Airport Passenger Service Systems & ICT Solutions for the Aviation Industry

Date 20.12.2011

Airlines are responsible for verifying that passengers have the correct documentation  before they travel. Failure to do so could result in formidable fines for each violation, easily wiping out the airline's profit from the entire flight.

Around the world, many of these checks are still done by cross-referencing the go-to book for this information – IATA Timatic. This is time consuming, especially for multiple passengers, as check-in agents must search pages and then decipher the rules versus the documents in hand. And this discounts the possible drama of locating the book in the first place.

Electronic methods of using IATA Timatic often rely on private networks and are integrated into larger products. The TimaticWeb portal does not utilise the dedicated airport equipment available at check-in time. It is often unavailable where it is needed because Web access is frequently prohibited at check-in desks and boarding gates.

Ink Pax Verification, part of Ink Border Control, has been developed to greatly  simplify this function. This product handles both arriving and departing passengers. Adding Ink Pax Verification to your check- in and border control processes verifies appropriate travel documentation in seconds using an authoritative data source.

Ink Pax Verification is available as a standalone product or comes integrated within Ink DCS. This solution can run alongside your existing departure control system or your manually operated flights. But when integrated with Ink DCS, passenger details are transparently extracted from the passenger record without further entry steps.

All Ink products are available securely over the Web and over private airport networks on Common Use workstations and back office PCs. Agents on any desk at the airport, such as at check-in, sales desk or boarding gate can access Ink Pax Verification.

Ink goes even further by running the system on tablets such as iPads and empowering agents to swipe passports and ID cards on Google Android Tablets. Document checks can now be done anywhere on modern devices that leave laptop, Windows Mobile and Pocket PC solutions looking their age.

The layout is clear and simple to use and uniquely, travel documents are scanned, reducing or totally avoiding manual entry. A clear response and detailed supporting text confirms whether a passenger is allowed to travel or not.

Ink is also integrating Timatic queries into its Ink Self Service products, allowing passengers to check their own documentation during the check-in process.

Shawn Richards, CEO of Ink Aviation added, "In the future we also be extending support for scanning visas which will help support decisions dependent on visa validity. Even our basic visa scanning complementing our full passport scanning goes beyond anything I have seen running in a mobile Border Control app. And a laptop doesn't count as mobile in my books."

IATA was pleasantly surprised by Ink's rapid integration, which was approved for operation within two weeks of the Technical Specifications first being supplied.

Ink Aviation is an independent provider of Next Generation Passenger Services Systems and hardware. They work with international and regional airlines and airports to increase capacity and streamline service delivery with cutting edge self-service, mobile and agent-based systems.

Ink is based in Alicante, Spain. Their highly skilled team delivers innovative systems that are real, practical and ahead of the industry curve in affordability, flexibility and capability.

For more information, visit inkaviation.com or follow them on twitter.com/inkaviation
Contact: Maria Turniak Communications and PR pr@inkaviation.com +34 965 680 955

Ink Aviation Institucion Ferial Alicantina (IFA)
N-340, KM 731 Torrellano 03320 Alicante Spain