Mainland investments in aviation security technologies were set to pick up as local air travel expands and preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games intensify, industry experts said.
Senior executives at Geneva-based Sita, an information and telecommunication systems provider for the air transport industry, expect China to focus initially on its three major hubs, in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
'We see China confidently turning to information technology as the cornerstone for new airport security programs,' said Francesco Violante, managing director at Sita's information networking computing (Inc) business unit.
Sita has been providing services, including fare management and check-in and departure control systems, to mainland airlines and air transport authorities for more than 25 years. Its IT applications arm, Sita Inc, is currently implementing an integrated airport systems project worth more than US$10 million at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
Mr Violante noted a growing interest in biometric verification, which enables airport authorities to check each passenger against physical characteristics (for example, iris scan, face scan, fingerprint and voice-print systems).
There is also a growing market for 'intelligent' border management systems that automate the way government agencies review and analyse passenger details.
These technologies - a combination of hardware, software and services - are meant to improve security and boost operational efficiency, while speeding up the movement of low-risk passengers.
