70% Faster Check-In, 99.8% Uptime: The Transformation of a Global Airline's Self-Service Experience

Overview

Headquartered in London, our client is one of the world’s largest airline groups with numerous aircraft flying to 300+ destinations and carrying millions of passengers every year. The Airline struggled with its legacy infrastructure and middleware as it acted as a major hindrance to its self-service offerings. The aging, increasingly expensive, and non-compliant Self-Service Kiosks (SSKs) impeded their self-service delivery to their customers. Coforge, with its cutting-edge solution, revolutionized the self-service experience.

Business challenge

Frustrated by a cumbersome self-service check-in (SSK) process, the airline sought to improve passenger experience and operational efficiency. However, it faced several hurdles:

• Low Success Rates: Only 60% of passengers successfully obtained boarding passes through the SSK, indicating functionality issues.
• Limited Functionality Test: Check-in, boarding pass, bag tag printing, and other features were not operational, requiring comprehensive testing.
• Slow Development Cycles: Lengthy 6-month release cycles for new features meant limited testing opportunities.
• Fragile Infrastructure:The system lacked resilience, with a 95% uptime target that wasn't consistently met.
• Rising Costs: IT hardware and software costs were on the rise, putting a strain on the airline's budget.

Coforge Solution

Coforge, a leading IT solutions provider, partnered with the airline to revolutionize their self-service experience. We implemented a Single-Page Application (SPA) for a self-service kiosk, putting the power directly in passengers' hands. We weren't just building features, we were building a robust foundation. A library of common microservices was established, encompassing functionalities like check-in, seat selection, boarding pass issuance, , and bag tag generation. These modular services are designed for reusability, streamlining future self-service enhancements across the airline.

• Kiosk Functionality Testing
  • Microservice Validation: We conducted rigorous testing of individual microservices that power core functionalities like self-service seat map selection, check-in, and boarding pass issuance. This ensured seamless interaction between these services and the kiosk application.
  • End-to-End Flow Testing: We meticulously tested the entire passenger journey on the kiosk, simulating real-world scenarios for, check-in, boarding pass and bag tag generation. This identified any potential bottlenecks and ensured a smooth user experience.
• Hardware and Peripheral Testing
  • Device Compatibility Testing: The kiosk application underwent thorough testing on various kiosk device models to guarantee compatibility and functionality across different hardware configurations.
  • Physical Output Validation: We conducted extensive testing to ensure the kiosk reliably prints boarding passes and bag tags, verifying print quality and adherence to airline standards.
• Performance and Usability Optimization
  • API Performance Evaluation: We performed rigorous API performance testing to ensure the kiosk application met established response time and load handling parameters. This guaranteed a fast and responsive user experience even during peak usage periods.
  • Usability and Accessibility Testing: We conducted user testing to assess the kiosk application's usability and accessibility. This involved evaluating intuitiveness, clarity of instructions, and compliance with accessibility standards for users with disabilities.

This comprehensive testing approach ensured a robust and user-friendly self-service kiosk application, empowering passengers with greater control over their travel experience.

Result

Coforge's microservices-based approach transformed the airline's self-service experience. Passengers now benefit from faster check-in, while the airline enjoys increased efficiency, cost savings, and a more robust platform for future innovation:

• Faster Check-In: Passengers experienced a 70% reduction in check-in time.
• Enhanced Reliability: Application uptime soared from 95% to nearly 99.8%, minimizing disruptions.
• Cost Savings: The airline achieved significant cost reductions in IT hardware, software, and infrastructure (thanks to cloud adoption and automation).
• Increased Efficiency: Boarding pass issuance and check-in eligibility rates jumped to over 90%.
• Expanded Self-Service:Passengers gained access to new functionalities like visa scanning, improved disruption handling, and better accessibility features.

To know more about our game-changing solution, connect with us at travel@coforge.com