Use Case Spotlight: Virtual Queuing

Summary

Getting its jumpstart in airports during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual queuing (VQ) is poised to be one of the greatest transformations for passenger processing through airports. However, applying the relatively straightforward approach of reserving a spot in line to the complex processes found in airports is proving to be somewhat of a challenge. Yet every airport that is taking on this challenge is saying it is well worth the effort. During the pandemic, the industry evaluated VQ as a means of addressing the need to maintain a distance of 6 feet between passengers for health reasons and to prevent the resulting long lines at the security checkpoint. As the urgency of the pandemic diminishes, airport operators continue to evaluate VQ as a means of greatly improving customer satisfaction and operational efficiencies and producing a non-aeronautical means of revenue generation.

Background

During 2020, various airports, airlines, and associations began investigating VQ solutions installed at theme parks and hospitality locations, plus even a few boutique airport solutions. At the time, the newly formed advisory group from Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), known as Airport Industry Recovery Advisory Panel (AIRAP), began a similar investigation. It was part of the mission of AIRAP to investigate the hindrances to airport recovery and establish consistent means for all airports in North America to begin recovering.

Naturally, queuing quickly made the top of the list of challenges, especially for the TSA security checkpoint. If airport operators were to maintain a 6-foot distance between passengers—and if passenger traffic returned to, or near, pre-pandemic numbers—practically every airport would have lines extending out the doors and up the roadways. After exhausting creative solutions in reorganizing the lines, interest turned to VQ. In effect, the only way to manage the line was to eliminate the line. One result of the research effort was the realization that an off-the-shelf VQ solution for use in airports did not exist. The complexity of many queues, with many stakeholders and operational characteristics, proved to be too much of a challenge for the VQ solutions currently in use.

As a result of the research findings, airports and associations invested significant time in understanding airport VQ needs and in helping to mature the VQ industry. Concurrent with the efforts of AIRAP, at least three airports began initial deployments and pilot programs designed to help mature an airport VQ solution. In coordination with ACI-NA and partnering airports, the newly formed ACI-NA VQ Working Group^[1] prepared a set of “minimum specifications” for use with the airport pilot sites. These specifications included the ability to offer specific time windows for individuals or groups to enter physical queues and provided guidelines on how to use VQ to optimize queues, redirect passengers to less crowded areas and processors, manage exceptions, prioritize queue entries, and many other queue management features.

After 2021, the VQ industry began to mature, with installed sites and many pilot programs extending into the next year. As of mid-2022, there was one leading solution provider, CLEAR/Whyline, which had installed solutions in various forms of pilots/demonstrations in at least five airport locations and had at least one deployed operational site. There are other technology providers that continue to assess the market with keen interest. As airports continue to deploy solutions, and airlines begin to show an active interest in placing their passengers into these VQ solutions, the challenge for airlines to understand how each airport is operating VQ is quickly becoming a top priority. Through the VQ Working Group in cooperation with airport sites, airlines, and ACI World, plans are being made to test interoperability and ease of use across a multi-airport and multi-airline configuration.

Use Case Details

Early efforts in VQ have been focused on addressing queuing in the security lines. Though this focus will continue into the near future, it is expanding into other key forms of queuing, including check-in lines and boarding. Communication and information are the keys to success, so testing integration with queue management, flight data, dynamic signage, and other data systems will prove to be very important as the industry begins to optimize solutions. This will also include the use of automation for queue entry and other management items to minimize the impact on human resource needs. Finally, data sharing, standards, and effective stakeholder cooperation are also important elements to consider for successful VQ.

Business Benefits/Drivers

Greatly improve operational efficiencies by transforming the way customers queue at the airport.
Provide effective means of queue management for health monitoring factors—not eliminating the queue, but managing size and distancing.
Produce long-term, sustainable results for reducing queuing throughout the airport facility.
Manage passenger flow by optimizing queues, redirecting passengers to less crowded areas, prioritizing queue entries, and many other queue management features.
Improve the customer experience by providing advanced knowledge to passengers, such as their wait-time and spot in the queue. Improve the quality of dwell time and lessen the stress of waiting in lines.
Improve business value and monetization opportunities through the following:
- Lower cost of a VQ system compared to that of space renovations;
- Relaxed customers spending more;
- Redirecting customers to other wait areas, such as food courts and retail locations; and
- Providing fee-based elite services.
Flatten the curve of the peak queue line levels.
VQ is a touchpoint in the journey process; sharing information across all journey touchpoints will greatly improve operational efficiencies.

Solutions

Service offering: advanced reservation systems and first-in/first-out queuing.
Technology:
- Means of communicating VQ status through application programming interfaces, messaging, email, and web services;
- Automation using e-gates, biometrics, and dynamic signage; and
- Integrations with queue monitoring, flight data, emergency operations, and other relevant systems.
Analytics: predictive and real-time.
Processes: queuing process that includes security, check-in, boarding, commercial, and curbside.

Transformational Impacts

Changing passenger behavior is not easy; some passengers will still congregate, even though they do not have to.
As an airport-driven solution, the success of VQ depends greatly on airlines and others, such as transportation network companies and reservations services, that make the first touchpoint to the passenger. Each airport deploys VQ differently and selects various locations, operating times, and airlines. Effectively and easily communicating the unique VQ solutions and airport operating conditions to each airline is a very important element of success.
VQ requires space for passengers to wait for the call to go to the physical queue. Airports often do not have such available space, which may impact design considerations for pre-checkpoint locations.
A reservation-type VQ system is a great boutique program to deploy on its own, but if not properly managed, reservation queue lines can quickly outgrow capacity.
As passenger counts recover, the complexity of VQ expands. Manual processes, such as entering the queue through unscheduled means, will greatly reduce the effectiveness of the system. Today’s systems have not been tested in full-capacity situations.
At peak capacity, with facility assets strained, VQ may not provide much relief. At low operating points, VQ may also provide little benefit. Planning operational requirements is of utmost importance for operational efficiency gains, such as influencing passenger behavior to flatten peaks and spread operational opportunities.
It is important to understand all stakeholders and impacts across the passenger journey. For example, is the solution being bought for just one use or for more than one use along the journey?
When and how to enter/exit the queue is an important consideration. Queuing dynamics are complicated, with automation and communication being critical issues to consider.

Design Considerations

When designing a VQ solution, it is important to plan and prepare thoroughly, manage expectations, communicate effectively, and consider the options, as described below.

Plan and prepare thoroughly; think big but start small. The early successes started with only one queuing location: the security queue line.
Manage expectations from the executive level down to those operating it, and for all stakeholders involved. There will be some trial and error required in the deployment of this system.
Communicate effectively; it can be a very negative experience for passengers not using the virtual queue to see other passengers going to the front of the line. However, this can instead be a positive experience for these passengers—it all depends on how communication is handled.
Consider the options in technical, service, process, automation, and monetization areas. Many of these options need not be deployed on the first day to establish an effective procurement for the long term.

Industry Status

The pioneers for VQ deployment in 2021–2022 included Denver International Airport (DEN), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Each of these airports conducted trials with various options and approaches. DEN, using VeriFLY, deployed a biometric-based VQ solution that allows passengers with health risks to enroll and use a dedicated lane. SEA conducted a two-vendor pilot across selected checkpoints and airlines, and eventually selected the Pangiam solution for deployment.^[2] BOS conducted a pilot program using the Accesso solution,^[3] which resulted in some positive outcomes, but the airport has not yet chosen to pursue a permanent deployment.

Other airport deployments include the following:

Los Angeles International Airport performing VQ Pilot Program.^[4]
Miami International Airport performing VQ Pilot Program.^[5]
Newark Liberty International Airport performing VQ Pilot Program.^[6]
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) performing VQ Pilot Program.^[7]
Orlando International Airport deploying VQ Pilot Program.^[8]

Airlines involved include the following:

Alaska Airlines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[9]
American Airlines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[10]
Delta Air Lines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[11]
Southwest Airlines is beginning participation in PHX’s VQ Pilot Program.^[12]
United Airlines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[13]

Non-Aviation Uses

Although theme parks are growing their use of VQ the quickest, any type of system that requires long lines is subject to VQ. Even airport badging offices are looking to deploy some level of VQ.

Conclusion

Is it really worth the effort to develop this new process for airports? All who have tried it would respond with an emphatic “Yes!” Passenger satisfaction is typically near 100%, resulting in increased spending and less stress; operational efficiencies are improved, although it is still unclear how flat the peak curve can be made; and health/safety issues are effectively addressed. The industry is early in this process, and there is not a lot of established literature. However, for those who are interested, there is a growing amount of information to be found on industry news and other websites.

References

[1] Information gathered from ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee, VQ Working Group, an ongoing biweekly collaboration.

[2] Wait No More: New Sea-Tac Program Lets Travelers Reserve a Time at Airport Checkpoint, USA Today, Baskas, Harriet, May 3, 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2021/05/03/seatac-airport-checkpoint-reserve-time-sea-spot-saver-tsa-screening/4928627001/.

[3] Airports Test Virtual Queuing for Security Checkpoints, Accesso’s In the News, Silk, Robert, June 30, 2021, https://www.accesso.com/news/airports-test-virtual-queuing-for-security-checkpoints.

[4] Airports Test Virtual Queuing, Silk.

[5] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

[6] Newark Liberty International Airport Virtual Line, Newark Liberty International Airport, Accessed June 2, 2022, https://newarkairport.com/announcements/virtual-line.

[7] Phoenix Sky Harbor Launches Virtual Checkpoint Queuing Program for Airport Passengers, City of Phoenix, March 1, 2022, https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/aviation/2255.

[8] Clear Testing Reservations for TSA Queue at Orlando International Airport, Your Mileage May Vary, October 21, 2021, https://yourmileagemayvary.net/2021/10/21/clear-testing-reservations-for-tsa-queue-at-orlando-intl-airport/.

[9] Wait No More, Baskas.

[10] Phoenix Sky Harbor, City of Phoenix.

[11] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

[12] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

[13] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

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