In the spotlight: Information technology Airport report: Tocumen International Special report: The benefits of ASQ Plus: Seating, healthy eating & sweet dreams
Embracing new technology August–September 2015 Volume 20 Issue 4 www.aci.aero
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Airport World Editor Joe Bates +44 (0)1276 476582 joe@airport-world.com Design, Layout & Production Mark Draper +44 (0)208 230 7867 mark@airport-world.com Sales Director Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@airport-world.com Advertising Manager Andrew Hazell +44 (0)20 8384 0206 andrewh@airport-world.com Subscriptions Elizabeth Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 subscriptions@airport-world.com Managing Director Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@aviationmedia.aero
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Airport World is published six times a year for the members of ACI. The opinions and views expressed in Airport World are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an ACI policy or position. ISSN: 1360-4341 The content of this publication is copyright of Aviation Media Ltd and should not be copied or stored without the express permission of the publisher.
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All roads lead to Panama Airport World editor, Joe Bates, looks forward to the ACI Latin America -Caribbean/World Assembly, Conference & Exhibition in Panama and considers the key role IT plays in the airport travel experience.
I
t seems like only yesterday that we were packing our bags and getting ready to head to Bermuda for the joint ACI-LAC/ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition, but incredibly that was five years ago now. A lot of water and World Assemblies have flowed under the bridge since then, of course, but now after events in Marrakesh (2011), Calgary (2012), Istanbul (2013) and Seoul (2014), we are heading back to ACI-LAC and Panama City for the big one! ACI-LAC’s regional director, Javier Martinez Botacio, promises that the event will be one to remember, and having interviewed Tocumen International Airport’s general manager, Joseph Fidanque III, for the lead feature in this issue I know that Panama’s gateway to the world has some incredibly ambitious and exciting plans of its own that he is keen to share with you. There is certainly a lot going on across the region, which now encompasses 65 members operating more than 250 airports, so the conference will provide visitors such as myself with the perfect opportunity to learn more about the latest news and developments. Martin Eurnekian (Corporación América), Aaron Adderley (Bermuda), Andrew O’Brian (Quiport) and Augustin Rodriguez (Aerostar Airport Holdings) will be among the region’s airport leaders in attendance while ARINC’s Latin America expert, Augusto Mecedo Santos, will be in Panama to talk about all things IT, which just happens to be the theme of this issue of Airport World. IT innovation, of course, continues to change the way we travel by influencing everything we do from booking airline tickets and communicating with airports via social media to easing journeys through border control, shopping in the terminals and ordering food at restaurants.
As TAV IT’s general manager Binnur Güleryüz Onaran tells us on page 23, airports as we know them today simply couldn’t exist without the technology we have at our fingertips. Indeed, at the recent Air Transport IT Summit in Brussels, Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths, put it all in perspective by comparing the technology in the iPhone 6 to that of the Apollo guidance computer that put the first man on the moon back in 1969. He said: “The Apollo computer weighed 70lbs and cost $1 million in today’s prices. It had a 4K memory and had a seven segment digital display. What’s actually in our pockets today has 32 million times more memory, is 1,300 times faster, is 0.4% of the weight and is 0.04% of the cost. “So if we are handing that amount of technology out to people on a global scale, what on earth can we do to leverage that power to make their travel experience better?” In this issue we discover why LAX is one of the most popular places in the US to work in IT; learn more about the global success story of TAV IT; and find out about some of Montréal Trudeau’s passenger focused IT initiatives. The themed section also includes a round up of SITA’s Air Transport IT Summit and an article that ponders whether Airport Operational Databases (AODBs) are ripe for development. Elsewhere in this issue we have a feature on the Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA) and ‘health & wellbeing’ articles about innovative new facilities/services for sleepy passengers and healthy eating options at airports. Airport seating also comes under the microscope and we learn more about the benefits of ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme. Hopefully that has wetted your appetites for another cracking issue of your favourite AW airport magazine!
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
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CONTENTS
Issue 4 Volume 20
In this issue 3 Opinion Airport World editor, Joe Bates, looks forward to the ACI Latin America-Caribbean/World Assembly, Conference & Exhibition in Panama and considers the key role IT plays in the airport travel experience.
8 ACI news ACI’s newly released World Airport Traffic Report for 2014 confirms that global passenger numbers increased by 5.7% and that cargo volumes are on the rise after three years of stagnation.
11 View from the top ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the impact of liberalisation, the implication for airports and the need for a supportive regulatory environment.
12 Hub of the Americas Tocumen International Airport’s general manager, Joseph Fidanque III, talks to Joe Bates about his gateway’s ambitious development plans.
17 The IT crowd LAWA’s deputy executive director/chief information officer, Dominic Nessi, tells Airport World why its Information Management and Technology Group has been named as one of the best places to work in IT in the United States.
18 Top of mind Yannick Beunardeau tells Airport World why he believes traditional Airport Operational Databases are ripe for change.
20 Making IT happen The Apple Watch, robots, social media, flight tracking media and drones were all on the agenda at the Air Transport IT Summit in Brussels, writes Joe Bates.
23 A world of opportunities IT is spearheading the development of airports across the world, writes Binnur Güleryüz Onaran, general manager of TAV Information Technologies.
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
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CONTENTS
Director General Angela Gittens Chair Fredrick J Piccolo (Sarasota, USA) Vice Chair Declan Collier (London, UK) Immediate Past Chair Yiannis Paraschis (Athens, Greece)
25 Time for technology Montréal-Trudeau is reaping the rewards of deploying advanced technologies and finding new ways of working to improve passenger flows and customer convenience while maintaining high security standards, writes Christiane Beaulieu.
27 Safe travels Dr Anthony Evans and Arturo Garcia-Alonso tell us more about the CAPSCA initiative, which is designed to prevent and manage the spread of infectious diseases in civil aviation.
30 Passenger focused, research driven ACI’s ASQ programme gives airports of all sizes the actionable intelligence they need to ensure customer service excellence across numerous touchpoints of a passenger’s journey at the airport, writes Antoine Rostworowski.
33 Sweet dreams Is your airport doing enough to cater for the sleeping requirements of transit passengers with a long layover? Joe Bates discovers that some airports are ahead of the game when it comes to facilities and services.
37 In the hot seat Zoeftig’s CEO, Paul Williams, tells Airport World about some of the latest developments in airport seating.
41 Take a seat Lynn Gordon, vice president for airport solutions at Arconas, talks to Airport World about some of the latest trends developments in airport seating.
44 Health on the menu Mark Angela, SSP’s chief commercial officer, explores how the F&B offer at an airport can be tailored to meet the needs of the ever-growing number of healthconscious travellers.
47 Project watch: LaGuardia Airport New Terminal B, funded, built and operated under the public-private partnership (PPP) model to spearhead the transformation of LaGuardia Airport.
48 ACI’s World Business Partners 50 People matters Terri Morrissey and Dr Richard Plenty provide their thoughts on: The importance of taking a break from the digital world.
Treasurer Stefan Schulte (Frankfurt, Germany) ACI WORLD GOVERNING BOARD DIRECTORS Africa (3) Pascal Komla (Lomé, Togo) Bongani Maseko (Johannesburg, South Africa) Robinson Misitala (Livingstone, Zambia) Asia-Pacific (8) Kjeld Binger (Amman, Jordan) Dennis Chant (Gold Coast, Australia) Kenichi Fukaya (Tokyo, Japan) Saud AR Hashem (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Seow Hiang Lee (Singapore) Kerrie Mather (Sydney, Australia) Emmanuel Menanteau (Phnom Penh, Cambodia) PS Nair (Delhi, India) Europe (7) Declan Collier (London, UK) Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium) Michael Kerkloh (Munich, Germany) Tonci Peovic (Bol, Croatia) Stefan Schulte (Frankfurt, Germany) Sani Sener (Istanbul, Turkey) José-Manuel Vargas (Madrid, Spain) Latin America & Caribbean (3) Martin Eurnekian (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Héctor Navarrete Muñoz (Merida, Mexico) 1 vacancy North America (7) Thella Bowens (San Diego, USA) James Cherry (Montréal, Canada) Fredrick J Piccolo (Sarasota, USA) Mark Reis (Seattle, USA) Maureen Riley (Salt Lake City, USA) Tom Ruth (Edmonton, Canada) William Vanecek (Buffalo, USA) Regional Advisers to the World Governing Board (8) Aaron Adderley (Hamilton, Bermuda) Haluk Bilgi (Tunis, Tunisia) Howard Eng (Toronto, Canada) Deborah Ale Flint (Oakland, USA) Xue Song Liu (Beijing, China) Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Andrew O’Brian (Quito, Ecuador) Zouhair Mohamed El Oufir (Rabat, Morocco) Observer World Business Partner Board Chairperson Greg Fordham (Airbiz) Correct as of August 14, 2015
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF AIRPORT WORLD
ACI WORLD NEWS
World in motion ACI’s newly released World Airport Traffic Report for 2014 confirms that global passenger numbers increased by 5.7% and that cargo volumes are on the rise after three years of stagnation.
T
he latest edition of ACI’s World Airport Traffic Report confirms that the world’s airports handled 6.7 billion passengers in 2014, with more than a third of the total being accommodated in the Asia-Pacific region. Indeed, the 2.3 billion passengers (+7.1%) handled in Asia-Pacific last year made it the second fastest growing region in the world after the Middle East, which registered a 10.8% upturn in traffic.
Passenger traffic by region 2014 Asia-Pacific – 2.3 billion (+7.1%) Europe – 1.8 billion (+5.5%) North America – 1.6 billion (+3.2%) Latin America & Caribbean – 531 million (+6.4%) Middle East – 307 million (10.8%) Africa – 179 million (+2.7%) With over 1.4 billion passengers, BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), which represent 21% of global passenger traffic, achieved strong growth of 9% in passenger traffic. MINT countries (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) also achieved robust traffic growth, with a 7.2% increase for passenger traffic in 2014. Although Dubai (DXB) is the sixth-busiest airport in the world in overall passenger traffic, it actually became the world’s busiest in terms of international passenger traffic ahead of London-Heathrow (LHR) in 2014. Istanbul Atatürk (+10.5%) remains one of the fastest-growing airports among the world’s top 20 airports for passenger traffic, moving from 18th to 13th in the rankings. The world’s top 30 airport cities handle more than one-third of global passenger traffic. London remains the world’s largest airport system with almost 147 million passengers handled at six airports. New York maintains the second position with 116 million passengers at three airports. Tokyo is the third city market with 109 million passengers.
World’s busiest international airports 2014 1. Dubai (DXB), United Arab Emirates – 69.9 million (+6.2%) 2. London Heathrow (LHR), United Kingdom – 68.1 million (+1.1%) 3. Hong Kong (HKG), China – 62.9 million (+6.1%) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) remains the busiest airport on the planet welcoming 96 million passengers (+1.9%) in 2014. Second ranked Beijing Capital (PEK), with 86 million passengers, experienced more subdued growth of 2.9% in 2014 as compared to the doubledigit growth it achieved in previous years.
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF AIRPORT WORLD
“Passenger traffic remained resilient in the face of the global uncertainties that beleaguered many economies in 2013 and 2014,” says ACI World’s director general, Angela Gittens. “International tourism, in particular, was irrepressible in 2014 considering the geopolitical risks that have persisted in certain parts of the world, such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The Ebola outbreak also presented significant challenges to the aviation sector. “Notwithstanding, by and large, the international traveller in 2014 appears to have been immune to these potential dangers. Overall global passenger traffic grew at a rate of over 5%. This is above the 4.3% compounded average annual growth rate in passenger traffic from 2004 to 2014.”
Cargo trends Worldwide cargo volumes increased by 4.7% in 2014 to 102 million metric tonnes, with mixed levels of growth across all six regions. Hong Kong (HKG) and Memphis (MEM) are the busiest cargo gateways on the planet based on the 4.4 million and 4.3 million metric tonnes of freight handled at their respective facilities in 2014. The next two spots are taken by Shanghai’s airports – Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA), which between them handled 3.6 million tonnes of freight last year. Airports in the Asia-Pacific region once again led the way in terms of cargo volumes handled in 2014.
Cargo traffic by region 2014 Asia-Pacific – 40.5 million tonnes (+6.3%) North America – 28.9 million tonnes (+3%) Europe – 18.4 million tonnes (+3.2%) Middle East – 7.4 million tonnes (+9.2%) Latin America & Caribbean – 5 million tonnes (+0.6%) Africa – 1.9 million tonnes (+5.1%) The world’s air cargo market is highly concentrated, with the top 30 air cargo hubs handling 53% of global air cargo volumes. The world’s busiest airports for international freight movements were Hong Kong (HKG) with 4.4 million tonnes (+6%), Incheon (ICN) with 2.5 million tonnes (+3.3%) and Dubai (DXB) with 2.4 million tonnes (-3.1%). “Despite the uneven recovery in the global economy, there was a net increase in global demand for foreign goods and commodities in 2014,” says Gittens. “The overall flow of exports and imports by sea, land and air, measured by world trade volumes in goods and services, has grown. The American rebound and the rise in consumer spending helped stimulate major exporters of high-tech goods such as tablets, laptops and mobile phones. This helped awaken the air cargo market in the last quarter of 2013 and into 2014 after several years of sluggish growth.”
ACI WORLD NEWS
ACI events
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
October 4-7
August 31-Sept 2
October 20-22
October 26-28
September 16-18
ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition Long Beach, USA
ACI World and Latin America & Caribbean Annual Conference & Exhibition Panama City, Panama
ACI Africa Assembly, Conference & Exhibition Hammamet, Tunisia
AVSEC World Conference Dublin, Ireland
The Trinity Forum Hong Kong, China
ACI offices ACI World Angela Gittens Director General PO Box 302 800 Rue du Square Victoria Montréal, Quebec H4Z 1G8 Canada Tel: +1 514 373 1200 Fax: +1 514 373 1201 aci@aci.aero www.aci.aero
ACI Fund for Developing Nations’ Airports Angela Gittens Managing Director Tel: + 1 514 373 1200 Fax: +1 514 373 1201 acifund@aci.aero
ACI Africa Ali Tounsi Secretary General Casablanca, Morocco Tel: +212 660 156 916 atounsi@aci-africa.aero www.aci-africa.aero
ACI Latin America & Caribbean Javier Martinez Botacio Director General Panama City, Panama Tel: +507 238 2691 jmartinez@aci-lac.aero www.aci-lac.aero
ACI Asia-Pacific Patti Chau Regional Director Hong Kong SAR, China Tel: +852 2180 9449 Fax: +852 2180 9462 info@aci-asiapac.aero www.aci-asiapac.aero
ACI Europe Olivier Jankovec Director General Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (2) 552 0978 Fax: +32 (2) 502 5637 danielle.michel@aci-europe.org www.aci-europe.org
ACI North America Kevin Burke President & CEO Washington DC, USA Tel: +1 202 293 8500 Fax: +1 202 331 1362 postmaster@aci-na.org www.aci-na.org
As of January 2015, ACI accounts for 590 regular members operating 1,850 airports in 173 countries. In 2014, airports worldwide welcomed 6.7 billion passengers and handled 102 million metric tonnes of cargo and 83 million aircraft movements. ACI is a non-profit organisation whose prime purpose is to advance the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations.
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
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View from the top
ACI VIEWPOINT
ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the impact of liberalisation, the implication for airports and the need for a supportive regulatory environment.
D
ear colleagues, as the debate regarding Gulf carriers heats up in the US and Europe, discussions of liberalisation and regulation are taking centre stage among aviation stakeholders and within the media. The conversation to date has been very much focused on airlines, but it’s important to note that airports are also acutely affected by competition rules. What’s more, how we react to them impacts the industry at large. Regulation policies affect the volume and character of air transport services and thus have a major impact on airports. Furthermore, the availability of adequate levels of high quality, safe and secure airport facilities is critical if the goal of the liberalisation of air transport is to be achieved. For these reasons, airports should be fully involved in the process. There is significant evidence to support that liberalisation of air services between countries generates significant additional opportunities for consumers, shippers and the numerous direct and indirect entities and individuals that rely to one extent or another on aviation. Conversely, it is also evident that restrictive bilateral air services agreements between countries stifle air travel, tourism and business, and consequently economic growth and job creation. Lower prices, increased demand and additional services are among the most common outcomes of liberalisation and these are the reasons that liberalisation of international air transport is typically welcomed in principle. It is also frequently the case, however, that the transition creates ‘winners and losers’, at least initially, for air carriers, airports and communities, as all must learn to compete in a less protected environment. For airports, liberalisation of air carriers means that airport managers take risks when they invest in infrastructure as air carrier business decisions may render those investments valueless with little notice. At the same time, airport managers risk losing opportunity to gain or retain air service for their communities if they fail to make those investments. This increased risk setting makes it ever more important for airports to diversify their revenue sources and avoid ‘single till’ aeronautical charging schemes that leave them with little financial flexibility. Liberalisation presents airports with new challenges for their operation, planning and development, and financing. The need for airports to have both the flexibility and financial resources to meet those challenges should therefore be recognised. In order to enhance their ability to properly establish and match airport capacity with the development of traffic, airports should be involved in the process of the determination of air services by governments by being represented in national delegations to bilateral and multilateral air services negotiations.
Another result of the progressive liberalisation of the air transport industry, together with more business-oriented airport management styles, is an increasingly competitive international airport environment. However, the great majority of airports worldwide still operate at a loss since they don’t have the critical traffic mass to generate sufficient revenue to cover operating costs. At the same time, an increasing number of countries are calling on the private sector for the development of aeronautical infrastructure, be it in the form of outright privatisations or public-private partnerships. In order to attract this much needed investment, economic regulatory interventions should be minimal and the right economic regulatory incentives should be in place to ensure investment in airport infrastructure. The direct and indirect costs associated with airport regulation can be considerable, particularly when regulation is applied to already competitive markets. The regulatory format applied should seek to minimise the costs to all parties while maximising the potential benefits. This can be achieved by the regulator standing back and allowing the market participants to determine an acceptable outcome for themselves. The regulator has the power to step in to avoid any abuses, but otherwise has an oversight role. Markets can change rapidly and future requirements are unknown. Airport regulation should not be locked in to one approach but rather be flexible to changing market and economic conditions. Finally, we shouldn’t forget that the ultimate purpose of economic regulation is to protect the interests of the consumer – that is passengers and shippers. While there is consensus that adequate and effective safeguards must be in place to ensure safety and security, there is not the same consensus as to what constitutes ‘fair’ competition. It would help if we keep the best interests of the consumer, the passenger and the shipper at the forefront as we deliberate on these issues. ACI will continue to work in the best interests of its members on this and other issues relating to the continued sustainable growth of the industry. In fact, this issue of Airport World will be distributed at this year’s ACI Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition where the theme is ‘Airports: Shaping our future’. If you are at the event, I wish you a productive three days and if you are elsewhere, please keep an eye on ACI World’s Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages for live updates as we collectively plot a course for aviation’s continued sustainable growth. AW
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
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AIRPORT REPORT: TOCUMEN
Hub of the Americas
Tocumen International Airport’s general manager, Joseph Fidanque III, talks to Joe Bates about his gateway’s ambitious development plans.
T
ocumen maybe not be the biggest of airport’s in terms of passenger numbers and Panama is certainly one of the smallest countries in the world let alone Central America, but don’t ever let this fool you into thinking it is a sleepy back water because the airport is hugely ambitous. So, you think you’ve heard it all before? Well, think again because this is no ordinary airport as its plans include a new state-of-the-art south terminal (Terminal 2), building Central America’s first airport city and, if the finances add up, a mororail link to a rail station two kilometres away. There are also plans for a new parallel runway between 2022 and 2024 to complement its existing 8,500ft and 10,500ft runways and ensure that Tocumen’s already congested airfield is able to keep up with demand in the mid to long-term. And the airport master plan calls for a new 2.6 kilometre, four lane access road and a new ATC tower to ensure that controllers can view the third runway. The situation means that it actually has three different master plans – one for the overall development of the airport developed by ADPi (including Terminal 2 and the location of the new third runway and future third terminal), one for the airport city and one for the possible development of the new monorail. Its ambitions are bold, but it is perhaps easy to forget that Tocumen is already the biggest transfer hub in the region and, with the notable exception of Mexico City, has a route network that serves more US cities than any other airport in the region.
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AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
In fact the airport calls itself the ‘Hub of the Americas’, and with traffic set to rise by an average of 6% to 7% per annum for the forseeable future, its Panamanian-government owners want to protect the country’s only major international airport. Indeed, such is the importance that Panama places on Tocumen International Airport that President, Juan Carlos Varela, personally appointed general manager, Joseph Fidanque III, in August 2014 with the specific brief to oversee its development. And the new boss is under no illusions about the importance of the airport to his country and its future prosperity. “There is more to this country that just the Panama Canal,” he tells Airport World. “Tocumen is the country’s main airport and the Hub of the Americas and, as such, a key economic generator for Panama.” “There cannot be many airports in the world that handle more passengers than the population of their country. Around four million people live in Panama but we expect to handle more than three times this in 2015 with just shy of 14 million passing through our facilities. “The airport is also DHL’s hub for Central America and a growing player in the cargo market, especially the movement of pharmaceuticals, although I feel that there is much more to come in terms of moving high value goods. “Make no mistake about it, Tocumen is a national asset and needs a long-term vision for not only today but for 20 or 30 years from now to ensure that it is allowed to grow and continue to play a major role in the country’s development.”
AIRPORT REPORT: TOCUMEN New infrastructure The desire to upgrade Tocumen’s key aviation infrastucture will see it invest $1.4 billion on Terminal 2, airfield enhancements, new cargo buildings and the refurbishment of some existing facilities over the next four years. Fidanque proudly says that the 20-gate Terminal 2 has been designed by Sir Norman Foster of Foster+Partners who has arguably designed some of the world’s most iconic airport terminals in Hong Kong and Bejing. Set to open in late 2017, the new 85,000sqm terminal will be located 200 metres south of the existing passenger complex and raise Tocumen’s capacity to more than 20mppa. Despite the short distance between the terminals, a new automated people mover (APM) system is expected to connect to them as passengers will face a potential 1.6km walk from the northern end of the existing terminal to southern tip of T2. “Our new terminal will be iconic and beautiful and there will be nothing else like it in Central America,” enthuses Fidanque. He says T2 will boast “state-of-the-art technologies” and have 9,000sqm of new retail and F&B outlets that he hopes can boost Tocumen’s revenues to help pay for its development and help keep airline fees down. He is currently talking to a couple of companies about formulating a plan for the retail/F&B layout in the terminal, one of which is Pragma in the UK, and openly admits that he will be canvassing interest from potential duty free operators and other concessionaires at the upcomiong Tax Free World Association (TFWA) Exhibition & Conference in Cannes. Other features of the new terminal include 60 customs and immigration desks and a baggage handling system capable of processing 6,500 bags per hour. Fidanque is also honest enough to admit that the airport isn’t 100% certain that it can afford the new APM upon the terminal’s opening, but promises that it will have one if “the maths add up”. The new terminal will increase the number of gates at Tocumen to 54, rising to 68 including 14 remote stands, the benefits of which Fidanque says cannot be underestimated.
“We need the gates to make transferring through Tocumen easier and more efficient as we simply don’t have enough at the moment for our level of traffic,” he states. He notes that new taxiways and rapid exit taxiways are also being added to improve Tocumen’s airfield efficiency as the existing runway configuration – Tocumen’s 8,500ft second runway is located at an angle to the main 10,500ft runway – can mean that during peak periods it sometimes takes aircraft 20 minutes to reach the gate after landing or the runway from the gate when taking off. A new parallel runway, he points out, will help solve this problem by creating a whole new airfield dynamic. It is expected to be built on empty land next to Tocumen that the airport can acquire by compulsory purchase after the Panamanian government prevented it from being developed in anticipation of it being needed by the airport. In the interim period before the new runway opens Fidanque confirms that he will be looking to limit the number of private jets operating into Tocumen in a bid to free up precious runway space. Indeed, nearby Howard Airport has already been identified as the most likely new base for general aviation in Panama City due to its hangar space and maintenance facilities. And Fidanque’s determination to make this happen was cemented earlier this summer when a Learjet got stuck on one of Tocumen’s runways when it suffered problems with its landing gear. The incident forced the closure of the runway for two hours and led to a catalogue of delays. “You don’t see a small jet landing at Heathrow or JFK, so why should they land here. It just doesn’t make any sense,” he says.
Monorail system Providing rail access to Tocumen would significantly improve its accessibilty to the capital, but with the nearest subway station two kilometres away and no chance of extending it to the airport, the gateway has come up with an ingenious plan to bridge the gap. “It is in the early stages of development, and we have yet to decide if it is finacially possible, but we are looking at building a monorail system between the Tocumen and the new Panama Metro station,” explains Fidanque.
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AIRPORT REPORT: TOCUMEN
“We are working on the master plan now and believe that a mororail system is feasible, but if the costs prove prohibitive, an APM could be a more affordable alternative.” The airport would almost certainly be looking for private developers to contribute the bulk of the expense of the new monorail, which is expected to cost around $60 million to develop. The rail station for a new Line 2 of the Panama Metro is currently being built by state-owned El Metro de Panama SA. Line 1 opened last year and is described as a metropolitan rapid rail system that links Los Andes County with downtown Panama City via 13 stations and 8.5 miles of track.
Airport city First mooted on 2004, the airport is now keen to revive Tocumen’s airport city plans and, according to Fidanque, at least three companies are interested in the project. A hotel, convention centre and a hospital were formerly discussed for a 325 hectare site bought from the University of Panama and the airport is refusing to rule them out this time around as it prepares to finalise the master plan for its deveopment. “There are a lot of companies that want to be near to the airport and develop facilities such as hotels, conference centres, offices and logistics centres for aviation related activity,” says Fidanque. Unlike last time around, Tocumen instead of private developers is the driving force behind the devlopment of the airport city project, which Fidanque believes is the logical next step in the gateway’s evolution. He reveals that the airport expects to announce the company chosen to develop the master plan for the airport city project any day now. Tocumen is located around 35 kilometres from downtown Panama City, which typically takes around 25 to 30 minutes by road.
Traffic trends He describes 2014 as a good year for the airport based on solid traffic growth of 9.6% that saw passenger numbers through Tocumen swell to a record 12.8 million.
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AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
Fidanque attributes the impressive upturn to a number of factors, the biggest without doubt being the continued expansion of Tocumen’s route network by home carrier Copa Airlines and new entrants such as TAP Portugal (Bogota–Tocumen) and Air France, which currently operates five weekly flights between Panama City and its Paris hub. United Airlines also launched a new Denver service in December 2014 and the news routes have continued coming this year with Copa already adding New Orleans and announcing plans to launch services to the Mexican cities of Villahermosa and Puebla in August and San Francisco, the airport’s 14th non-stop US destination, in September. He says that the Air France route has proved so successful that he expects the carrier to up frequency from five to seven weekly flights later this year. The airport’s fast growing route network means that 81 global destinations are currently served from Tocumen, with the figure rising to at least 83 by the year-end. The size of Panama – its 75,000 square kilometres makes it slightly smaller than the US state of South Carolina – and lack of other airports in the country effectively ensure that Tocumen only handles international traffic. Fidanque says the bulk of the traffic handled at Tocumen is between Central and South America or the Caribbean with a high percentage of passengers and cargo transferring through Panama on journeys to either North America or South America. The airport’s 10,500ft long main runway has also helped in this regard as Fidanque points out that other airports in the region are not quite so fortunate, and few located at high altitude are capable of accommodating fully laiden widebody flights from Europe or North America. In recent years there has also been an upturn in traffic between Panama and Europe, although Fidanque would like to see the launch of more non-stop services to Europe. He joked: “When we meet up in Panama at the ACI World Assembly/ ACI-LAC Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition I shall be asking you how I can get a flight to London!” If only I had that much influence with the airlines, Joseph, I would AW gladly organise it.
SPECIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
The IT crowd
LAWA’s deputy executive director/chief information officer, Dominic Nessi, tells Airport World why its Information Management and Technology Group has been named as one of the best places to work in IT in the United States.
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or the past 22 years, Computerworld magazine has ranked the top 100 organisations across the country that offer technology professionals challenging projects, robust salaries and flexible work/life options. A quick scan of the list reveals that no airport has ever been named, as well as very few public-sector bodies. Generally, organisations which use a civil service system such as Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), cannot compete with the private sector for salaries, bonuses and those special perks which can make an organisation a more desirable work place. How then did LAWA achieve this special recognition? An extremely dedicated and exceptionally knowledgeable workforce comprised of culturally and racially diverse women and men have come together with the expressed goal of establishing LAWA’s Information Management and Technology Group as one of the best in the world. During the past eight years, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners and LAWA executive management have undertaken a major capital initiative to renovate and reshape the operations at its three Southern California airports: Los Angeles International (LAX), LA/ Ontario International (ONT), and Van Nuys general aviation (VNY). Most notably, LAX is undergoing a massive rebuilding of the physical facilities for the purpose of improving passenger and customer satisfaction. The LAX Modernization Program includes numerous improvements in the technology associated with the construction programme. This effort has already resulted in a world-class, award-winning and environmentally sustainable international terminal development; hundreds of millions of dollars in investments by LAX airlines to upgrade all of the domestic terminals; a revitalisation of the F&B and retail concessions in all terminals to reflect Los Angeles lifestyle, culture, and cuisine; and significant public-safety improvements. And the airport capital improvement programme will continue with new facilities and technology to be introduced at LAX for years to come. In addition, LAWA has also committed to implementing a host of new technologies to improve its internal operations – ranging from a new data centre with the most advancement computing environment to a number of new applications used by LAWA staff. The combination of these two focus areas has made LAWA an exciting and innovative work place for its technology professionals. Indeed, not a day goes by without some new advancement in airtransport industry technology. A second contributing factor to this special environment is the workforce of LAWA itself. They are a committed and energetic group who embrace technology and are continually looking for that technological edge that will allow LAX, LA/Ontario, and Van Nuys airports (which is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world), to compete on the same level as the great airports, both domestic and global. This dedicated base of colleagues has allowed LAWA’s IT department to partner on a variety of interesting technology initiatives.
A recent example of this partnership is in the area of mobility. In 2011, LAWA’s IT department was an important contributor to the building of LAX’s Airport Response Coordination Center (ARCC), staffed by multi-divisional personnel to ensure the smooth flow of passengers, bags, and aircraft; to maintain situational awareness; and to provide a common operating picture for minor and major incidents. LAX’s ARCC – comprised Airport Operations, Airport Police, Facilities Maintenance, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Information Technology staff – is the nerve centre of the airport and is where monitoring of the airfield, landside, and terminal operations occurs. Staff assigned to the ARCC work with their counterparts around the airport to obtain updates on various facility assets and airport incidents, and use that information to develop and execute collaborative response plans. LAWA IT recently developed two innovative systems using mobility as the platform. In the first, LAWA IT worked with Airport Operations to utilise a geographic information system (GIS) web viewer integrated with situational awareness management software on iPads. When an incident occurs, field personnel are able to access standard operating procedures for handling that incident, identify on a map the location of the incident, and provide immediate updates. A second innovation is an online terminal inspection form also stored on an iPad. The inspection form covers more than 1,900 critical assets spread across LAX’s nine airline terminals that can be reported wirelessly into a database, and whose status is immediately transmitted to a terminal condition dashboard in the ARCC. By utilising a new and innovative mobile approach, IT has provided the ARCC staff a valuable tool that helps operations staff gather data about LAX’s physical infrastructure, thereby improving staff’s situational awareness so they can make effective decisions. This was recently demonstrated during an incident when a flight landed without its left landing gear. When the plane came to a stop, emergency personnel and operations staff were immediately on site to assist and help its passengers safely leave the aircraft. It was textbook stuff and the incident was over with little fuss, but for ARCC and Airport Operations workers tasked with managing the situation their jobs were just getting started. Mobile devices were used to track the incident from start to finish, including identifying the incident location, runway and taxiway closures, command post location, and incident perimeter, documenting each activity and providing a steady stream of updates until the incident closed. This information enabled the ARCC staff and incident manager to have a strong common operating picture and provide a comprehensive summary of the event for future analysis and establishment of best practices. Though LAWA might never be able to fully compete with the private sector in many aspects of employment, there are few organisations that can offer an environment as exciting and richly rewarding technologically AW as the world’s fifth busiest airport for passenger traffic.
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SPECIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
Top of mind Yannick Beunardeau tells Airport World why he believes traditional Airport Operational Databases are ripe for change.
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he Airport Operational Database (AODB) is often considered the brain of an airport IT infrastructure. Indeed, as the central source of all operational airportwide data, it is pivotal to sharing high-quality information throughout the airport eco-system as all stakeholders work towards a single goal: the on-time performance of flights. As we all know, a wide range of tasks have to be completed before this can happen. Passengers, of course, need to get through the airport check-in, security and boarding processes. Ground handlers have many terminal and ramp services to perform and let’s not forget the many aircraft turnaround checks the airline and pilot have to carry out. And if just one of these tasks is delayed – or its completion isn’t communicated to all stakeholders – this has a knock on effect on the rest of the chain, leading to flight delays which can even impact on the next airport. With an estimated 70% of Europe’s air traffic delays attributed to poor turnaround times at the airport, the automation and co-ordination of AODB information is essential to mitigate these delays.
In particular, the integration of new systems and industry standards is difficult and costly. Why is this? Because most legacy AODBs are effectively centred around aircraft movements only and, as such, have little capacity to go much into the future. They cannot predict well or correct operational events. Furthermore, they often rely on manually entered data, a method open to human error, or on traditional messaging systems that can provide poor quality or conflicting information. In fact, I would go as far to say that the challenging ‘management of information’ associated with legacy systems presents a major threat to airport expansion, primarily due to the key information residing in siloed systems or even spreadsheets. For efficient operational planning, airport operators need a centralised data source that enables them to identify and share the problem points causing delays in real-time so that they can be rapidly addressed. Without this visibility, operators can’t maximise resource capacity to ensure a stress free passenger journey and an efficient aircraft pushback, taxi and departure within the allocated runway time slot.
The challenges of legacy AODBs
AODB transformation to a service
What perhaps has been ignored for far too long is the fact that legacy AODB systems pose a range of operational challenges in today’s airport operating environment.
Traditionally, there have been some misconceptions surrounding cloud-based airport IT systems, particularly when it comes to network performance, security and control.
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SPECIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
Thanks to many robust proven wired and wireless network options and secure single-sign on, this is now a non-issue as airports are aligning with other industries and moving their airport IT to cloud systems most notably for common use. These cloud-based systems are much more flexible because users can access the system anywhere at any time from a web-enabled device. And this new level of mobility for airport staff improves operability, especially in disruption scenarios. The AODB cloud encapsulates traditional IT overheads into a Software as a Service (SaaS), which by design, simplifies IT systems and reduces complexities of network and integration between siloed systems and data providers. This reduction in hardware also reduces the airport’s energy footprint.
Community driven The evolution of a SaaS-based AODB is community-driven by the many airport operators, ground handlers and airlines that contribute to the community roadmap. Indeed, this unique approach ensures that the whole community stays aligned with the latest industry standards and technology, and can share information, especially when managing services within the same airports. For external business partners, they can subscribe to an information adaptor that allows them to exchange information to and from the AODB, helping them to stay in sync.
Be under no illusions, the improvements made by modern AODBs can be multi-dimensional, mainly in time span (the anticipation of events up to several months in advance) and in granularity. Modern AODBs can embrace a much wider scope than just aircraft movements of the current day of operations. For example, it can drill down to individual passenger events or perform passenger profiling in order to better service them. As airports seek to move to the next phase of operational excellence that sees greater collaborative decision-making and improved optimisation of airport capacity, it is fundamental that core AODB systems are not a barrier. At Amadeus we believe passionately in a cloud computing approach for overcoming legacy IT challenges. In the case of a system as critical as the AODB, a cloud approach can reduce the problems of poor data quality, and time-consuming and costly integration by using an open systems approach that makes ‘knitting’ the AODB together with other core systems simple. Without a strategy for AODB transformation airports face ‘death by a thousand cuts’ as everyday operational performance continues to be marginally but frequently impacted. AW
About the author Yannick Beunardeau is the global head of sales and marketing for airport solutions at Amadeus.
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SPECIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
Making IT happen
The Apple Watch, robots, social media, flight tracking media and drones were all on the agenda at the Air Transport IT Summit in Brussels, writes Joe Bates.
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ne constant about new technology is that change and development is inevitable, and few industries appear to understand this more than aviation, which continues to innovate and embrace new IT trends. One such example of this is Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, which has become the first gateway in the world to introduce the Apple Watch as a tool to assist staff. Employees now use the watches to connect to the airport’s management systems and push regular operational alerts to duty managers in a bid to ensure operations run smoothly. “We are always looking for new technology to help enhance our operations, and ultimately better serve our passengers,” says the airport’s vice president for information technology, Marc-André Bédard. “Wearable tech is one area of interest to us and with the Apple Watch and SITA’s Airport Management solution our duty managers will receive important notifications at just the right time to take action as needed. “For example, they may get an alert to say that two planes are arriving simultaneously and have been assigned to the same gate or that there is a delay at a certain gate. “Previously, they would have checked their tablets regularly for updates. With the watch, a vibration alerts them to an update so they receive vital information just by glancing at their wrist. They can then take immediate action.”
Robots, flight tracking and drones Other technology driven firsts to be debated at the summit included Geneva Airport’s Robbi the robot, a new flight tracking system and the use of drone technology to inspect aircraft on the ground.
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Talking about Robbi during a session called ‘Travellers & technology – it’s an emotional journey’, Geneva Airport’s innovation manager for airport IT, Gilles Brentini, admitted that some people loved it while others hated it! Its robot is actually a mobile information screen designed by Bluebotics that automatically moves around the airport providing information and directing passengers to where they want to go – sometimes literally by taking them there. He noted that the information supplied by Robbi could be regularly updated to incorporate the latest commercial offerings/promotions provided by the airport’s shops and F&B outlets. It is also just one of the many ways the Swiss airport is using technologybased initiatives to make life easier for passengers, said Brentini. “Innovation is a very important ingredient to the customer loyalty recipe,” he told delegates. “It can bring a new dimension to the customer experience and doesn’t have to be complex, as we showed on May 4th this year when we announced ‘May the 4th be with you!’ on our digital signs to celebrate Stars Wars Day.” His airport has also introduced an App for the Apple Watch and was one of the testing grounds for drone technology that lets airline engineers/maintenance workers inspect an aircraft without having to climb all over it. In other news from the summit SITA OnAir revealed that its ready-made solution for tracking airlines in flight is beginning to gain traction with the airlines. CEO, Ian Dawkins, said: “This system is available now, doesn’t involve any new hardware and for the 90 plus airlines already using AIRCOM FlightMessenger can be implemented within in a couple of days.
SPECIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
“No new equipment has to be installed onboard the aircraft, which is important, as is the fact that it exceeds IATA and ICAO requirements.” The new technology, developed in association with a number of airlines, uses existing Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS–B), Future Air Navigation System (FANS) and ATC radar information systems to pinpoint the location of aircraft. More than 40,000 aircraft are already equipped with the above technology, said Dawkins, who revealed that Malaysia Airlines is among its latest customers for the software. According to SITA OnAir the fact that it uses multiple sources of data ensures tracking intervals of 15 minutes or less, with intervals of just 60 seconds theoretically possible. It was developed after ICAO and IATA called for global tracking technology that uses existing equipment and procedures as much as possible. And although like existing GPS technology AIRCOM FlightMessenger could be turned off, Dawkins said that if it happened with this system it would immediately and automatically alert the airline to a problem.
Airport Apps ACI Europe’s director for media and communications director, Robert O’Meara, revealed that Europe’s airport operators have developed 51 apps that currently cover 164 gateways while 292 had official twitter accounts and 289 were on Facebook. And he flagged up some of the highlights of ACI Europe’s Digital Report 2014-2015, pointing out that by the end of 2017, some 54% of Europe’s airports expected to have implemented mobile-based services and 65% of these would provide personalised information to passengers. He insisted that social media was a key enabler for airports to provide support and reassurance to passengers. When asked whether he felt social media was the ‘silver bullet’ to stay connected with travellers, he replied: “I don’t think it is the silver bullet, but it should be an instrumental part of any airport’s passenger experience strategy. “I believe that there are a certain amount of people who think that social media is a fad or that it is just too shallow to be useful, but in the airport context it is genuinely useful.”
He noted that KLM has invested hugely in social media, employing around 130 staff to work purely on its social media themes. Such actions, he stated, had “raised the game” on what can be done via social media and caused other airlines and airports to sit up and take notice. “It has made many think about what they can do and how far they want to go in meeting customer expectations through social media,” added O’Meara. “There is certainly a lot more to come from social media and room for more exciting developments.”
Airline IT survey A common theme throughout this year’s Air Transport IT Summit was how new technology is making air travel easier and helping restore the ‘fun’ at airports, and the world’s airlines seem to agree as they continue to invest in passenger enhancing IT solutions. Indeed, according to SITA’s 2015 Airline IT Trends Survey, almost a third of airline IT spend is on innovation, with increased ‘personalisation’ appearing to be the goal of many airlines. It also predicts that a “major revolution in the passenger experience” is set to emerge over the next three years as airlines invest in the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). According to the survey, the vast majority of airlines (86%) expect that the IoT will deliver clear benefits in the next three years and already more than one third (37%) have allocated a budget to it. SITA explains the Internet of Things as being when physical objects are connected to the internet, enabling tracking, data collection, analysis and control. As part of this revolution, it says, more things in the airport are being connected up including buildings, equipment, bags, trolleys and tugs – basically all the ‘things’ that could emit a status. One of the first manifestations of the IoT in the air transport industry is the use of beacons and this is where airports have a key role to play with some, such as Dubai and Miami already installing thousands of beacons across their respective sites. Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths, said: “The abiity to track and trace and optimise operations has huge benefits for the industry. It will make airports, airlines and passengers happy.” He noted that IoT would improve an airport’s on time performance, transform airport design and increase the capacity of existing facilities. AW
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SPECIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
A world of
opportunities IT is spearheading the development of airports across the world, writes Binnur Güleryüz Onaran, general manager of TAV Information Technologies.
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he aviation industry has employed cutting edge technology since its early days and airports are no exception. Indeed, today’s airports are pioneers in the implementation of new technology and have effectively become airtight operation centres where hundreds of different IT systems are integrated and operated 24/7. At TAV Information Technologies (TAV IT) we work continuously to provide a comfortable, fast and safe travel experience while maximising passenger satisfaction. We have positioned ourselves as the ‘IT architect’ for the industry and as such provide customised services to a host of airports and aviation clients, which want to take advantage of our professional and innovative team. Our mission is to strive to add value for all stakeholders in the sector – particularly airport operators and airlines – through innovative products and solutions that help them increase their efficiency while increasing passenger satisfaction. I am pleased to say that as a result of our ambitions TAV IT has become one of the leading players in this arena in a relatively short period of time, proved by the recently won tender for the infrastructure works of the ongoing terminal construction project of the Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) in Abu Dhabi. When completed in 2017, Abu Dhabi International Airport’s MTB will be the world’s largest terminal constructed under one roof. TAV IT’s role in this mega project includes providing the design, set-up, commissioning and operations of a broad range of mission critical information and communications technology (ICT) systems. Abu Dhabi Airports wants the new 27mppa capacity terminal to be one of the smartest on the planet in terms of its state-of-the-art IT systems that incorporate the latest in near-field communication and self-service and biometric technologies. The giant MTB will have an indoor floor area of 702,000sqm and boast 106 passenger bridges, 156 check-in counters, 48 self-service kiosk areas and more than 28,000sqm of retail and F&B space. Today, the products and services of TAV IT are utilised at 29 airports on three continents. Our expertise is in providing integrated turnkey airport systems and developing solutions that increase efficiency by restructuring business processes. AODB (Airport Operational Database), IB (Information Broker), FIDS (Flight Information Display System), RMS (Resource Management System), CDM (Collaborative Decision Making),
SCMS (Slot Co-ordination and Management System), PIS (Passenger Information System), SIPA (IATA Type-B Message Parser), TAV Mobile Applications, VIP/CIP Operation and Reservation Suite, MIS (Management Information System), IMS (Infrastructure Monitoring System), SHRIKE (Systems and Infrastructure Monitoring and Management System), SmartZone (Indoor Geo-positioning and Proximity Marketing System) and CAFI (Catch Actual Flight Information) are amongst the products designed, developed and exported by TAV IT. We are also providing services in other areas such as data collection, UNIX and database consultancy, system and infrastructure, consultancy on information technology and aviation systems as well as on enterprise resource planning. TAV IT carries out its operations by enhancing its innovation processes and R&D activities to sustain a customer-oriented approach in parallel with technological developments. For example, TAV IT is one of the very first companies in the world to use iBeacon technology and completed the required improvements in the TAV SmartZone application. TAV SmartZone enables users to receive the latest notifications about promotions, exclusive offers and special campaigns at specific locations of duty-free areas and food & beverage courts. Having already been downloaded 350,000 times, the TAV Mobile application brings together all the services at the airport and makes them available on the passengers’ mobile device. Along with providing attractive solutions to passengers, we are also supporting the productivity of airlines and airport authorities. For example, we have completed the development of our SLOT Coordination and Management System product, which allows airports to use SLOT capacity in the most efficient way. Furthermore, development of the SHRIKE to monitor and manage TAV IT products and infrastructure equipment and systems has also been completed. Designed by TAV IT engineers, CAFI (Catch Actual Flight Information) automatically recognises the names of aircraft within the airspace and transfers this information to the related airport. Aviation and IT go hand-in-hand as without cutting edge technology that continues to evolve and enhance the industry’s capacity and operational effectiveness, airports as we know them today simply couldn’t exist. AW
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Time for technology Montréal-Trudeau is reaping the rewards of deploying advanced technologies and finding new ways of working to improve passenger flows and customer convenience while maintaining high security standards, writes Christiane Beaulieu.
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everaging technology to enhance the travel experience is the name of the game for Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and its operator, Aéroports de Montréal (ADM). Located less than 20 killometres from heart of downtown, Montréal–Trudeau is a growing transportation hub for domestic, transborder and international passengers with 30 airlines offering about 80 scheduled destinations and 50 seasonal destinations. And it is growing as last year a record 14.8 million passengers passed through its facilities making Montréal-Trudeau Canada’s third busiest airport. The airport’s growth over the past decade has been enabled by the introduction of a wide range of self-service and other advanced technologies deployed as part of a C$2 billion modernisation and expansion programme. Indeed, the airport is a pioneer in self-service check-in; self-tagging baggage; self-service baggage drop-off; automated flow tracking of passengers and baggage; and automated border control (ABC). It is also at the industry forefront when it comes to mobile technologies, including 2D boarding passes and SMS alerts, and uses modular architecture and multi-purpose boarding gates to optimise available space. “All of these technologies and approaches are playing an integral role in our goal of ensuring a seamless, smooth and smart journey for our passengers,” says ADM’s president and CEO, James Cherry. He notes that common-use check-in kiosks (CUSSK) are now installed in all sectors of the airport, with their own bag tag printers, while the transborder (Canada-US) sector offers a true common-use generic bag drop available to passengers from any airline, virtually eliminating queuing. “More than two-thirds of our passengers currently check in using a self-service option, including a high proportion through the internet as well as through CUSSKs, significantly reducing congestion in the terminal building,” he notes. ABC kiosks, a high-technology self-service system for clearing customs and immigration are also now being used by a majority of eligible passengers with significant reductions in wait times. In 2013, Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks were added for Canadian and American passport holders heading to the United States, reducing process times by 40%.
But the IT journey is only just beginning and Montréal-Trudeau is steadily expanding and enhancing its technology offerings through initiatives ranging from the introduction of free Wi-Fi and real-time SMS alerts to online parking reservations and ‘SecurXpress’. The latter new service allows passengers to book a predetermined time for security clearance, and has been well received. Many of these services are accessible through a new ‘responsive design’ website introduced in 2014 that aims to guarantee an optimum user experience across all devices – i.e. desktop computers, tablets and smartphones. The website delivers a modern, user-friendly browsing experience, allowing users to easily find all the information and tools they need to plan a visit to the airport or to catch their next flight. “Our vision is to leverage and converge technologies and innovations in the next few years to provide a travel experience that is closely tailored to the individual needs of passengers and provide an even more seamless process,” reveals Cherry. Already being tested or on the horizon for airports are exciting new concepts such as ‘single passenger tokens’ that use biometrics and barcodes, digital bag tags, home-printed bag tags, automatic check-in at time of ticket purchase, near field communications (NFC), and wearable technologies such as Google glasses and the Apple Watch. At the same time, sophisticated data gathering and shared systems will facilitate location-based, two-way, and targeted communication with passengers through beacon or other Bluetooth applications. “In addition to benefiting our passengers, such technologies promise to generate more non-aeronautical revenues for airport administrators such as ADM,” says Cherry. “For example, reduced processing time made possible by technology will give passengers more opportunities to use our increasing array of restaurants, shops and commercial offerings. “These new sources of revenues will reduce pressures to increase AW landing and other aeronautical fees and enhance competitiveness.”
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
Safe travels Dr Anthony Evans and Arturo Garcia-Alonso tell us more about the CAPSCA initiative, which is designed to prevent and manage the spread of infectious diseases in civil aviation.
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ver three billion international passengers travel by air each year, which in numerical terms, is around 40% of the world’s population. It is an incredible number and potentially any of them could be carrying a disease that might develop into a global pandemic. And, as well all know, each passenger begins and ends his or her journey at an international airport – perhaps at one you use. Still, the health risks seem fairly low and, anyway, the public health authority or port health service provider is responsible for addressing public health matters at airports –isn’t it? In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) convened a meeting in Geneva to address the risk from an avian influenza called Influenza A (H5N1), the source being wild ducks and geese in Asia (hence the term ‘bird flu’). It did so because the number of human cases had begun to rise along with increasing health concerns after 98 cases were reported and 43 deaths. And it got worse because in 2006 the numbers peaked with 115 cases and 79 deaths. However, that was the worst of it and after that the numbers declined. Nevertheless the H5N1 virus hasn’t gone away and it continues to represent a pandemic risk today should it mutate into a form that is easily transmissible between humans. Indeed, there has been an increase in number of deaths from H5N1 in the first six months of 2015 – the disease claiming the life of 40 people. There are also other circulating types of influenza – for instance, H7N9 – as well as other diseases that could cause future global health
problems, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) or Ebola Virus Disease. At the 2005 WHO meeting mentioned earlier, preparedness planning for a possible human influenza pandemic was discussed, but there was little guidance proposed for the aviation sector even though the most likely way that a disease can be widely and quickly disseminated is through air transport. At that time ICAO was being asked by its member States for guidance on what action the aviation sector should take to reduce health risks. To address this need, in 2006, at the invitation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, ICAO convened a meeting to consider preparedness planning in the aviation sector, and WHO, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ACI and IATA participated. The result was the development of the first set of international guidelines, which formed the initial framework for the ICAO Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA) programme (www.CAPSCA.org). The aim of CAPSCA is to improve implementation of aviationrelevant parts of the WHO International Health Regulations (http:// www.who.int/ihr/publications/9789241596664/en/), and ACI has been a key partner in this programme since the initial meeting in 2006. In fact in 2009 ACI, in collaboration with ICAO, produced specific guidelines for airport operators concerning management of outbreaks of communicable disease.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING And in 2012 business continuity guidelines for health-related disruptions at airports were also posted on ACI’s website at http://www.aci.aero/About-ACI/Priorities/Health/Documentation. During 2007 to 2009, several additions and amendments to ICAO Annexes were made. These included an important amendment to Annex 14 – Aerodromes so that public health emergencies should be included as one of the emergencies to be considered in the aerodrome emergency plan. The airport operator clearly plays a key role in the development of this plan and indeed also plays a major role in its implementation in the event of an outbreak that affects the airport. One of the interesting points concerning public health events is that they are usually managed by a different medical team from the airport medical services that deal with ‘typical’ airport medical emergencies (such as accidents or incidents, and common medical conditions such as heart or lung diseases).
Why would the airport operator play an important role for a public health event? The most important aspects of preparedness planning concern communication and collaboration between different sectors, particularly those of aviation and public health and with different stakeholders in the same sector. For aviation, such stakeholders include: airlines and their staff; air navigation service providers, customs and immigration; security; ground handlers; concessionaires; first responders etc. A plan needs to be available to ensure that, in the event of an outbreak, airport staff receive appropriate communications on risk, advice on personal protective equipment and on interaction with public health officers. The input of all stakeholders needs co-ordination and the public health component of the aerodrome emergency plan needs to be developed, with supporting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It is in a co-ordinating role that the airport operator plays a major role. In addition, the operator shares overall responsibility for the implementation of contingency measures related to airport processes in responding to a public health event, working closely with public health authorities. When developing the public health component of the aerodrome emergency plan, two main scenarios need to be considered, involving (1) management of an inbound aircraft carrying a suspected case of a serious communicable disease; and (2) a national outbreak in the country where the airport is situated. Whilst an airport operator is not likely to be an expert in public health, it will need to liaise with not only airport staff but also public health officers who may wish to establish screening facilities at the airport, quarantine areas, interview rooms, amendment of arriving/ departing traveler flows, and perhaps (although rarely) diversion of aircraft in flight to an alternate airport that is more able to manage a serious case. Such scenarios need to be worked out in advance and appropriate networks established if they are to be efficiently managed. The interface between the different stakeholders is crucial – and from experience the most challenging – especially between the public health and the aviation sectors. Nevertheless, it is essential that good communication channels are established in advance of an outbreak as neither sector can write and test an effective preparedness plan without collaborating with the other.
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The CAPSCA programme assists with such collaboration through its annual regional project meetings (five harmonised CAPSCA regional projects exist and comprise the global CAPSCA programme) and assistance visits, with WHO, to individual States/ international airports. Over two thirds of ICAO member States and territories have joined CAPSCA and more than 60 Assistance Visits have been undertaken. A grant from the UN Ebola Multi-Partner Trust Fund currently supports increased CAPSCA activity in Africa to assist with core capacity building in that region. Experience with the CAPSCA programme has demonstrated three particular areas that could be improved in many locations: • Communication/collaboration channels between key stakeholders – particularly between the aviation and public health sectors that includes civil aviation and public health authorities, airport and aircraft operators, and port health services. • Development of the public health component of the aerodrome emergency plan, including SOPs for all players. • Periodic testing of the public health component of the aerodrome emergency plan/SOPs. Preparedness planning for emergencies does not have to be costly, and with the potential loss of passenger traffic at an airport in public health emergencies being 40% to 80% – based on experience of SARS, pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and Ebola Virus Disease – it may pay dividends when the next significant public health event occurs. In summary, since CAPSCA’s foundation in 2006, a great number of airport operators around the world have benefited from participation in the initiative, sharing best practices and improving the aviation industry collective response to public health risks. Direct participation from airport colleagues has been paramount in educating public health authorities on airport operational issues, and at the same time, these experts have received first-hand information on the challenges and points of view from other stakeholders. CAPSCA has provided an industry-wide platform to apply Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) principles to pandemic preparedness. In the future, airport operators will continue to play an essential role in helping to co-ordinate the aviation preparedness and response to public health risks that include not only communicable disease, but also risks posed by radio-nuclear and chemical events. AW
About the authors Dr Anthony Evans is chief of ICAO’s Aviation Medicine Section. Arturo García-Alonso is head of passenger and airport services at ACI World.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Passenger focused, research driven ACI’s ASQ programme gives airports of all sizes the actionable intelligence they need to ensure customer service excellence across numerous touchpoints of a passenger’s journey at the airport, writes Antoine Rostworowski.
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irports have evolved from being places that largely deal with airline and aircraft-related activities to complex businesses in their own right, competing against one another to be the gateways to regions and even entire continents. Each day in airports around the world, innumerable service providers and government agencies – some customer facing and some behind the scenes – have an indelible effect on the passenger experience. More than ever, airports require in-depth, actionable intelligence on satisfaction levels across the multiple touchpoints of a traveler’s journey. ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey measures passengers’ appraisal of 34 key performance indicators (KPIs) on the day they travel, allowing airports to get an accurate and timely picture of traveller sentiment. Indeed, ASQ has been designed for airports seeking to measure their passenger service performance and to benchmark it against other airports with the overarching objective of offering more effective, efficient and profitable ways to serve the flying public while providing a systematic approach to continuously improving customer service.
Why should your airport be a part of ASQ? Today, airports are key economic drivers of the communities they serve: cities, regions and even entire nations. As such, they must function as sophisticated business-oriented service providers. With commercial revenues now reaching or exceeding 50% of total revenues at many airports, smart managers know the key to future success is delivering superior quality service. In most cases, satisfied customers will spend more, contributing to more commercial revenue and a better bottom line. But in order to
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increase customer satisfaction and benefit from the growth in customer spending that comes with it, airports need to know which services the passengers are demanding; how passengers rate an airport’s delivery of those services; and how an airport compares to other airports within their local market and around the world. ASQ is helping over 300 airports globally measure, benchmark and improve their customer service initiatives through a survey that has been designed to provide feedback on service performance, consequently driving superior operational and strategic decision-making and offering better guidance for prioritisation of projects. The ACI ASQ Survey also shows how to get maximum return from investments in service delivery, enabling and guiding airports in the creation of performance guidelines and incentive programmes with the overarching goal of maximising passenger satisfaction and spending at airport facilities.
Benchmarking 101 Benchmarking has become an important activity for global businesses – and indeed for airports – to ensure that their offering is on par with industry standards and best practices. This enables airports to see where they are placed in global peer rankings; where improvements are required; and where investment is most likely to deliver the biggest return. Benchmarking and the use of such a passenger survey offers a broad range of benefits, including an independent perspective on performance; identification of areas of opportunity; understanding customers’ needs, priorities and expectations; enabling prioritisation
CUSTOMER SERVICE A programme for any airport, anywhere
of improvement opportunities; setting and monitoring of performance expectations; and managing change effectively. Importantly, the ACI ASQ Survey is designed to be fair, transparent and scientifically accurate. Airports follow a clear and defined process, and a robust audit procedure is integrated as part of it. The programme’s methodology consists of five key steps: questionnaires are distributed at the departure gate; the questionnaires are completed by passengers selected according to a traffic mix sample plan, thereby ensuring statistical accuracy; completed questionnaires are collected by on-site fieldwork agents; the airport returns the completed questionnaires to the ASQ team; and the data is captured and analysed, and the results/reports are distributed to all participating airports (accessible through a web portal). ACI ASQ is the leading customer satisfaction benchmarking programme in the airport industry today, and ASQ research is in place in airports that serve more than half the world’s 6.6 billion passengers. ASQ has been designed for airports that understand the importance of monitoring and improving customer service. One of the most unique features offered by the ACI ASQ programme is providing airports with the opportunity to share best practices with other participating airports. Participants share all customer satisfaction information with the ASQ community of airports on a confidential basis, which drives the use of best practices and promotes discussions aimed at helping airports improve their customer service levels. ACI ASQ also helps airports market their customer service achievements more effectively, publishing a yearly list of top-rated airports and rewarding top performers with the prestigious ACI ASQ Awards and a global press campaign that highlights their achievements. The awards represent the highest possible accolade for airport operators and are an opportunity to celebrate the commitment to continuously enhancing the passenger experience.
ACI ASQ is an initiative for all airports, regardless of size or location. During the last twelve months, some 550,000 passengers worldwide have taken part in the ASQ Survey, which covers every airport touchpoint from access, check-in and security to airport facilities, food and beverage providers, and more. All participating airports use the same survey questions, effectively creating an industry standard set of responses that allows airports to better track and analyse their performance. The ACI ASQ Survey is available in 35 languages and can offer bespoke solutions tailored to participants’ needs. In addition to the ASQ Survey Main service, there are two programme offshoots: ASQ Survey Regional and ASQ Survey Unique. ACI ASQ Survey Regional is designed for airports servicing fewer than two million passengers per year and has been developed with the understanding that smaller airports differ in some respects from their larger counterparts. ASQ Survey Regional is similar to the ASQ Survey Main service in that it delivers accurate, timely and unbiased customer satisfaction information, but does so at a reduced cost, in effect allowing smaller airports to take advantage of the benefits of ASQ without having to invest in the full ASQ Survey Main product. In ASQ Survey Regional, there are two reporting waves per year (summer and winter) rather than the ASQ Survey Main’s quarterly schedule. Like the main ASQ Survey, this programme offers a powerful array of management tools and customer insights. ACI ASQ Survey Unique, on the other hand, is a one-time survey conceived to give an airport insight into customer satisfaction in a single period of time. ASQ Survey Unique can be customised to suit essentially any special circumstance for which an airport may want to gauge traveller sentiment. ASQ Survey Unique is conducted according to the same rigorous standards that have helped make the ASQ Survey the industry leader in measuring airport customer satisfaction. If desired, airports can upgrade from ASQ Survey Regional or Unique to ASQ Survey Main at any time. In order to meet airports’ growing data analysis needs, there are a number of optional ASQ Survey services available to ACI ASQ customers, such as fieldwork services; additional survey samples; comprehensive insight reports; passenger comment analysis; dissatisfied passenger probes; terminal and gate reports; monthly reports; executive presentations; and other customised reports.
The clear choice “ACI’s commitment to representing our members’ best interests underscores everything we do, and the ACI ASQ programme is an excellent example,” says Angela Gittens, director general, ACI World. “More than ever, this is a programme designed with member and passenger needs in mind.” In the fast-changing landscape of worldwide aviation, ACI ASQ is the key to understanding how to increase passenger satisfaction and improve business performance. Hundreds of airports worldwide have already discovered that customer service excellence is its own reward, and we invite you to visit http://www.aci.aero/Airport-Service-Quality for more AW information on the benefits of participation.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
Sweet dreams! Is your airport doing enough to cater for the sleeping requirements of transit passengers with a long layover? Joe Bates discovers that some airports are ahead of the game when it comes to facilities and services.
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lthough finding a place to catch forty winks might be the last thing on your mind when planning a trip to the airport, for transit passengers with a long lay-over, discovering somewhere quiet to simply relax and rest up is often crucial to a good airport experience. And with long-haul travel on the rise and more transit passengers than ever before expected to pass through the world’s gateways over the next decade, arguably now is the time for airports to start thinking more about creating facilities and services for sleepy passengers. Some already are, of course, either through the opening of transit hotels, the creation of ‘quiet zones’ with comfortable seating or introducing facilities such as sleep pods or cabins where passengers can separate themselves from the outside environment. One such example of innovation in this area can be found at Tokyo Narita which has its own capsule hotel, called 9h nine hours, where travellers can sleep cheaply in air conditioned tube like spaces for around $40 a night. Upon checking in, guests receive a key that provides access to a locker, a shower and their private capsule. They also receive a towel, a handful of toiletries and some loungewear. All of the 129 capsules measure a metre high and two metres long and are stacked next to and on top of each other in gender-specific sections – 71 rooms being for men and 58 for women. As check in time is 10am and guests paying $40 can stay until midday the following day, theoretically customers can stay up to 22 hours for their money. Tokyo Narita explains that the facility – located within a two minute walk of Terminal 2 – is a first for an airport in Japan and is primarily targeted at passengers taking early morning flights. The hotel might not be for everyone, but it has enjoyed over 60,000 guests in its first year, so there is definitely a market for such budget style accommodation in Tokyo.
Sleep pods/cabins Back in May 2013, Abu Dhabi International Airport unveiled the world’s first ‘GoSleep’ sleeping pods and today boasts 24 of them in a special lounge on the second floor of Terminal 3.
Inspired by airline business class seats, the pods are effectively chairs that convert into flat beds with an added roller-type blind at the top that can be partially or fully closed for privacy. At the time of their launch, Abu Dhabi’s chief commercial officer, Mohammed Al Bulooki, enthused: “We continually strive to enhance the experience of our passengers and view the introduction of sleeping pods as another step towards exceeding customers expectations and delivering world-class levels of service.” Abu Dhabi has since been joined as a GoSleep customer by Helsinki Airport in Europe and fellow UAE gateway Dubai (DXB), which last November introduced pods in Concourses A and B. DXB has also invested in the Snoozecube, installing 10 sound-proofed units or micro-hotels as they describe themselves adjacent to Gate C22 in Terminal 1. Each features a full-sized bed, touch screen television, a selection of entertainment and music and high-speed Internet access. They are connected to the airport’s flight information system to ensure that amid the rest and relaxation, passengers don’t miss their flights. GoSleep says that it has taken a minimalist approach to design with an emphasis on function for its units, which can be used for a minimum of two hours, although one customer with visa problems ended up staying for five days! Munich Airport has something similar, although its version is called the napcab, which are located in a recreation area closes to Gate H32 and G06 in Terminal 2. Using touch screens with intuitive menus, passengers can reserve cabins directly and then spend up to 12 hours inside, and this without having to specify a time period in advance. Munich’s eight cabins offer enough space to safely store hand luggage and are equipped with a bed, desk, customisable air conditioning unit, internet access and a multi-media touch screen as a central operation and entertainment module. Indeed, according to napcabs, each cabin offers “everything travellers need to relax or work”, including access to the latest flight information, which is also used as an alarm function to wake up occupants ahead of their flights. Meanwhile, Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport boasts the Sleepbox, which it says is designed to cater for passengers looking for somewhere comfortable to rest and relax.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING Measuring 1.4 metres wide by two metres in length and 2.3 metres in height, Sleepbox’s star feature is a two metre long bed made of polymer foam and pulp tissue that changes bed linen automatically. It also comes with luggage space, a ventilation system, Wi-Fi, electric sockets and an LCD TV. The model unveiled in Moscow is a ‘hostel’ version of the Sleepbox, which includes an additional bunk bed and fold-up desk. The company’s goal is to eventually have installations at over 100 airports worldwide.
The ZZZ factor According to the website SleepingInAirports.com, the most ‘sleep friendly’ airport in the world in 2014 was Singapore Changi followed by Incheon, Helsinki, Munich and Vancouver. The top ten was completed by Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Tokyo Haneda, Amsterdam Schiphol and Zurich airports, with all being rated for not only their ‘sleep-ability’ or ‘ZZZ factor’ but also the services, amenities and features offered to layover passengers. The website’s annual survey asks travellers to consider the four C’s of airport travel: comfort, conveniences, cleanliness and customer service. Comfort, it says, encompasses the availability of plush chairs, armrest free areas, quiet zones, reclining options, etc. Conveniences include free Wi-Fi, 24-hour food options, showers, pay lounges and other things to do at the airport while awaiting a flight. Cleanliness, according to its rules, centres around clean floors, maintained bathrooms and tidy foodcourts. While Customer Service, it states, means smiling faces and friendly attitudes, along with considerate and helpful workers who go that extra mile by doing things such as offering blankets and pillows to stranded passengers. Singapore Changi has topped its annual poll for 18 years, leading to SleepingInAirports.com issuing the following ZZZ factor: “Travellers most appreciate the dedicated rest and relaxation zones. “There are currently six areas set up with reclining lounge style seating. Often busy and sometimes noisy, these areas are appreciated by those travellers who don’t like to stretch out on the armrest free seats at the gate.” It notes that travellers praised the airport for its overall soothing ambiance, its intuitive layout and friendly staff. Adding: “The sheer volume of activities and amenities left some transit travellers wondering if they has just landed at a shopping mall or resort rather than an airport. “With its themed gardens, cultural activities, world-class shopping, spas, swimming pool, gym, lounges, four-storey slide, movie theatres, TV lounges, and free Singapore city tour, a layover here is not likely to be boring. “Travellers can enjoy free Wi-Fi and recharge all their gadgets at one of over 800 mobile charging points. In July 2014 the airport opened the Wellness Oasis spa in Terminal 1. The unique feature here is the fish spa that exfoliates your feet and legs.” Second placed Incheon International Airport also draws high praise from SleepingInAirports.com, which quotes one passengers as saying that if Incheon Airport provided blankets for travellers who stayed overnight, it would be “heaven in the world”. It remarks: “Seoul Incheon Airport is a favourite as a result of its impeccable cleanliness, its superior customer service and the volume of comfortable sitting and nap locations. “Amenity-wise, the terminals truly are going above and beyond. You will find indoor gardens, a spa and small shopping extravaganzas located throughout. Unique features here include the Korean Cultural Street – complete with local cuisine and dance performances – and the indoor ice rink.
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Munich Airport has eight napcabs for passengers that want a little privacy.
“Unlimited free Wi-Fi, showers and uber-luxurious private lounges further delight those who spend multiple hours here. It almost gets to the point where you’d think the airport wants you to stay forever – but then, you realise they also run free guided city tours for transit passengers as well. They really do it all!” Helsinki International Airport is the top placed European airport in its passenger poll, and is commended for being innovative and transit-friendly. SleepingInAirports.com remarks: “Helsinki excels in terms of comfort, convenience, cleanliness and customer service. Favourite unique features here include the book exchange, relaxation areas, electronic passport kiosks (that virtually eliminate lines), an art gallery and, perhaps most importantly, the ergonomic and publicly accessible Kainuu lounge. “What really sets Helsinki apart this year was the TravelLab series – an airport-led initiative designed to improve the travel experience. Last winter and spring, the airport collected feedback from travellers as to services they’d like to see offered. They then piloted the best ideas over the course of the summer. “Highlights included free yoga and pilates classes, pop-up Finnish restaurants and a ‘selfie-wall’ that featured famous national landmarks.” Talking about fourth placed Munich International Airport, the website says: “It perhaps comes as no surprise that Germany’s Munich International Airport is well reviewed for its efficiency and ease of navigation. “The airport offers up a number of entertaining activities for transit passengers, which range from tours of the airport brewery to mini golf to the Fit & Fly Spa. “This year, they even had a temporary in-airport stationary surf station, complete with a grand stand and an artificial palm-fringed beach! Extravagances aside, what really delighted voters this year were the relaxation zones and sleep pods in Terminal 2.” Fifth placed Vancouver International Airport is described as “beautiful, comfortable, clean and friendly”. It goes on: “Art exhibits, an aquarium, self-guided tours, great food options, rest zones, and ample aboriginal cultural influences make this airport an interesting airport to be stuck for a while. “Couple that with a few pay lounges complete with resting rooms and showers, and a spa and gym at the adjoining Fairmont Hotel, and you’re looking at a pretty comfortable layover! “What more – luggage storage and a super-convenient public transit system make the heart of Vancouver accessible to travellers with extensive layovers.” Without doubt these airports are the pioneers in terms of their ‘sleep friendly’ facilities and services. It will be interesting to see who joins them over the next few years. Now, who’s ready for a quick nap? AW
AIRPORT SEATING
In the hot seat Zoeftig’s CEO, Paul Williams, tells Airport World about some of the latest developments in airport seating. Can we start with a controversial one, why does there never appear to be enough seating in airports? If we go back 15-20 years, a lot of airport terminal designers were guilty of just packing in as many seats as possible, usually in rows with little thought to the actually design or the needs of the customer. Since then, there has been a definite move to the minimal, but with designs that incorporate a different type and mix of seating. Designers have acknowledged that, firstly there isn’t just one type of passenger, and secondly, that a balance needs to be struck to find the right amount of seating to suit the volume of passengers. On the whole, airports are looking to make themselves much more inviting by creating more of a lounge type experience, and are doing that with better seating solutions, a better choice of colours and a more reasoned layout. Granted, in some instances the right balance isn’t met, so seating can be too sparse, but where new terminals are concerned (certainly those we design) the arrangement of seats has more thought involved and it’s now more likely that the seats provided will better suit the needs of the traveller than before.
What’s hot and what’s not in terms of the current trends driving the design of airport seating? In-seat power, both mains and USB is the clear trend shaping terminal design. The American market has been the early adopter of this technology, but we’re seeing demand becoming more widespread worldwide in order to meet the growing expectation from passengers for convenient device charging. Nearly all of our major product enquiries across the globe include the provision of power (between 50-100% power to seat ratio). A major bugbear for frequent fliers today is the lack of free facilities, which allow commuters to work on the move, so this shift towards an intelligent in-seat power solution is a key factor in the design process
and one that we have been innovators in, with some of our clients even opting for a complete overhaul of terminal seating to include power; which goes to show just how important it is. Also, the mixing of lifestyle type products (softer furnishings, for instance) with a combination of different seating arrangements such as curved rows, business clusters, etc to create a less sterile-feeling environment, is another notable trend.
What next for IT innovation and airport seating either in terms of the seats themselves or the actual design process? Where IT is concerned, the focus/innovation is again on in-seat power. The unprecedented growth in use of personal electronics – smartphones, tablets and kindle-type devices – has meant that this type of central power hub for use by multiple customers is fast become a less practical solution, with passengers increasingly demanding a more personal solution and one that means they aren’t compelled to ‘wait their turn’. The requirement for power to be installed in beam seating at airports has grown year-on-year for the past five years. We originally launched the first integrated product for our Zenky range for a project at San Jose International Airport where the sockets were built into the armrests. There are many problems with integrating technology into a product that is designed to last at least 20 years; namely the fact that the technology and the power required for charging changes on a quarterly basis. Whilst this does not present a problem when charging from the mains supply, it is a very different proposition with USB, as our mobile devices, be it tablets or smartphones, are extremely demanding, requiring ever increasing voltage and amps. Another major problem the market has faced is that most electrical sockets are designed to last between 5,000-15,000 inserts and 1,500 inserts for USB. In an airport environment where footfall is high, these
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numbers can be surpassed in a matter of months. In response to these issues, Zoeftig have developed a new power model, Boost, that’s adaptable for all international socket types and USB power outlets. Airports must also ensure that any electrical units that they purchase are fully upgradable to receive the latest USB sockets that are set to come to market in the next year or so and ensure that voltage and ampage is capable of charging the latest products, otherwise they may find that they receive more complaints than compliments.
Why is airport seating still primarily linear in design when surely different configurations might be more effective in certain environments? Today, there is much more attention on the size, diversity, comfort, style and arrangement of seating, and this means that linear seating is no longer the first choice. It’s now about fitting the right type of seat for the environment. We make seats in a variety of configurations, including linear, arc (curved), solo cluster and duo cluster and well as in a range of finishes, such as Z-Form PU, fully upholstered PVC, E-Leather and laminated show-wood. The demand for different configurations and finishes is proof that linear is now no longer the dominant force in seating design. Linear still has its place, but today’s design is much more about what seats work in which part of the airport and about future proofing seating. Five key points shape all installation choices today: price, safety, integration, aesthetics and future proofing. Many of the latest airports in the USA have placed future-proofing as high up on the agenda, in some instances making the bold move to rip out existing seats and install new, solely with the aim to give passengers the comfort and convenience of seated power. Moving forward, the focus on integration looks set to the lead the market and will likely shape the future of seating design, but supplying power safely, neatly and directly to seats within airports still has many challenges, which is why a partnership approach with seating manufacturers is so central to delivering successful results.
Is being seen to be ‘green’ still a top priority? Actually being green is very important, rather than just being seen to be. As a business, one of our key ambitions is continual improvement. In terms of our environmental performance, this means careful design,
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consideration and appropriate use of raw materials, production processes and packaging solutions. Product longevity has always been important to Zoeftig and we also consider the environmental impact of a product at every stage of its development. As a business, we aim to deliver innovative products that combine exceptional quality, visual simplicity and reconfigurability, which naturally means reducing product and component complexity. As part of our product and packaging development process, we design out or limit the use of unnecessary and excess materials, and also design with disassembly in mind. For example, our latest flagship seating product has virtually halved shipping space requirements due to the clever way it is designed and packed.
If not commercially sensitive, can you tell us more about your biggest airport contract of 2015 to date – i.e. what airport, how many seats and the particular requirements of the job? Dubai International Airport’s Concourse 4/D has been a major project for us and is another important step into the Middle Eastern market. The demand for greater airline capacity in the territory is considerable and Dubai’s new Concourse 4/D will open to the travellers in the second half of 2015, complementing the existing three Concourses – A, B and C. We were chosen to supply 7,000 seats for all concourse areas, with our Zenky Plus solution – a new premium product in the Zenky range – upholstered in a mix of blue, red, black and grey leathers in both standard and recliner versions with footrests. We also advised on the layout and beam configurations to enhance the flow, improve the traveller experience and to strike the balance between achieving maximum capacity whilst retaining a feeling of space and comfort. Luxury was very much the focus here. In most circumstances, where leather is the preferred fabric, we will recommend a robust and hardwearing e-leather, which is a great balance between quality and convenience. For Dubai, though, the drivers behind the design were very different and as such they wanted only the best, natural materials, so we chose a natural, soft hide leather complete with a stitched ribbed upholstery detail. This has been one of our most luxurious installations.
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AIRPORT SEATING
Take a seat
Bernù Aero Public Seating offers a variety of configurations ranging from linear to curve to cluster-style seating.
Lynn Gordon, vice president for airport solutions at Arconas, talks to Airport World about some of the latest trends developments in airport seating. What’s hot and what’s not in terms of the current trends driving the design of airport seating? HOT: At-seat power, accessories (drink holders, tablet arms, foot rests), colour, and diversity (offering not a uniform configuration but a mix of product in the holdroom). Allowing for a little more personal space to increase utilisation. More curved, organically-shaped layouts as opposed to traditional linear rows. Injecting colour in a smart way is very hot! NOT: Row upon row of bucket-on-a-beam, monochromatic seating. Power poles that don’t allow for privacy/personal space.
This means clean seating that is in good shape, comfortable, and visually pleasing – not ratty and worn and dirty. By virtue of its quantities and critical function, seating dominates a concourse, and good quality can make or break a passenger’s experience. Even the colour can influence mood. It’s much more complex than the average passenger might imagine. In fact, it would probably blow passengers’ minds how much thought is put into the psychology and design of passenger seating!
How important is good seating to the health and wellbeing of passengers at airports?
Has the requirement to accommodate the needs of passengers with mobile devices had a significant impact on airport seating?
Good seating is a critical component of the passenger’s quality of experience at an airport. More often than not, purchasing decisions are made at the very senior management level of an airport or airline because they are very aware that this is a high-touch area that can result in a passenger’s pleasant, calm wait for their aircraft or a stressful experience. Today’s airport and airline executives want it to be the former, every time.
Today, as an airport seating manufacturer, you’re not even at the table if you don’t provide at-seat power options. It has become as popular and in demand as free Wi-Fi. In a very short period of time, people have gone from trying to power 20% of their gate seating to setting a goal of 100%. The percentage of powered seats has shifted dramatically in the last three years.
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Boston Logan International Airport accommodated rows of linear seating coupled with lounge seating and charging stations at the gate areas.
You have to understand your client, get to know their goals, what drives them, what’s important to them What are the main business lessons you have learned from being in this industry for over a decade? The main business lessons I’ve learned is the importance of building strong relationships based on trust, having integrity in your business dealings, and putting the customer first. Equally important is to never stay static. You need to bring innovation to your clients and that’s what they will appreciate. There is no cookie-cutter approach to an airport project. You have to understand your client, get to know their goals, what drives them, what’s important to them, what they want to achieve, what environment they want to co-develop. Every airport is different.
What next for IT innovation and airport seating either in terms of the seats themselves or the actual design process? It’s hard to fathom what is going to be next. Maybe wireless charging once there is a universal protocol established and the technology is incorporated into personal devices. The design process is changing rapidly with 3D printing – in fact, Arconas already creates components for prototypes using 3D printing.
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Overall, when designing seating for holdrooms, you have to be aware of evolving technology. The design of a simple seat doesn’t happen in isolation anymore. It happens in context of what passengers need in the terminal. Designers have to consider the way the seating is used long before designing the product. For instance, I recently read an article about some corporations moving their offices outside and using more outdoor-appropriate furniture, which offers a new challenge. Designers and manufacturers like Arconas often look at trends in the corporate world to see how that translates to the airport world. Commercial furniture trends often lead the way.
What has been your most unique or unusual airport seating contract to date and why? Most recently, I would say it was with Southwest Airlines. We were challenged to create an integrated cup holder that would be as elegant as it was durable and came up with some beautiful designs. What they wanted was a drink holder that was seamlessly integrated into the seat’s armrest, and the result is leaps and bounds above anything else on the market. When a customer pushes you to create something special that evolves into something improved on the line, I love that. AW
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Health on the menu Mark Angela, SSP’s chief commercial officer, explores how the F&B offer at an airport can be tailored to meet the needs of the ever-growing number of health-conscious travellers.
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one are the days when ‘healthy eating’ was regarded as niche and meeting the needs of those who wanted to eat healthily while travelling was seen as something of a bolt-on for the airport food and beverage operator. On the High Street, healthy eating has well and truly moved into the mainstream. Maybe we don’t all want to treat our bodies as temples every day of the year, but most of us will, even if only occasionally, give some thought as to whether the food we are eating is good or bad for us. Successful food brands have recognised this for some time. A number of the food and beverage sector’s star performers are brands that put healthy ingredients at the heart of their offer. Similarly most of the classic fast food brands that in the past were regularly condemned for menus laden with fats, salts or sugars now offer fruits, salads, mineral waters and other healthier alternative to burgers, pizzas or fried chicken. Information about the provenance of the food on offer and its nutritional value is now expected as standard. The patterns of demand that we see in food and beverage on the High Street do not-stop at the doors of the airport terminal. The trends that are relevant downtown have similar resonance in the travel environment, and the culinary landscape at the airport has been similarly transformed. Leisure travellers may be in an indulgent mindset, and looking to treat themselves to celebrate the start of a holiday, while similarly the stressed business traveller may be seeking to reward themselves on the way home from an important meeting. But even for these customers, concern for the quality of what they consume is ever growing. Options for those who want to choose healthier products are now an essential part of the food and beverage mix at any leading airport.
What is ‘healthy’?
Understanding the influences that affect demand for healthier alternatives is a complex business. SSP works with some of the leading research organisations, including Allegra, Clear, thefoodpeople and Future Foundation, to get under the skin of evolving trends and understand how we can best respond to these market changes. Firstly, we need to define what we mean by ‘healthy eating’. One-size doesn’t fit all, and ‘healthy’ means different things to different consumers. For example, while fat or calorie content will matter to some, others might be more concerned about the balance of carbohydrates and protein.
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Free-from or ‘clean-label’ products to help people with allergies or intolerances make informed decisions are now an indispensible part of a well-considered menu – and indeed in the EU, supplying information about allergens is a legal requirement. But healthy eating doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding the ‘bad stuff’. It can also mean choosing foods that provide positive benefits. At an airport, passengers are increasingly looking for foods that will help them stay healthy on a flight. Hydration is well recognised as essential to physical well-being while flying, and picking up a bottle of water post-security is an essential travel ritual for many. Those who take an even more sophisticated approach to nutrition while flying might like to choose food and drink that will help their mood and set them up for a flight, giving them vitality without subjecting themselves to peaks and troughs in energy levels. Vitamin and protein content are increasingly important, or finding the right carbohydrate level to stay fuller, longer. A meal without meat is an appealing alternative to a new generation of ‘flexitarians’ who like a choice of vegetable-based dishes.
Keeping it simple
Consumers believe that food that comes from ‘good’ sources is also ‘good’ for them and increasingly they want to know that the food they consume has been carefully sourced and treated well. The provenance of ingredients is rising up the consumer agenda, and healthy eating also means choosing food that is authentic, fresh, and has travelled fewer miles. At SSP’s Moodie FAB award winning Malaga food court, for example, our Dani García Deli Bar showcases the best foods of the Andalucian region, while Adam Aamann’s open sandwiches at Copenhagen airport feature local ingredients wherever possible, such as free-range beef and pork from local supplier Grambogaard. These outlets not only appeal to the growing number of passengers who want to know where their food comes from, they also help airports create that coveted ‘sense of place’ which all airports of international repute aspire. Led by the trend that kicked off in Scandinavia towards foods that are served in a more natural, simple state, we are seeing more demand for dishes finished by methods such as curing, pickling or fermenting to preserve nutrients and flavour, rather than cooking with heat. Raw foods are also gaining in popularity. This isn’t just raw fruit and vegetables – raw fish is also rising in the popularity stakes and sushi is now a favourite far beyond the shores of Japan.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Sushi brands such as YO! Sushi, continue to gain traction and is a passenger-pleaser at travel locations around the world. Sushi has also evolved beyond the classic kaiten conveyor-belt and crossed into the standard culinary cannon to become an established must-have on many other menus such as that at our Center Bar at Zurich. It’s perhaps no surprise that it’s also amongst SSP’s best-selling menu items in many airports such as JFK in New York.
A global perspective
Staying on top of trends demands a global view, but local variations also need to be taken into account. Emerging healthy eating trends are no exception to this rule. Understanding where trends originate, how long they will last, and the cuisines they will influence is fundamental to creating the right brand mix at an international airport. Our research concludes, for example, that the demand for foods that have positive dietary and wider well-being benefits will apply in the US, the UK, Europe and Australasia/Pacific, and will be reflected in British, Scandinavian, Mediterranean, Asian and Persian cuisines. This is likely to remain an important movement until 2018. Similarly, the interest in the ethics of food will be seen in the UK, the US, Australasia/Pacific, Europe and Scandinavia. This will transcend all food-types, and will endure until 2025 and beyond.
Helping travellers ‘eat right’
Providing a good range of healthy eating options can be achieved by adding healthier products to standard menus. Alternatively, airports can introduce brands that have been specifically tailored to the needs of the health conscious passenger, such as Naked (Paris Charles de Gaulle) – where the menu centres around freshly prepared salads – or Ne’O (Budapest), which was part of the line-up that helped the airport win a Moodie FAB award in 2012, and serves a range of fresh, healthy foods that are ideal to carry on board a flight. SSP’s Camden food co., which offers wholesome, handmade and carefully sourced alternatives to run-of-the-mill pre-packed ‘on the go’ food, was however probably the first international brand ever specifically developed for the health-aware travelling consumer. The brand was created for the UK market, and was further developed when it crossed the Atlantic to make its debut at
Houston Airport in 2010. Since that time, it has gone on to become a 25-strong chain, present at some of the world’s most prestigious airports. Camden was undoubtedly one of the first brands that elevated ‘healthy’ foods from the slightly boring and worthy to vibrant and exciting. The success of the brand, underpinned by its philosophy that ‘you don’t have to be good to eat good food’, is further proof that healthy eating is a not a passing fad, but a lasting trend that cannot be ignored.
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2015
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PROJECT WATCH
LaGuardia Airport
New Terminal B, funded, built and operated under the public-private partnership (PPP) model to spearhead the transformation of LaGuardia Airport.
project details Location: New York City, USA
Important developments:
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he Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has approved the first phase of a new vision for LaGuardia Airport by selecting LaGuardia Gateway Partners to develop a new $3.6 billion world-class facility. It will demolish LaGuardia’s existing Central Terminal Building and replace it with a new 1.3 million square foot, 35-gate terminal that PANYNJ says will create a more passenger friendly gateway with “better connected” terminals. It is quite simply one of the most ambitious Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or (P3) projects ever undertaken in the New York/New Jersey region. The new Terminal B is expected to serve around half of LaGuardia’s passengers consistent with the recommendations of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Airport Advisory Panel. According to PANYNJ, the decision to modernise the gateway is the culmination of its multi-year procurement process to select a team of leading private-sector construction, engineering, planning, airport management and finance firms to work with it in an innovative public-private partnership to construct the first phase of redevelopment of LaGuardia. It follows preliminary recommendations from Governor Cuomo’s Airport Advisory Panel and represents the first phase of a comprehensive master plan for a 21st century LaGuardia Airport. The Panel’s recommendations call for the creation of a state-of-the-art airport that will for the first time seek to unite the airport’s current four disconnected terminals. And it wants the new terminal designed to seamlessly integrate with future amenities recommended by the Governor’s Panel such as premier retail and dining space; a hotel; a conference and business centre and other modern features that will generate revenue for PANYNJ.
New Terminal B The amenities will also include transportation features such as an AirTrain, ferry service and a people mover to help passengers traverse the entire airport. Construction of the Terminal B project will be funded by a public-private partnership, with the private sector contributing more than $2 billion and PANYNJ contributing more than $1 billion to construct the airport and supporting infrastructure. LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the private development team, will be responsible for designing, constructing, operating and maintaining the new terminal. Its members comprise Canada’s Vantage Airport Group, Skanska USA, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Meridiam Infrastructure, HOK and Walsh Construction. PANYNJ chairman, John Degnan, says: “By utilising an innovative public-private partnership in this endeavour, the agency is also taking another important step in bringing state-of-the-art financing techniques to the task of updating our region’s airports and other critical infrastructure.” While PANYNJ’s vice chairman, Scott Rechler, believes the long waited decision to revamp LaGuardia will mean that its days as the “stepchild” of New York’s JFK and Newark international airports will soon be coming to an end. “We have taken the first step in moving forward with a comprehensive master plan to redevelop LaGuardia into a 21st century, world-class airport that the State of New York deserves,” he enthuses. President and CEO of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, Stewart Steeves, says: “We look forward to partnering with the Port Authority on this significant project for the city and state of New York. “The team is ready to deliver an exceptional experience for the airport community and the travellers who will pass through the new terminal. “We will develop a world-class facility and bring the level of operational expertise needed to
Scheduled opening date: 2019 Principal companies involved: LaGuardia Gateway Partners (Vantage Group, Skanska USA, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Meridiam Infrastructure, HOK and Walsh Construction) Total investment: €3.6 billion deliver the airport New Yorkers deserve, both during construction and throughout long-term operations.” Skanska USA describes the LaGuardia PPP and its involvement in it as its “biggest ever project”. It has a 40% equity share in LaGuardia Partners and is expected to be responsible for 70% of the construction work on the terminal project. In terms of developing the rest of the LaGuardia site, Governor Cuomo’s Airport Advisory Panel has also presented a number of recommendations to PANYNJ. They include: • Unifying world-class architectural appearance across all new elements of the New LaGuardia; • Creating a central arrival and departures portal with first-class shopping, dining, and business amenities linking previously disconnected terminals; • Building a future hotel on the airport ground; • Expanding LaGuardia’s rail connections, including plans for an AirTrain connecting the airport to the subway for the first time; • Installing a new people-mover that enables passengers to traverse easily from one end of the airport to the other; • Introducing a cell-phone lot waiting area and improved road configuration • Ensuring adequate level of parking to accommodate travelers arriving by car at the airport. AW
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WBP NEWS
The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners Double YVR celebration for AirIT
AirIT has double reason to celebrate in Canada this summer as Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has decided to upgrade its PROPworks airport business system platform and enhance it with a new add on. The gateway has been an AirIT business partner for more than ten years as a power user of the company’s flagship PROPwork’s solution. The highly configurable airport lease and revenue management platform is used by more than 60 airports and seaports worldwide, and by four of the five busiest airports in the US. In addition to infrastructure and software upgrades to the existing system, YVR has decided to drastically enhance its performance by adding a customer self-service enhancement – PROPworks Portal – that allows tenants to maintain company contact information, retrieve invoices and enter sales and usage activities via a Web browser. A key component of the PROPworks enhancement project includes the integration of AirIT’s robust Business Intelligence platform. Powered by Jaspersoft, the business intelligence server seamlessly integrates with PROPworks and the Airport Operational Database (AODB) to provide real-time analytics and decision-making capabilities. According to AirIT, users will be empowered to create and manage reports on the fly, through a dynamic web interface. The company will also implement AODB and ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) functionality to replace the airport’s existing ‘Flight Clean-Up System’. This change will allow the airport to more effectively track and manage flight activity and airport resource usage by commercial aircraft, increasing operational efficiency and profitability. AirIT CEO, Betros Wakim, says: “YVR has long been considered an airport leader in technology adoption and transforming the travel experience. By taking the opportunity to add these industry-defining features to their lease and revenue management system, they will continue to reinforce their reputation as an industry leader and set the standard for other airports.”
Customer friendly IT solutions
Mactan Cebu International Airport is to invest in more Rockwell Collins/ ARINC solutions in a bid to enhance the passenger experience. It is currently using ARINC vMUSE common-use passenger processing system (CUPPS) as well as the company’s common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks, and claims that it will soon implement many of its other solutions. They are expected to include ARINC AirVue Flight Information Display System (FIDS), AirDB 7, the latest generation ARINC Airport Operational Database (AODB) system and ARINC BagLink, a baggage messaging server. As part of the deployment, Rockwell Collins has teamed with Gunnebo AB to streamline the entire check-in process by implementing ARINC VeriPax on Gunnebo Security Group automated gates, which validate passenger flight details, enhancing security at the airport.
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF AIRPORT WORLD
I’ll drink to that!
The sound of champagne corks popping could be heard at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this summer as the gateway opened its newest bar. The sleek new addition, ‘District’ is located pre-security in Terminal A and is part of the planned transformation of the terminal. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority collaborated with MarketPlace Development, OTG and award winning design firm, ICRAVE, to make the bar happen. The 690-square-foot venue profiles red lacquered walls and walnut wood bands interwoven with accent lighting strips, while tufted Ferrari-inspired leather bar stools seat guests. Each seat also features a charging station and OTG’s awardwinning iPad platform, flo(tm), which keep guests at ease by connecting them to real-time flight information, language support, and complimentary Internet. “This is just beginning,” stated Paul McGinn, president of MarketPlace Development. “Over the next few months we look forward to a complete transformation of the passenger experience in Reagan National’s Terminal A.”
“Tourism is one of the major drivers of the Philippines’ economy, so ensuring that travellers have a positive experience is critically important,” says Heament John Kurian, managing director, IMS Asia Pacific for Rockwell Collins. “Using the latest self-service based technologies is enabling Cebu to become an IATA Fast Travel Airport, which is focused on providing more choices for passengers and lower costs for the industry. We are excited to help facilitate Cebu’s transition.” Rockwell Collins’ airport systems management organisation, ARINC Managed Services, is responsible for the on-site maintenance and support of all the systems. The contract means that all common use airports in the Philippines are now using the ARINC CUPPS technology.
WBP NEWS Leidos
Sydney’s duty free revamp taking shape Sydney Airport and new duty free partner Heinemann have unveiled the first of six new duty free stores in Terminal 1 as part of an ongoing upgrade. According to the airport, the newly designed 1,200sqm duty free store in Pier C Arrivals will showcase an extensive range of fragrances, cosmetics, wine, liquor and confectionery. It has been designed by Gebr Heinemann’s in-house design team in conjunction with renowned Australian architectural firm, Geyer. The store is said to be inspired by Sydney’s iconic landscapes “from the bush, through the suburbs, past the city fringe and out to the coastal regions” to effectively allow passengers to embark on a uniquely Australian retail journey as they make their way through the store. Materials including timber and concrete tiles as well as environmentally-friendly LED lighting have been hand-selected along with unique display areas to transform the duty free space into an on-trend and exciting travel retail experience for international passengers arriving at Sydney Airport.
The revised store layout includes larger orientation zones with wider, more direct pathways and improved wayfinding for passengers. “As the world’s third largest travel retailer, Heinemann has impressed customers with their unique approach to the traditional duty free experience,” says Sydney’s general manager retail, Glyn Williams. “It’s fantastic to see the first of six offerings now open at T1 and it’s a testament to the incredible work Sydney Airport and Heinemann have undertaken over the past five months. “On completion, the Heinemann duty free offering at Sydney Airport will showcase an extensive range of new brands providing an exceptional passenger experience as we deliver four further stores in T1 Departures and another store in Arrivals, with all six stores expected to be completed and open by mid-2016.” • Pictured above are Sydney Airport CEO, Kerrie Mather, with Gunnar (right) and Max Heinemann shortly after Heinemann commenced operations at the airport in February 2015.
Record year for Vanderlande
Vanderlande has announced a record turnover of €988 million (+25%) for the 2015 financial year ending March 31, 2015. It achieved the all-time high after recording over $1 billion in global sales – 10% up on its 2014 performance. The company attributes the turnover figure to “substantial growth” in Vanderlande’s parcel and postal and warehouse automation (especially food retail and e-commerce) segments, as well as lifecycle services. The order intake for its baggage handling segment is also higher than the previous financial year. “Overall, the 2015 financial year was positive in terms of the sales and order intake, and the level of profitability was good,” says Vanderlande’s CEO, Govert Hamers. “The company’s rapid rate of growth is projected to continue by an average of 10-15% per annum in the years to come, which highlights our excellent track record for reliability, commitment and long-term business relationships. “Our aim is to provide our customers with value-added automated material handling solutions, so that they can continue to earn more and be increasingly competitive.” Vanderlande’s baggage handling systems move 3.2 billion pieces of luggage around the world per year or 8.8 million per day. It claims that its systems are active in 600 airports including 14 of the world’s top 20.
Location: Vista, California, USA Contact: Kimie Carter, sales and service representative Email: carterkm@leidos Website: www.liedos.com Leidos is a leading provider of science and technology solutions in security, health and engineering for hundreds of government and commercial clients around the world. It is a FORTUNE 500 company based in the US, with almost $6 billion in revenue the past fiscal year and 20,000 employees worldwide.
Haley & Aldrich, Inc Location: Burlington, MA, USA Contact: Amy Malick, client leader, sustainability Email: amalick@haleyaldrich.com Website: www.haleyaldrich.com Haley & Aldrich has been providing strategic environmental, engineering and management consulting for nearly 60 years, which includes service at the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority for the past decade. It has a resume of more than 25,000 projects and have 26 offices across the US.
Aviation Facilities Company (AFCO) Location: Washington DC, USA Contact: Chuck Stipancic, president and CEO Email: cstipancic@afcoinc.com Website: www.afcoinc.com Aviation Facilities Company, Inc (AFCO) is a full-service real estate development and management company that specialises in the development and management of airports and airport infrastructure including terminal, air cargo, warehousing, ground support equipment, concession logistics, hangar, general aviation and parking facilities. In addition it can provide innovative and cost-effective financing solutions.
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HUMAN RESOURCES
PEOPLE
matters Give us a break Terri Morrissey and Dr Richard Plenty provide their thoughts on: The importance of taking a break from the digital world.
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hen was the last time you went on a holiday without your phone, iPad, iPod, laptop or other electronic communication devices? When did you last have a real holiday where you could switch off from work related issues; where you were not contacted by some member of your team or your boss; where you had to become involved in some ‘urgent’ decision, discussion, problem, procedure, people matter? When did you wake up in the morning to greet the day, not expecting to see an email, text, tweet, diary reminder or red-flagged item? There was a time when people who went on holiday actually went on holiday. Organisations had developed a system called ‘acting up’. This involved someone on the team, a potential successor or report, stepping into the holiday taker’s role. They took over the position and made all the decisions in the other’s absence. This system had a number of advantages: • It gave the ‘acting up’ person the development opportunity to operate at the level above them, making decisions, taking the responsibility • The system ensured cover for key operations • The ‘holidaymaker’ could ‘switch off’ and enjoy their holiday with their family and friends and return to the job refreshed This practice is rare today. What tends to happen now is that people never ‘switch off’; they are on constant call;
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their physiological state does not get as refreshed. Alex Soojung-Kim Pang points out in his book The Distraction Addiction that our desire to remain connected at all times has become a stress-inducing burden. Other experts agree. “We have been seduced by distraction,” says psychologist Daniel Goleman. “We are being pulled away from paying attention to the things that enrich our lives.” Intrusive technology has created a situation whereby we can be available at all times and in all places. The UK communications regulator Ofcom’s statistics show that people spend more time looking at media than they do asleep. Medical concerns are being expressed about the increasing adverse health effects such as obesity and diabetes. CIPD research shows that people have less downtime, are more stressed and experience burnout more frequently at work than in the past. What can we do about it? Well, why not bring back succession planning in the form of ‘acting up’ so we can take our holidays in peace; Bring in workplace policies to insist people take their holidays and ban contacting them except in an emergency; and trust those back at the ranch to cope! By doing so we build organisation and individual resilience, enhance the talent pipeline and encourage true engagement and trust. As Seneca the Younger said over 2,000 years ago: “The love of bustle is not industry, it is only the restlessness of a hunted mind”.
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF AIRPORT WORLD
Eric Dumas is the new chief executive of Aéroport de Tahiti (ADT), succeeding Frédéric Mor who has taken up a new role at the HQ of Egis Airport Operation in France. Dumas has worked as the operations manager of ADT since leaving Lyon-Bron Airport in 2013. Egis has a 19% stake in ADT. Melbourne Airport has announced the appointment of Simon Gandy as its acting chief executive officer. The appointment follows the departure of former CEO, Chris Woodruff, who officially left the role at the end of June. Vienna Airport’s executive directors Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner have had their contracts extended to 2021 by the Austrian gateway’s Supervisory Board. Both men were appointed in 2011 and their deals were due to expire in September 2016. Mark Reis, managing director of the Port of Seattle’s Aviation Division and long time friend of Airport World is to retire in early 2016. He has worked for the Port of Seattle for 27 years, the last 11 of them in the hot seat. “Mark’s dedication to the Port of Seattle, the airport, and the people of this region has helped us manage both the recent record-breaking growth at the airport and the economic downturn before that,” said Port of Seattle CEO, Ted Fick.
About the authors Terri Morrissey and Dr Richard Plenty are organisers of ACI’s annual ‘Leadership and Change ‘ Summit which will be held this year as part of ‘Airport Exchange’ in Istanbul, Dec 8-10. Contact them through info@thisis.eu
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