Tech's in air, boosts passengers' joy and airlines' biz

As a business journalist, I do travel quite a bit. I am a lot more happier at the beginning of a trip these days. My mind floats in clouds, takes off for a joyful flight, not just because of my "newly-married" status. Part of the reason is also technology.

Whenever it's possible, I use self-operated machines at airports. They speed up the drill: check-in, passport check, boarding ... Efficiency ensues, turnarounds quicken, and my happiness quotient surges.

At most airports, the passport verification area tends to be a pain point. But, ever since self-scanning gates were introduced, passengers are 3.85 percent more satisfied, compared to those using agent-assisted services, according to a report released in February by SITA, a Swiss information technology company that provides services to the air transport industry.