Santan, the inflight catering and food and beverage subsidiary of Capital A, has unveiled a significant upgrade to its inflight retail solution, Fasspos, marking a major step forward in its mission to enhance the inflight experience. This development is in collaboration with Soft Space Sdn. Bhd. (Soft Space), a global leader in fintech-as-a-service (FaaS) technology, and is expected to improve inflight operations and customer service across AirAsia’s fleet.
Since its inception in 2020, Santan has been at the forefront of integrating technology into its operations. The company made a notable achievement when it became the first to implement SoftPOS technology on AirAsia flights, allowing for contactless payments. This move demonstrated Santan’s commitment to using innovation to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and enhance passenger convenience. The Fasspos system was introduced to provide AirAsia cabin crew with an all-in-one solution for managing inventory, processing payments, and handling in-seat orders, creating a more seamless experience for both staff and passengers.
The new update to the Fasspos system introduces the Zebra Technologies ET45 tablets, designed to further elevate the service experience. These tablets come with larger, more user-friendly displays and robust Near-Field Communication (NFC) capabilities. One of the key benefits of the ET45 tablets is their ability to reduce transaction times by over 50%. This efficiency improvement allows cabin crew to complete orders and payments more quickly, ensuring that passengers receive their meals and beverages without unnecessary delays.
The update to the Fasspos system is a continuation of Santan’s broader strategy to become a leading provider of inflight services in ASEAN. With over 20 million food and beverage units sold annually, Santan’s influence within the region is substantial, and the upgraded system is designed to support the company’s ambition to offer high-quality and efficient service across AirAsia’s extensive network. By reducing transaction times and making the process more efficient, the system helps to improve both operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
The collaboration between Santan, Soft Space, and Zebra Technologies highlights the growing importance of technology in the aviation and travel industries. The ET45 tablets, which are built for demanding environments like inflight operations, are equipped with advanced features such as the latest Wi-Fi technology (Wi-Fi 6) and 5G capabilities, as well as a built-in barcode scanner. These features make the tablets highly adaptable for a wide range of inflight activities, from processing payments to tracking inventory.
The integration of these tablets with Soft Space’s Fasspos solution enhances the cabin crew’s ability to manage inflight sales operations, shortening transaction times, improving cost efficiencies, and potentially boosting sales across AirAsia’s entire fleet. The faster processing time enables the crew to focus more on delivering high-quality service to passengers, ultimately improving the overall customer experience. This development comes at a time when the global in-flight retail market is experiencing significant growth, expected to reach US$11 billion by 2032, up from US$7.2 billion in 2022. This expansion is being driven by an increase in global travel, the rise in high-tech aircraft, and the growing use of online distribution channels.
As part of the larger trend of digital transformation in aviation, the upgrade to Fasspos is also aligned with the increasing demand for convenience in inflight shopping. Passengers now expect the ability to purchase a wide variety of goods while in the air, from food and beverages to perfumes, books, apparel, and other accessories. The new system facilitates a smoother, faster shopping experience, which is expected to drive both customer satisfaction and ancillary revenue streams for airlines.
