PLEASE DON’T TOUCH! Expect that to be the new rallying cry of travellers as they slowly reenter a world ravaged by COVID-19 and left uncertain about its lingering affects.
Going forward, eliminating as many touch points for travellers is now a priority for airlines, airports, hotels and every other sector of the travel industry. All agree, it’s the only way to reestablish confidence in a travel public that for the past 18 months has been warned “don’t touch anything or anyone” for fear of getting the virus.
So, in the future, the only thing you’ll be touching when entering an airport, boarding a plane or checking    
into a hotel is your mobile phone.
The age of touchless travel has ar-
rived, folks.

Above: The only thing travellers will be touching in airports will be their smartphones.

Actually, travellers have been well ahead of the curve when it comes to using mobile devices. In 2018, for instance, well before the pandemic arrived, Travelport conducted a “Digital Traveller Survey” of 16,000 American travellers and 64 per cent revealed they use their mobile phones in every part of their journeys.
That same 2018 survey also revealed:
• A majority of respondents said they use between seven and eight different smartphone apps when they travel;
• 52 per cent use their cellphones to download maps during a trip;
• 51 per cent use them to get weather forecasts when abroad;
• 50 per cent download airline apps to their mobile devices.
When it comes to hotels, chains report that 39 per cent of guests are already using digital room keys and 36 per cent of arrivals check in via an app. Those numbers are expected to grow expeditiously, thanks to the virus.
Airports have certainly taken notice and are responding in kind. Many, especially Canada’s major hubs, are speeding up investment and implementation of self-service technology that will eliminate the need for long line-ups.
Some airport authorities are even integrating self-service solutions into their food and beverage and retail operations. According to Servy, a self-service platform for hospitality, “many passengers now expect airports to offer contactless self-service options to help reduce touch points, maintain social distancing and improve their overall experience.”

Above: Airports in major hubs like Singapore are introducing many new tech devices to help travellers.

Over the past 12 months, Servy says it has seen growing demand for its self-service solutions – including its Order@ contactless order and pay technology and self-service kiosks – at busy travel hubs, particularly in the North America. Its “Grab Airport Marketplace" solution, which helps connect restaurants, retailers and service providers, is now active in over 70 major airports, including Los Angeles International (LAX), Dallas Fort Worth and Hartsfield-Jackson (Atlanta).
Data accumulated by Servy at LAX shows passengers’ digital order volume for food and drink has increased by 160 per cent since October, 2020.
“Customers are increasingly using the service to pre-order meals at their own convenience, which also reduces interaction with staff and other passengers at the airport,” reveals Servy.
According to Servy CEO Jeff Livney, “ordering food and beverage digitally has become a way of life, and with the rise of to-go orders during the COVID-19 pandemic there has been accelerated adoption of mobile ordering.  Travellers are increasingly taking advantage of this technology to have more control.”
American airports have been busy in recent months installing more e-gates, which limit contact with airline staff during the boarding process. Most major European hubs have employed such systems, especially on domestic flights, with great success over the past decade.
While self-service bag drop technology is widely used in Asia, Europe and Canada, American airports have been slow to adopt the technology. Expect that to change now, though. Ironically, New York’s infamous LaGuardia, annually rated among the worst airports in the world, is one of the few hubs in the U.S. that offers self-service bag drop.
Once you’re onboard, expect the touchless experience to follow you. According to CNN Travel, major airlines are getting set to introduce hands-free flushing toilets and you’ll be able to control the on onboard entertainment system from your mobile phone.
"Touchless travel promises peace of mind," Daniel Baron, who operates LIFT Aero Design, an aircraft cabin design studio with offices in Tokyo and Singapore, told CNN Travel.
Baron called touchless travel "the state of not having to even think about 'clean,' made possible by technologies and processes to mitigate angst along the journey.”
As the travel industry navigates its way out of this pandemic, it’s good to know people are touching all the bases to make the journey safer for all travellers.