COUNTRY FOCUS: GERMANY
As Germany is at the forefront of the
European technology industry, it might
come as no surprise when we reveal
that Munich Airport, one of the busiest in
Europe, is becoming a breeding ground
for innovation. We hear how companies
such as Wirecard and LabCampus are
helping it to dominate.
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Munich Airport:
A hub of digitisation
M
unich Airport is the first airport
in Europe to offer a new mobile,
cashless payment system in a retail
location. The airport is playing a key role in
driving forward easy payments in the retail
sector with a self-checkout. The solution was
developed by Wirecard in cooperation with
SES-imagotag and wirecube, while eurotrade
– a subsidiary of Flughafen München GmbH
– laid the cornerstone for its introduction at
the airport.
Consumers can pay for items with their own
smartphone directly at the shelf using an
electronic price tag which saves them having
to wait in line at the checkout. Instead of
paying via an app, the customer pays via a
mobile website, meaning that, unlike similar
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INTELLIGENTCIO
solutions in the European market, users do
not need to download an app beforehand.
To shop and add items to the shopping cart,
customers simply hold their smartphone in
front of an SES-imagotag digital price tag.
The product is registered either via Near
Field Communication (NFC) or by QR code
scan. After a few seconds, the smartphone
automatically opens the mobile web app
by wirecube where the customer can easily
complete the purchase.
To do so, the customer can either scan their
credit card via their smartphone’s camera
function, or enter their credit card data
manually. Alipay is also available as an
alternative payment option.
Munich Airport’s roughly 48 million annual
passengers can now use the new mobile
payment solution for a select range of
products in the ‘MyCorner’ store in the
Terminal 2 passenger area. The innovative
solution is being piloted in a high-traffic
area frequented by a mostly international
audience. Following the pilot phase, the
solution will be extended to other eurotrade
units, including 12 duty-free shops and 14
other shops selling press items, travel goods
and souvenirs. The application is based on
three solutions:
1. The VUSION Electronic Shelf Labels
(ESL) by SES-imagotag, a world-leading
provider of digital IoT solutions for
stationary retail
www.intelligentcio.com