The online check-in project we implemented for our Partner, Nouvelair, eliminated traditional check-in process challenges, leading to both increased passenger satisfaction and operational cost savings. The conventional check-in system, which caused long queues at airports and unnecessary operational expenses, also prolonged passengers’ procedures, negatively affecting their overall experience.
Thanks to Hitit’s mobile application, Crane.MA, and Regula Document Reader SPK product, Nouvelair’s check-in processes were streamlined; boarding times were significantly shortened, and passengers’ time at the airport became much more efficient. This innovative solution not only enhanced operational efficiency but also achieved a 25% cost saving.
For more details on how these three companies successfully managed this process, see the case study below.
● Streamlined boarding process
● Over 20% of customers have already switched to new online flight check-in
● Check-in handling costs reduced by 25%
Hitit’s Partner Nouvelair is Tunisia's first private airline. Operating since 1989, the company offers flights to more than 130 airports in 30 countries on 3 continents. One of its top priorities is ensuring customer comfort, both pre- and on-flight.
Challenge
Nouvelair was determined to reimagine its check-in and boarding processes. The established workflow entirely relied on manual document verification, seat allocation, and paper boarding pass printing at the airport counter. This required passengers to arrive at the airport well in advance, typically three hours before departure, to complete all these manually-intensive procedures. Long queues at airline check-in desks were common, especially during peak travel periods, which created heightened stress levels, particularly when errors or delays occurred.
For the airline itself, the reliance on manual processes created operational inefficiencies. Overburdened check-in counters led to bottlenecks, requiring additional staffing to manage the workload. Costs were further increased due to the dependence on paper-based processes. Also, handling large passenger volumes with this approach strained resources, making maintaining efficiency and customer satisfaction difficult.
Aiming to provide a seamless, efficient, and customer-friendly travel experience, Nouvelair decided to launch a digital check-in solution. The goal was to enable customers to check in independently via the mobile app before arriving at the airport, thus minimizing waiting time and expediting boarding. Additionally, the airline was interested in reducing costs, staff workload, and operational burdens by switching to a digital flight check-in option.
Nouvelair chose to create its mobile app and online check-in with the help of the Crane Mobile Application (Crane.MA) developed by Hitit, one of the largest airline IT solutions providers. However, to enable smooth and reliable travel document checks, the airline needed to empower its app with a robust identity verification (IDV) solution.
Solution
Following Hitit’s recommendations, Nouvelair opted for Regula Document Reader SDK, a powerful and comprehensive software solution for thorough and accurate document verification.
With Regula’s solution integrated into the app by Hitit, Nouvelair succeeded in fully automating the flight check-in process. Travelers just need to scan their ID and visa (if required)–and they are granted access to choose their seats and issue boarding passes. All is done in mere seconds.
In the meantime of these seconds, Regula Document Reader SDK performs multiple checks to verify the authenticity and validity of travel documents. In particular:
● the automatic document type recognition technology instantly identifies the document presented and checks if it is valid for travel;
● the advanced OCR accurately reads and extracts data from visual and machine-readable zones (MRZ), checking for the name, passport number, nationality, expiry date, and visa type;
● the extracted ID data is cross-checked for consistency–this helps spot any possible discrepancies that may indicate fraud.
Regula Document Reader SDK relies on the most comprehensive proprietary identity document template database, which currently contains over 14,000 templates from 251 countries and territories and continues to grow. This allows Regula’s solution to quickly and precisely verify all kinds of travel documents issued in 138 languages.
To ensure smooth Regula Document Reader SDK integration into Nouvelair’s app, Hitit made the necessary redesign of the application interface and developed API so that there was reliable communication between the app and the airline’s backend systems. Thanks to the flexible customization features of Regula Document Reader SDK, its embedding was frictionless and allowed to support the general look-and-feel of the airline’s application.
Result
The implementation of Regula Document Reader SDK, from planning to go-live, was fulfilled by Hitit in just 20 business days.
After a few months of rolling out the online check-in service, over 20% of Nouvelair’s customers have shifted their preferences to this method of preparing for flight. In the coming 12 months, the airline expects to increase this rate to more than 30%.
Additionally, online check-in has allowed Nouvelair to optimize 25% of its check-in handling costs, as it significantly reduced manual workload and requires less staff involved in the boarding process.