The US has finally opened its international borders to vaccinated travellers this week, after restricting access to millions of people for the last 20 months.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially lifted restrictions on Monday, saying that it will ramp up border crossings staff to pre-pandemic levels.

Travellers by land won’t even have to prove a negative COVID-19 test, as long as they can produce a vaccine certificate.

Over the past year, airports around the world have been beefing up their preparations for the reopening, upgrading security measures in anticipation of more stringent protocols expected in the post-pandemic world.

Technology will play an even more important role at airports, and this will benefit a handful of ASX stocks.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, and Adelaide Airport are just some of the airports that are getting ready.

All three have just purchased the CrowdVision software from Skyfii (ASX:SKF) worth $1m to monitor the real-time movement of passengers through queues and checkpoints.

CrowdVision was until July this year a US-based artificial intelligence company, before being acquired by Skyfii.

The CrowdVision platform is already used across several airports in the US, and relies on computer vision augmented with lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning to estimate passenger flows through airports.

 

Other ASX stocks to benefit from a rise in airport traffic

Micro-X (ASX:MX1) has developed the world’s first electronic X-ray tube, leveraging nano technology and its own patented carbon nanotube X-ray cold emitter.

MX1 says it has created the most significant innovation in X-ray tubes in over 100 years.

Its flagship product, the Rover, has been FDA cleared and was the first product launched using this revolutionary X-ray technology.

It’s currently being used for self-service baggage scanners and check-ins at several US airports, after winning a tender contract from the US Department of Homeland Security in November last year.

The Rover is also being used at home under a contract from the Australian Department of Defence as a deployable medical facility in heavy terrains.

Air traffic management company, Adacel Tech (ASX:ADA), is another company that’s won a couple of contracts from airports this year.

The Saint Lucia Air and Seaports will take delivery of Adacel’s state-of-the-art Aurora air traffic system in FY22.

Seychelles Airport meanwhile, gave Adacel a contract for Aurora valued at over $3.6 million in June to modernise its air traffic management system.

The Aurora air traffic system integrates oceanic, approach, and tower control capabilities –  and is said to be the world’s best system for managing procedural airspace in a surveillance environment.

Back home in Australia, airports are increasingly becoming prized assets.

Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) has just accepted a buyout offer from a consortium consisting of UniSuper, IFM and other investors.

And with Sydney’s aviation demand expected to double over the next 20 years, the new Western Sydney International Airport is currently being built.

The mega project has already benefited ASX-listed companies such as Southern Cross (ASX:SXE).

Last week, SXE’s subsidiary Heyday was awarded a $100m contract to design and construct all electrical and communications works within the new airport’s terminal precinct.

CIMIC (ASX:CIM) has also been tapped to build the airport’s airside civil and pavement works in a deal worth $265m.

 

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