, SITA and Collins Aerospace.
Hosted by Valérie Vanderhacgen, ACI Airport Day highlighted key issues for airport decision-makers in the Caribbean region.
A shared vision: technology + people = a winning experience
“You don’t go home and say: ‘Today I had a smooth passenger ride’. And yet, that’s exactly what we expect from a good passenger journey.” – Uriel Torres, SITA
Beyond the key words – efficiency, satisfaction, fluidity – the speakers insisted on a strong idea: technology doesn’t replace human contact, it reinforces it.
Stéphane H. Marcoux (Collins Aerospace) spoke at ACI Airport Day of an approach centered on the “seamless journey”, where technologies enable airport staff to get closer to passengers rather than further away.
Alex Gerdts (Embross) advocates “ambassador” airports, where the man-machine interface becomes intuitive, reassuring, and complemented by valued human assistance.
For Uriel Torres (SITA), each airport has to deal with its own identity and passenger profiles: there’ s no one-size-fits-all model, just a tailor-made strategy.
Inspiring examples: from Bogotá to Aruba
The speakers shared several concrete cases that could inspire Caribbean airports:
– Automated Passport Control (APC), born in Vancouver, has transformed the arrival experience of cruise flights in the United States, streamlining entry without the need for infrastructure expansion.
– The “Happy Flow” project in Aruba, deployed in partnership with the local government, has made it possible to integrate biometrics throughout the passenger journey – from check-in to boarding – offering a seamless, highly secure experience.
– In Colombia, innovations around pre-check security have also considerably reduced friction points.
What about biometrics? Opportunity... or regulatory challenge
While biometrics fascinates with its promise of fluidity, the speakers remind us of the many challenges linked to data protection and government regulations, particularly in Europe (RGPD).
Some Caribbean territories can take advantage of their institutional agility to experiment with adapted models, as long as usage is secure and genuine passenger confidence is built up.
Why it's essential for the Caribbean
In a region where tourism, air transport and cruises are economic mainstays, optimizing the passenger journey is much more than a technical challenge. It’s a strategic opportunity to modernize the image, improve profitability and enhance the appeal of an entire region.
In his editorial work, Richès Karayib sets out to track the transformations that are reshaping the Caribbean‘s tourism and economic trajectories.
Meet the experts
