SITA Encourages Use of Self-service and Advance Screening Solutions at International Borders

SITA is encouraging governments to take a holistic approach to border security. The company noted that while border control can be broken down into several discrete tasks, all of those elements need to blend seamlessly to deliver a truly streamlined passenger experience.

So what are those essential tasks that border control agencies need to perform? According to SITA, any comprehensive screening system needs to be able to verify an individual’s travel document, in addition to their biometric and biographic information. It also needs to be able to track a person’s movements, whether they are crossing at a land, sea, or air border.

With that in mind, SITA divided border control into identity management, visa management, and risk assessment systems. Governments can achieve that utility in a number of different ways, though SITA argued that some approaches are more effective than others. Most notably, the company indicated that passengers tend to prefer self-service options, and that any new technologies should be compatible with existing infrastructure. The latter is important because it will allow countries to update their border practices without replacing everything.

Advance screening systems can also help countries deal with an increase in passenger volume. Such systems allow travelers to submit health documents and other information before they go to the airport, negating the need for manual document checks when they arrive. The technology allows border agents to process more people more quickly, and will help airports maintain social distancing requirements in the wake of the pandemic.

For its part, SITA is developing a mobile screening solution in collaboration with NEC, and has already released a Health Protect system that helps passengers comply with international COVID-19 travel requirements. Both systems are designed to give people more control over their personal information. SITA is known as a leading provider of border technology, and has screened more than 2 billion passengers for over 60 government partners all over the world.

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May 3, 2021 – by Eric Weiss