These days, with the changing dynamics of the pandemic and common adjustments to airport procedures, access needs and flight regulations due to COVID-19, it would possibly seem overwhelming to embark on what was once an undeniable journey. One of the disorders is the lack of a centralized source of reliable data. Instead, we are at the mercy of airport websites, airlines and governments, some of which are obviously smart at presenting data, while others are simply terrible.
Enter Airsiders Health Compass, which aims to provide pandemic travelers with a one-stop shop for all the data they might need. The corporation describes it as “a flexible tool that combines COVID-19 testing, security measures and restrictions at nearly three hundred airlines and airports.” We track everything from immigration and quarantine data to the types of disinfection devices used through carriers. »
Airsiders is a small generation company founded in Berlin, and its Health Compass proves to be one of the most productive efforts to date to collect up-to-date data on COVID-19 measurements in the world with an easy-to-use interface. . You can search via an express airport code or just write a country to get a list of all your airports, and from there you can click to get the main points of one of them. You can also log in for updates when changes occur at a particular airport or airline.
For it, the lists appear complete and the detailed data. It’s hard to determine if everything is up-to-date and accurate, but first impressions mean that attention to detail is good.
Airsiders co-founder and CEO Yavuz Karadag accepted some questions about Health Compass and how it works.
– What led you to expand this tool?
YK: The concept of expanding the tool came after noticing the frustration of passengers when they were contemplating booking a trip. There was no coherence in the way airlines, airports and countries express information. This discouraged passengers from flying and caused confusion and inconvenience to those who made the decision to
– Who are your competition and what do they stand out for?
YK: There are a small number of startups that also work in the same field. What sets us apart is our gigantic knowledge base, which includes data not only from countries, but also from airports and airlines. In addition, we have an automated data refresh process, and we are also offering booking platforms an undeniable way to integrate our knowledge directly into their application. Having said that, I think it’s wonderful that there are other players entering this market with their own approaches.
– I heard that you had recently tested the tool through yourself. Tell us about this experience.
YK: That’s it! I recently flew from Berlin to Vienna. The day before the flight, I checked our tool to see the settings at the airport to give me enough time before departure to Berlin, and to fully make sure of what I will be asked to do when I arrive in Vienna.
Then I used it a moment as soon as I discovered my seat on the plane, but this time to check the hygiene measures taken through the airline. Once I read that all the seats had been cleaned and that HEPA filters were being used, I felt much more comfortable with the experience.
After employing him as a passenger, I was really pleased to see that the product did precisely what we had planned for him, that is, to provide accurate and small data that help travelers feel safe during their trip.
– Do you intend to expand this further?
YK: Yes, there are! Soon, we will expand the product to also serve passengers traveling on connecting flights. Not only will we show you COVID data for your fast journey, but we’ll also help you navigate through the gates of major hubs.
Due to the cancellation of many direct flights, passengers are increasingly dependent on self-interconnection, which means they book two separate tickets on other airlines. This usually means that your flight is not protected and your baggage is not checked in. Our tool will provide transparency in this process and provide facilities that simplify the passenger.
We are also in contact with many airlines and airports around the world regarding the advances of COVID-19, so we are well placed to adapt our product to the conversion wishes of passengers. Stay tuned!
I am a filmmaker, born in Manhattan, raised in Japan and the United Kingdom and now founded in Stockholm. In the meantime, I’ve been in 50 countries and I count and talk
I am an editor and filmmaker, born in Manhattan, raised in Japan and the United Kingdom and now founded in Stockholm. In the meantime, I’ve been to 50 countries and I count, and I speak good Spanish, French and Japanese. I am Monocle’s shipping correspondent and I also write for the New York Times, Scandinavian Traveller, BBC Travel and others. I have a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in film from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. My main spaces of experience are aviation advertising and loyalty programs, but I covered everything from cars to food, from music in Haiti to an environmental confrontation in Chile. I’m looking for an excuse to explore a new place. I love a wonderful holiday in nature, but I’m fascinated by infrastructure, urban plans and how design can make or undo our cities and how we move between them.