The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has launched two new initiatives - Passenger Self-Service Adoption Programme (PSAP) and Aviation Problem-Based Challenge (APC) - under the S$100 million (US$80.2 million) Aviation Development Fund (ADF), according to the Shipping Gazette.
The initiatives are intended to raise labour productivity and operational efficiency at the airport as investments are planned in new infrastructure in response to strong growth in air traffic.
In collaboration with the Changi Airport Group (CAG), CAAS aims to encourage airlines to participate in providing self-service check-in and bag-drop services for passengers departing from Changi Airport.
Through the self-service services, passengers can perform the check-in function online, via mobile applications or at mobile kiosks at the airport, as well as printing boarding passes and baggage tags at the kiosks.
CAG will cover the cost of installing the mobile kiosks at Changi Airport, while CAAS has allocated a budget of S$2 million from June 1, 2013 to March 31, 2015 to give airlines the incentive to move to self-service check-in and bag-drop under the PSAP.
Said Tiger Airways managing director Ho Yuen Sang: "The PSAP is a step forward in making pre-flight procedures more convenient and seamless for passengers departing Changi Airport."
CAAS has also launched the APC to challenge the industry to develop innovative solutions for its long-term development and sustainability.
The first challenge under the APC is to develop automated equipment and processes to improve the loading and unloading of baggage onto narrow body aircraft, which is a labour-intensive process.
CAAS is inviting proposals to develop working prototypes or proofs-of-concept for the complete automation of this process. A budget of S$10 million has been set-up to fund short-listed proposals. The winning concept will also receive a cash prize of S$500,000 and additional support for the actual implementation of the solution.
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