Six Ways Technology Could Make Flying Better

Give Smart Cards to All Frequent Flyers Airlines are inconsistent about how they treat frequent flyers at different airports. Smart cards that adhere to an industry standard would speed up the flow of passengers through ticketing and security.

Upgrade the Entertainment Systems on All Planes If airlines are going to make passengers sit on the tarmac for three hours or more, they are obligated to entertain them.

Use GPS to Allocate Air Space More Efficiently The routes planes travel date back to the 1950s, and allocation of air space is inefficient, with each plane requiring eight miles of air space. An FAA upgrade is due by 2025, but, hey, has anybody

Invest in More Sophisticated Scheduling Software It seems as though everything is overbooked in air travel, from the planes themselves to the crews that fly them. Clearly, the airline industry is in need of an upgrade to next-generation project

Invest in Performance Management Software Things measured are things done. If the airlines think that unions are pulling a work slowdown, they should have the tools they need to prove it.

Better Videoconferencing Software One of the major reasons that the sky is full is the proliferation of private airplanes that are carrying people to meetings that could easily be handled over videoconferencing systems on the ground, if only th

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