Check-in is “set” to become optional, according to Spanish technology provider Amadeus.

The current Departure Control Systems will be replaced by “Delivery Management Systems (DMSs)”, according to a new white paper launched today at Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid.

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

For the passenger, this will mean “check-in is likely to disappear as travellers arrive at the airport ‘ready-to-fly'” with even border checks completed in advance.

A key benefit of this could be the dismantling of desks and the ability for airline staff to “roam” and serve passengers as and when they need help, facilitated by tablet devices, the company predicted.

Valérie Viale, director of product marketing management at Amadeus, explained: “With the introduction of DMSs, airlines will gain a detailed understanding of each traveler, their entire journey, and, for the first time, exactly what has been delivered to them. With the removal of legacy systems, information will flow more freely, empowering airlines and their partners to anticipate and act on the needs of each individual traveler.

“We are actively working with the industry to build this new generation of DMS that will enable a less stressful and more joined-up travel experience in the years ahead,” she added.

But this system will extend far beyond the airport terminal, with car rental and hotel bookings all under a single digital ticket, according to the company’s prediction.

“With the option to pair this information to a chosen identifier (e.g. biometrics or a passport) it will no longer be necessary to continually explain who you are and to provide documentation proving what you have ordered. This information will be dynamic, so if a gate changes, the traveler will be automatically informed,” Amadeus explained.