Airport Experience® News - Conference 2023

TECH SPOTLIGHT

KEEP WALKING Amazon’s Dilip Kumar Highlights Tech Growth In Airports

BY C AROL WARD

E ditor’s Note: It’s increasingly commonplace for concessionaires to offer automated check-out options to guests in airport retail stores. Amazon is the leader in technologies that enable such transactions. AXN’s Carol Ward connected with Dilip Kumar, vice president of AWS (Amazon Web Services) Applications, to get an overview of current and upcoming technologies that will enhance the passenger experience.

WARD: We’ve seen several airport stores using Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology come on stream in recent years. What are the key elements that makes this such a popular solution? KUMAR: Travel retai lers want to offer quick and convenient shopping experiences for their customers. Airport anxiety comes in several forms and if travelers are already worried about missing their flight or making it to their gate on time, they don’t need another stressor when it comes to grabbing their pre-f light essentials. Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One are designed to eliminate checkout lines, alleviate in-store congestion in high-traffic areas, and give people the option to enter and pay with their palm, eliminating the need to take out their wallet or credit card. WARD: Hudson offers Amazon’s palm recognition technology in at least one store. Is that in addition to the Just Walk Out technology or a replacement or other option? And what makes the most sense for airport retail operators? KUMAR: Hudson currently uses Amazon One in three of its stores ( Dallas Love Field, Dallas/Fort Worth International

Airport, Nashvi l le International Airport ) as a complement to their Just Walk Out technology-enabled stores. Amazon One enables a customer to enter, identify, and pay with their palm. Travelers can simply hover their palm over an Amazon One device when they walk in to a Just Walk Out technology-enabled store, grab what they need, and exit without stopping to checkout. Amazon One makes sense for airport retailers because they want to provide the most convenient, elevated customer experience for travelers in busy terminals. It’s quite common for travelers to be stressed and pressed for time once they get through security – the last thing they want to do is rummage through their carry-on to find their card, cash, or wallet in order to pay for what they need. Instead, they can simply hover their palm to grab a last-minute refreshment and then board their flight. WARD: Are your technology solutions solely focused on the retail side, or are there solutions that are appropriated for food & beverage operators as well? KUMAR: Our technology supports retailers across industries, including food and beverage operators. For example,

Above: Dilip Kumar, vice president of AWS

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