Mobile device could be key to travel security

By Darryll Adler

LONDON -- As the news last week reached London's World Travel Market that there had been yet another plane crash in New York, Michael Carter, Continental Airlines, senior director for the UK and Ireland, commented that if a similar act of terrorism had occurred today "it would be very strange."

 Carter was convinced that additional security measures, implemented since September 11, such as additional locks on the doors to the cockpit and training for crews to bring down a plane to avoid a greater tragedy would preclude repetition of the hijacked, flying bomb scenario.

William J. Galliard, IATA's Director of Corporate Communications expressed a similar view only the previous week at ASTA in New York. "This year's war will not be the same as next year's war -- the challenge we will face next time will not be the same as the challenge we faced this time."

How the next potential terrorist scenario plays out may depend upon some of the security measures that are in the process of implementation. But while we wait for the regulators to pick their way through the political mire and implement legislation to prevent any future disasters, airline passengers, or passengers travelling in any mode of public transport are well advised to examine the role the mobile phoned played on September 11.

Role in security

Telephone conversations from hijacked planes, text messages from those hidden under the rubble have been replayed and replayed in the press. But, an analysis of the impact on the travel industry and a critical review of how handheld could play a security role in the future has not yet the subject of evaluation or scrutiny.

The ASTA conference benefited from a road show of existing and future technologies that will provide the "intelligence" to catch the terrorists and therefore offer peace of mind. The exchange of goods will involve passengers providing for example hand scans at airports, courtesy of Recognition Systems, Inc. that currently verifies 50,000 passengers per month at Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv through 21 automatic hand reader inspection kiosks; or being "captured" by AcSys Biometrics Corp. advanced face recognition systems (FRS).

Also, there is the future world of Sagem SA, a major player in European mobile phones and the developer new products that will integrate identification and biometric systems, smart cards and certification into WAP, GPRS and wireless PDA technologies.

While we all wait patiently for the creation and implementation of these new "super tools" passengers and airport and airline personnel are only too aware of the obvious and visible differences in security measures, say between the US and say the UK. Galliard recognises that there are two issues to address, "security and confidence". 

Levels of security

The clear differences between levels of security taken in the US (determined by the FCC) and in the UK, determined by the same international FCC regulations in conjunction with local Department of Transportation legislation makes for a visible and tangible difference.

What confidence can be placed upon the promise of increased security measures which will likely take years to implement? What value will passengers place on high-tech security at check-in? How confident would you feel if the security process stopped dead when a passenger, who reaches the departure gate and is refused access to the plane through a "negative result" from a hand, fingertips and palm scan reading as defined by a rejection of his boarding card, but can still casually leave the airport because sending a message to airport security is "not the responsibility of the developers of the systems?"

The passengers on board the September 11 hijacked planes had the opportunity and took full advantage of breaking the rules by using their mobiles to make calls and give and receive information which most likely saved many additional lives.

More flight insurance

Travel Guard International, the largest travel insurance company in the US, has seen a significant rise in the percentage of travellers taking out travel insurance. Before the September terrorist attacks, most of the 10% of travellers who took out insurance did so for cancellation purposes. But, since September 11, the rate has gone up to 40-50% of all travellers taking out insurance. The one major reason cited for this increase is not to get medical cover (the primary purpose for most Europeans and Canadians), but for security reasons -- that is, assistance in getting them home if there is crisis or providing accommodation and the all important peace of mind which goes hand in hand with safety and security.

Travel Guard responded to the demand and by September 21, 2001 had launched a new range of product to address the fallout from the terrorist acts. According to David Kunze, Vice-President E-Commerce, "our clients will pay for the privilege of constant intelligence and information."

With the introduction of new products, an expansion into the leisure travel sector (traditionally servicing business customers), and with a direct buy product (to accommodate internet transactions in additional to bookings through travel agents), Travel Guard are offering a 24-hour enhanced information service offering the customer their "preferred method of delivery" which will include -- by the end of first quarter 2002 text messaging to a PDA or mobile phone.

'Keep in touch'

Travel Guard (part of the Noel Group) expects its business to grow between 200-300% by the end of 2002. Push and pull technologies will arm the recipient -- the owner of the PDA and mobile phone with information which will provide the much needed "confidence" that William Galliard believes is so important in the equation to bring everyone back to flying and according to Galliard, "information conveyed to the passenger before they get to the airport is a bonus, and the mobile phone is the easiest way to keep in touch."

Travel Guard sees a bigger picture. Kunze believes that the intelligence stream is a critical resource "from the time of deposit to the time they return home from the trip". 

As we patiently wait for uniform, worldwide security legislation, it may be the case that travel insurance, mobile phones, PDAs and travel intelligence prove to be the winners in this war against terrorism. Only time will tell!