USA/INTERNATIONAL. Hospitality platform Servy has said that more passengers are now regularly using digital self-service solutions to order and pay for goods at airports. It comes as a growing list of airports integrate digital ordering and payment into their food & beverage and retail operations
Figures from Servy suggest that purchasing habits among travellers are changing, with customers now more likely to use contactless order and pay technology at airport restaurants and food outlets for convenience and sanitary reasons.
With safety and hygiene concerns increasing among travellers amid COVID-19, many passengers now expect airports to offer contactless self-service options to help reduce touchpoints, maintain social distancing and improve their overall experience.
Over the past 12 months, Servy said 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 US. 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 Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Data from Grab at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) shows passenger digital order volume for food and drink has increased by +160% since the launch of LAX Order Now – an airport-wide mobile ordering platform developed between LAWA, URW Airports and Servy – in October 2020. Customers are increasingly using the service to pre-order meals, which also reduces interaction with staff and other passengers at the airport.
At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), a growing number of passengers are using contactless options provided by Servy – including touch-free order at table technology, self-service kiosks and web ordering on DFW Market’s site, dfwordernow.com. Despite passenger numbers running at times at 60% of the previous year and up to 40% of concessionaires being closed as a result of COVID, the DFW Market programme has maintained previous year digital sales levels, which Servy said is “a testament to an increasing adoption rate of the platform”.
To meet the changing needs of travellers, Servy is now planning to bring its touchless technology to more airports this year. This includes launches throughout the US and the first Grab Airport Marketplace programme in Canada.
Chief Experience Officer Jeff Livney said: “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 over their meal orders, which is helping them to reduce the number of touchpoints and maintain safe social distancing while moving through the airport.”
