What Are Passenger Informatics and Why They Impact Your Bottom Line

Enhancing the Travel Experience Through Smarter Information Design

Passenger informatics is about giving passengers the right information at exactly the right time. Done well, it reduces anxiety, improves efficiency, and strengthens customer loyalty.

Whether a passenger rebooks with an airline or chooses a particular airport often depends on how much stress they experienced: the “hurry up and wait” frustration, unclear processes, missed connections due to poor communication, or a chaotic arrival.

The upside? Many of these problems can be solved by using data airlines and airports already have—communicated more clearly and efficiently. That reduces reliance on frontline staff, freeing them to handle complex cases instead of repeating “Where’s the bathroom?” or “Where’s my gate?”

This two-part series starts with the low-hanging fruit—digital improvements—before moving to physical upgrades like signage and terminal layouts.

Part 1: Digital-First Passenger Informatics

1. Smart Notifications and Real-Time Alerts

Notifications are one of the most underused tools in passenger informatics. Airlines like United and Ryanair already push mobile alerts for check-in windows, boarding calls, gate changes, and delays. Passengers get real-time updates directly on their phones—reactive stress becomes proactive action.

Go beyond basics: countdown timers for boarding, baggage claim updates, customs reminders. These cut dependence on physical signage and staff, who can then focus on real exceptions.

Action Points:

• Send alerts when check-in opens and an hour before it closes.

• Notify passengers of gate assignments, reassignments, and boarding progress.

• Share connecting gate information immediately after landing.

• Include baggage carousel numbers in arrival notifications.

• Push seat assignment confirmations after gate scans.

2. Passenger Data Consistency

Passengers shouldn’t re-enter the same information multiple times. Yet airlines and airports still ask for passports, phone numbers, and genders at several stages of a single trip. Centralizing data with booking references (PNRs) cuts that friction.

PNRs are the unique keys to a passenger journey. They should be prominent on boarding passes, apps, and confirmation emails. Boarding pass design also matters: core details like terminal, gate, and seat must be obvious, while loyalty numbers and ticket codes can be secondary.

Action Points:

• Print the PNR clearly on boarding passes and explain its purpose.

• Design boarding passes to highlight only essentials: Terminal, Departure Time, Gate, Seat.

• Use back panels (on digital wallet passes) for secondary details.

• Stop asking for redundant information (salutations, birthdays, passport numbers). If regulations require it, let passengers store it once in their profile and auto-fill fields thereafter.

3. Digital Boarding Process Indicators

Boarding is stressful. Ryanair tackles it with digital progress indicators, showing what percentage of passengers have boarded. United adds countdown timers for door closure. Both reduce the mental math of subtracting 18:05 from 17:50.

Action Points:

• Display boarding progress indicators in mobile apps.

• Show countdown timers for gate closures.

• Always make the “math” obvious.

4. Gate Assignments and Notifications

Few things spike passenger stress like late gate assignments. Madrid-Barajas and other slot-controlled hubs mitigate this by assigning gates early, using historical data to forecast.

Even if early assignment isn’t possible, clarity on when gate info will be released helps. Remember: airports are not train stations. Boarding a plane takes time.

Action Points:

• Assign gates earlier using historic data.

• Display the exact time gates will be announced.

• Share concourse-level info if exact gates aren’t yet confirmed.

• Prioritize imminent departures on monitors.

5. Visual Seat Maps and Aircraft Information

United improves boarding with seat maps at gates, showing seat and aisle layouts. Overhead monitors can also cycle through useful details: seating configuration (3-3-3, 2-4-2), flight duration, Wi-Fi pricing, meal availability (vegetarian, gluten-free), and arrival weather. Small touches, big impact.

Action Points:

• Display dynamic seat maps in boarding areas.

• Include aircraft layout, Wi-Fi, flight time, and meals.

• Show destination weather.

6. Real-Time Journey Updates

Passengers constantly wonder: When are drinks served? When do lights dim? How much longer until arrival? Airlines like KLM cut the guesswork with inflight progress bars on seatback screens, showing service milestones and flight stages.

Action Points:

• Display journey timelines on in-flight screens.

• Share service schedules (drinks, meals, rest).

• Provide estimated arrival and connecting gate info.

7. Connecting Flight Information at Jetbridges

Jetbridges are prime real estate for last-minute updates. Mexico City’s Santa Lucia Airport uses large-format displays with real-time connection info, visible from ten meters away.

Action Points:

• Install digital displays with connecting gates and maps. Projectors work well in corridors without natural light.

• Add walk-time estimates and color-coded signage for connections vs. arrivals.

• Ensure strong Wi-Fi coverage in jetbridge zones.

8. Wi-Fi Availability Across the Journey

Wi-Fi often disappears at the exact moments passengers need it—jetbridges, taxiways, arrivals. Singapore Changi fixes this with seamless coverage.

Free messaging during flights and reliable connectivity at arrival points ease coordination and reduce stress.

Action Points:

• Enable free messaging services during transit.

• Place Wi-Fi repeaters at jetbridge edges.

• Overbuild capacity in waiting areas—usage will outpace city benchmarks.

Interested in optimizing passenger informatics for your airport or airline? Book an exploratory call with Numbers & Letters today.

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Disclaimer/Full Disclosure (You made it!): This blog post was generated with the assistance of AI, with N&L human oversight ensuring accuracy and insight. The thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.