S7 Airlines and Moscow Domodedovo Airport looked into how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced digital passenger services, particularly the transition to contactless check-in and pre-boarding identification services.

The study shows that in November 62.6% of Domodedovo passengers checked in for S7 Airlines flights online, a 10.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

Also, one out of five boarding passes was issued electronically, allowing passengers to access the departure area or board a flight via automated gates using a QR code on their devices.

The service was most popular with passengers traveling to Sochi — over 40% of them chose to board a flight using this option.

“This year, in addition to being a great time saver, e-services proved to be useful in another way by reducing the number of person-to-person contacts. The S7 Airlines mobile app has everything you need to prepare for an upcoming flight at home, from choosing a seat to checking in for a flight and obtaining an electronic boarding pass. This means there is nothing to print out at Domodedovo: simply touch in with your smartphone to go through the gates. We are delighted to see a growing number of passengers using this technology, ” says Svetlana Kulyukina, Head of Passenger Experience at S7 Group.

“COVID-19 may lead to a higher passenger demand for digital per-departure services at the airport. They save time, reduce social contact, and are more in line with the customer expectations shaped during the pandemic, ” says Igor Borisov, Director of Domodedovo Airport.