business Essential news, comment and analysis Richard Camman


(left), Vision-Box, and Paul Griffiths, Dubai


airport. Griffiths says: ‘It’s not a technology issue we face, it is


‘how do we change mindsets?’


Airports must ease border systems to boost capacity


Technology could transform border controls, but only if governments allow. Ian Taylor reports from WTTC summit in Buenos Aires


Airports won’t keep up with global growth in air travel without transforming border-control processes, warn industry leaders, who say the US may have a solution but only if other countries adopt it.


Paul Griffiths, chief executive


of Dubai Airport, told the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) global summit in Buenos Aires: “Airport capacity is going to be a major barrier to growth. “We’ve been talking about a new


runway in London for 50 years. We must find other ways to extend


72 travelweekly.co.uk 26 April 2018


capacity. The only way we’re going to be able to grow is by improving processes.” Griffiths said: “If we don’t do this


we will watch the entire airline system grind to a halt. The whole process at airports is a series of silos. The problem is governments and border control haven’t the same drivers to get people through quickly. The lobbying of governments has to step up.” Iata senior vice-president and


corporate secretary Paul Steele said: “Ten million passengers will take to the air today. That will be


21 million in 2031. We will not get there with existing processes. It’s not a technology issue we face, it is ‘how do we change mindsets?’ “We tend to treat every traveller


as a suspect.” He insisted: “This is not a pipe


dream. The technology exists. We need governments to step up.” Pacific Asia Travel Association


(Pata) chief executive Mario Hardy told the summit: “This is a fundamental issue. There is an urgency to solve it. “A single-entry visa for Asean


[the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] has been on the agenda for 10 years. Everyone understands the benefits. “So why hasn’t it happened?


CONTINUED ON PAGE 70


PICTURES: JAMESABARKE@ME.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80