Focus on: Security Airport report: Honolulu Special report: Car parking innovation ;OL THNHaPUL VM [OL (PYWVY[Z *V\UJPS 0U[LYUH[PVUHS
Plus: Incheon’s new T2 & Going green
In the spotlight: Security August-September 2018 Volume 23 Issue 4 www.aci.aero
OPINION ;OL THNHaPUL VM [OL (PYWVY[Z *V\UJPS 0U[LYUH[PVUHS
Airport World Editor Joe Bates +44 (0)1276 476582 joe@airport-world.com Design, Layout & Production Mark Draper +44 (0)208 707 2743 mark@airport-world.com Sales Director Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@airport-world.com Advertising Manager Andrew Hazell +44 (0)208 384 0206 andrewh@airport-world.com Subscriptions subscriptions@aviationmedia.aero Managing Director Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@aviationmedia.aero
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Reach for the sky Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on ACI’s new Policy Paper on Drones and the ‘security’ theme of this issue.
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CI’s new Policy Paper on Drones just goes to show how the aviation industry continues to evolve and how airports constantly need to adapt to change and embrace the future. The policy paper is in response to the rapid growth of drone and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) market worldwide, and its aim is to ensure that drone operations are facilitated without negative impact to the safety, security, efficiency or capacity of airport operations. The policy paper, which will be regularly updated due to the rapid development of technology and operational requirements in this area, calls for a risk-based approach and will help airports address growing areas of concern. Speaking at the launch of the policy paper, ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, noted that it was “imperative that airport operators are aware of, and remain responsive to, the risks, challenges and opportunities associated with new technology and new industry developments.” She added: “We have drafted this policy paper in response to the rapid development and proliferation of drones to help airports and governments prepare effective procedures and regulations to ensure continuing safe operations. “With the support of our comprehensive overview and practical recommendations, airport operators can be informed and active in decision making with their regulators and aircraft operators to develop and publish procedures that suit their local conditions.” While we don’t cover the security risks posed by drones in this ‘security’ themed issue of Airport World, we do touch on a number of hot topics that I know will be of interest to airports across the globe. ACI World’s head of security, Nathalie Herbelles, for example, brings us up to
speed with the very latest developments when it comes to landside security, which includes the publication of ACI’s new Landside Security Handbook. Hamad International Airport tells us why it has chosen to become a pioneer in the trialling of new security technology. We also learn more about the benefits of intelligent surveillance; the development of CT technology; and some exciting security initiatives at Oakland, Dubai International and New York-JFK. But security is not all we cover in this August/September issue of Airport World, as we also take a look at Incheon International Airport’s new Terminal 2; focus on car parking innovation; discover more about Geneva Airport’s state-of-the-art Airport Operations Centre (APOC); and highlight a few of London Gatwick’s green initiatives. The big interview is with Ross Higashi, deputy director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s Airports Division, who tells us more about some ambitious plans to develop Honolulu International Airport. We also hear from ACI World’s Gittens about the organisation’s commitment to promoting gender equality in aviation; look back at the recent SMART Airports & Regions Conference in Edmonton; and report on how moving the rental car facilities from the central area to a new consolidated rental car centre has had a hugely positive impact on customer satisfaction levels and the environment at Tampa International Airport. If that’s not enough, there’s always our regular ‘People matters’ and World Business Partner news pages to thumb through. AW Happy reading!
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018
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CONTENTS
Issue 4 Volume 23
In this issue 3 Opinion
Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on ACI’s new Policy Paper on Drones and the ‘security’ theme of this issue.
8 World in motion ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, joined key aviation leaders to promote gender equality at the recent ICAO Global Aviation Gender Summit.
11 View from the top ACI Word director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the security challenges facing airports today and ACI/IATA’s Smart Security initiative which aims to make the passenger security process more intelligent.
12 Green Hawaii Ross Higashi, head of Hawaii’s airports division, talks to Joe Bates about traffic growth, infrastructure development and sustainability initiatives at Honolulu’s Daniel K Inouye International Airport.
17 Staying two steps ahead ACI’s new handbook on landside security is in response to today’s landscape of everchanging terrorist threats, writes ACI World’s head of security, Nathalie Herbelles.
20 Technology pioneer Hamad International Airport’s vice president of security, Saeed Al Sulaiti, explains how smart, cutting-edge solutions and a customer-focused philosophy are enhancing security levels and transforming the passenger experience in Qatar.
23 AI and tunnel vision New technology for screening staff in Oakland, a planned new biometric tunnel in Dubai, and an upgrade to JFK Terminal 4’s Security Operations Centre come under the spotlight in our security news round-up.
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CONTENTS
Director General Angela Gittens (Montreal, Canada) Chair Bongani Maseko (Johannesburg, South Africa) Vice Chair Martin Eurnekián (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Immediate Past Chair Fredrick J Piccolo (Sarasota, USA) Treasurer Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium)
24 Better for everyone Synectics’ Greg Alcorn explains why he believes that intelligently integrated surveillance is fast becoming an airport’s most important HR tool.
29 Another dimension Smiths Detection’s global market director for aviation, Cameron Mann, discusses how CT technology can improve security, efficiency and the passenger experience at airport checkpoints.
31 People pleaser Gensler’s Keith Thompson and Terence Young and Heerim’s Byungkoo Lee tell us more about the concepts behind the design of Incheon International Airport’s impressive new Terminal 2.
34 Park and fly Airport World takes a look at a handful of initiatives designed to boost car parking efficiency, revenues and customer service levels at gateways across the globe.
38 SMART thinking! Joe Bates looks back at some of the highlights of July’s SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition which helped showcase the best in airport commercial development, IT innovation, strategic thinking and planning and design.
42 Growth creation Gresham Smith’s Grant Clifford tells us more about how creating space in the central terminal area has helped elevate the passenger experience at Tampa International Airport.
45 Focus on efficiency Thomas Romig, head of Geneva Airport’s new Airport Operations Centre (APOC), tells Airport World more about the benefits of the gateway’s new €1.8 million nerve centre.
47 Going green London Gatwick has unveiled a number of green initiatives this summer that will have a positive impact on the environment, writes Joe Bates.
49 World Business Partners The latest global news from ACI’s World Business Partners.
50 People matters Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey provide their thoughts on uncertainty, anxiety and the passenger experience.
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ACI WORLD GOVERNING BOARD DIRECTORS Africa (2) Saleh Dunoma (Lagos, Nigeria) Bongani Maseko (Johannesburg, South Africa) Asia-Pacific (9) Aimen Al-Hosni (Muscat, Oman) Kjeld Binger (Amman, Jordan) Fred Lam (Hong Kong) Seow Hiang Lee (Singapore) Xue Song Liu, (Beijing, China) Emmanuel Menanteau (Osaka, Japan) PS Nair (Delhi, India) Sasisubha Sukontasap (Bangkok, Thailand) 1 Vacancy Europe (7) Daniel Burkard (Moscow, Russia) Elena Mayoral Corcuera (Madrid, Spain) Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium) Michael Kerkloh (Munich, Germany) Stefan Schulte (Frankfurt, Germany) Sani Şener (Istanbul, Turkey) 1 Vacancy Latin America & Caribbean (3) Ezequiel Barrenechea (Lima, Peru) Martin Eurnekián (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Andrew O’Brian (Quito, Ecuador) North America (7) Lew Bleiweis (Asheville, USA) Joyce Carter (Halifax, Canda) Howard Eng (Toronto, Canada) Deborah Flint (Los Angeles, USA) Joseph Lopano (Tampa, USA) Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA) Tom Ruth (Edmonton, Canada) Regional Advisers to the World Governing Board (10) Zouhair Mohamed El Aoufir (Rabat, Morocco) Pascal Komla (Lomé, Togo) Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid (Delhi, India) William Vanecek (Buffalo, USA) Hector Navarrete Muñoz (Merida, Mexico) Yiannis Paraschis (Athens, Greece) Augustin de Romanet (Paris, France) Brian Ryks (Minneapolis-St Paul, USA) 2 Vacancies World Business Partner Observer Sarah Branquinho (Dufry Group) Correct as of August 2018
ACI WORLDHEAD NEWS RUNNING
World in motion ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, joined key aviation leaders to promote gender equality at the recent ICAO Global Aviation Gender Summit.
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he United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 9 is Gender Equality. While gender equality merits attention and effort as an issue of fairness, for us in aviation, it is a matter of self-interest as we endeavour to employ the best and the brightest to enable aviation to continue to play its role as a driver of social and economic vitality for communities and nations. With the forecast that air service demand will double in 15 years, the aviation industry cannot ignore half of the world’s population as it competes with other industries for the talent it needs to accommodate this demand. The industry has been addressing the need to grow the talent pool with such efforts as the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals programme, led by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and ACI’s own outreach and suite of training solutions, including those run jointly with ICAO. But we know we need to do more. In recognition of the importance and urgency of the matter, in August, the world’s aviation leaders convened in Cape Town, South Africa, for the ICAO Global Aviation Gender Summit. The chairwoman of Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) as well as the chairman of ACI World, the CEO of ACSA, and their team, along with South African ministers and deputy ministers, were the gracious and generous hosts of the gathering that drew over 400 delegates, with simultaneous interpretation in all ICAO languages. Panelists hailed from every region, sharing best practices and recommendations for moving forward. Some key elements were identified, including the need for stronger marketing and recruitment efforts to apprise girls and young women of the opportunities in aviation. While this is also important for boys and young men, the fact is that many of the jobs in aviation, such as management, flight crews, air traffic control and maintenance have long been male-dominated. As a result, girls and women have traditionally not seen themselves as suited for or eligible for these roles. Highlighting the fact that women do, indeed, serve and excel in these roles is crucial in gaining the attention and interest of girls and women. Similarly, the importance of coaching and mentoring women once they are in the job was cited as one of the most important functions managers perform, male and female. In developing a roadmap to achieve gender equality, ICAO pledged to improve the collection of data so that efforts can be targeted, and progress monitored.
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“I am proud to say that ACI has long been a proponent of diversity in the workforce,” said Gittens. In terms of professional development and support, ACI provides scholarships for the Airport Operations Diploma Programme (AODP) and the Airport Executive Leadership Programme (AELP). The latter is targeted at future CEOs, deputy CEOs and vice-presidents of airport operating organisations and is one of our ways of creating a network of future industry leaders. In our most recent classroom session of the AELP, over a third were women, giving us some optimism that we will see more women in the highest ranks of airports in the coming years. Through the Developing Nations Airport (DNA) Fund, we are also able to offer scholarships for our premier programme to build our next generation of leaders, the ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program (AMPAP). Thanks to our partnerships, we will continue to put the focus on education, training and job opportunities by offering our airport members a robust suite of Global Training educational programmes. We need a skilled, committed and diverse talent pool to sustain and grow our industry. Airports are challenged even now as we can see from the demands on ACI training resources. We partner with more and more academic institutions, so we can attract our fair share of the best and brightest and are in collaboration with the International Aviation Women’s Association to increase our talent pool. It will take all of us to redouble our efforts to gain diversity and inclusion. It’s in our best interests.
ACI WORLD NEWS
ACI events
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
Sept 30-Oct 2
November 12-14
October 13-19
October 2-3
October 31-November 1
ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition Nashville, USA
ACI-LAC Annual Conference, Assembly & Exhibition Miami, USA
ACI Africa Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Global Sustainable Aviation Summit Geneva, Switzerland
The Trinity Forum Shanghai, China
ACI offices ACI World Angela Gittens Director General PO Box 302 800 Rue du Square Victoria Montreal, Quebec H4Z 1G8 Canada Tel: +1 514 373 1200 Fax: +1 514 373 1201 aci@aci.aero www.aci.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 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: +507 830 5657/58 jmartinez@aci-lac.aero www.aci-lac.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 2018, provisional figures show that ACI serves 641 members operating 1,953 airports in 176 countries. ACI is a non-profit organization whose prime purpose is to advance the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations. According to preliminary statistics, in 2016 airports worldwide welcomed 7.7 billion arriving and departing passengers and handled 110 million metric tonnes of cargo and 92 million aircraft movements.
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ACI VIEWPOINT
View from the top ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the security challenges facing airports today and ACI/IATA’s Smart Security initiative which aims to make the passenger security process more intelligent.
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or decades, the aviation industry has had to counter and respond to threats to the security of the travelling public and aviation infrastructure and civil aviation and airports remain a high-profile target for terrorists and criminals. Improvements in aviation regulations have led to a significant decline in the number of incidents involving safety, but the global security risk is still active. The continued emergence of new threats to the system, such as suicide bombings, over the last 20 years presents a very real and persistent risk to civil aviation. As these new threats emerge, additional layers of security measures are usually applied. However, the efficiency of airport and airline processes has been affected by these layers of security measures and it is debatable whether they have made a significant improvement to the already high levels of airport security. Queues at security checkpoints lead to apron and terminal congestion and may lead to aircraft departure delays. Delays and congestion can also have implications for revenue and passengers’ experience. The balance that must be struck between the unarguable need for security and the need for efficient and safe facilitation of passengers need to be reviewed and improved. There is a need for a new risk and evidence-based approach to aviation security that will continue to allow airports to protect their infrastructure, staff, aircraft and passengers while also continuing an efficient customer experience. Airports and airlines need to work together to make the routine passenger screening processes more intelligent. ACI is working with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on the Smart Security initiative that promotes advanced screening technologies and process innovation. With these elements in combination, Smart Security seeks to deliver: • Strengthened security: Focus resources based on risk, increase unpredictability, make better use of existing technologies, and introduce new technologies with advanced capabilities as they become available • Increased operational efficiency: Increase throughput, optimise asset utilisation, reduce cost per passenger, and maximise space and staff resources. • Improved passenger experience: Reduce queues and waiting times and use technology for less intrusive and time-consuming security screening.
Smart Security concepts and solutions are now available and can be seen at airports around the world. These includes security scanners, parallel divesting of cabin baggage, central image processing and advanced cabin baggage screening technologies – all of which are the subject of detailed Smart Security Guidance Material. Airports, including Geneva, London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, London Gatwick and Dubai International are among those leading the way, with many more now looking at how Smart Security concepts can be incorporated into their operations. This year marks the end of what we call ‘Wave 1’ of this work, and we have already started exploring more advanced concepts under Wave 2. This will include a more risk-based approach to the screening of passengers and common standards for sharing information among different stakeholders. Smart Security does not provide a one-size-fits-all approach to what a security checkpoint should look like; instead, it offers a menu of options from which airports can choose, in line with their unique operational and risk environment. We are also starting to define the longer-term vision for Smart Security. How should passengers be screened in the future, and at which point(s) along their journey? Should our focus continue to be on the detection of items, or turn to behaviours and intentions? ACI will continue to work with key stakeholders on these crucial questions. The ICAO High Level Conference on Aviation Security taking place in Montréal at the end of November will provide us with an ideal platform to get the conversation started with regulators. AW
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONOLULU
Green Hawaii Ross Higashi, head of Hawaii’s airports division, talks to Joe Bates about traffic growth, infrastructure development and sustainability initiatives at Honolulu’s Daniel K Inouye International Airport.
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onolulu’s Daniel K Inouye International Airport (HNL) is the largest of Hawaii’s 15 airports and effectively the remote US island state’s gateway to the world, handling in excess of 20 million passengers per annum. Indeed, the Oahu located airport handled a total of 20.3 million passengers in FY2017 as more than 27 airlines offered direct services to 24 cities in mainland USA and 24 international destinations in Canada and across the Asia-Pacific region. Its status is perhaps not surprising as around 70% of the state’s population of 1.4 million live on Oahu, which is also home to the University of Hawaii and a host of other campuses that are hugely popular with Asian students, particularly from Japan, Korea and China. Kahului (7mppa), Lihue (3mppa), Kona (3.4mppa) and Hilo (1.3mppa) – located on Maui, Kauai and the latter two on Hawaii (The Big Island) respectively – make up Hawaii’s five big airports, all of which are owned by the state and operated by the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT). Nearly all the 9.4 million tourists to visit Hawaii last year arrived by aircraft helping support 204,000 jobs across the state as they spent $16.8 billion (+6.2%) on local goods and services, generating close to $2 billion in tax revenue. And with more than 80% of all the food eaten in Hawaii imported from the US mainland or overseas and similarly high figures for all consumer goods, there is simply no doubting how important HNL and Hawaii’s other airports are to the continued success of the state. So, was the 2017 calendar year a good, bad or indifferent one for HNL? “I’d say a 4.9% rise in the total number of passenger handled in Honolulu, which was right in line with our expectations, made it a good year for the airport,” enthuses Ross Higashi, deputy director of HDOT’s Airports Division. “The improving US economy led to a healthy 5.1% increase in domestic travel, while international traffic numbers also increased by
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4.6%. When the US economy does well, generally Hawaii does well, as most of our visitors are American.” Japanese, Chinese and Korean visitors make up the bulk of foreign visitors to Hawaii and in fact many Hawaiians, including Higashi, have Japanese ancestry, which for some dates back to the 1890s when Japanese farmers and agricultural workers made up 25% of Hawaii’s population.
Traffic Americans and, indeed, America’s love of Hawaii, ensures that domestic traffic currently accounts for 75% of all passengers handled at Daniel K Inouye International Airport, and that is unlikely to change much in the future. Los Angeles, the nearest major US city to Hawaii and gateway to the islands for many, remains HNL’s most popular route accounting for 16.6% of all passengers. The next most popular routes are Tokyo Narita (14.5%) and San Francisco (8.7%) followed by Seattle, Phoenix, Oakland, Vancouver, Kansai, Incheon and San Jose, California. Hawaiian Airlines is by far and away the biggest operator in Hawaii accounting for 49% of all overseas and inter-island flights and, arguably, HNL and the state’s other airports continue to reap the benefits of its success. As former deputy director of HDOT’s Airports Division and current administrative director at the Office of the Governor, Ford Fuchigami, once told me: “Hawaiian Airlines is possibly one of the state’s most successful advertising tools as every time someone sees one of its aircraft parked at an airport around the world they think of the islands.” The next biggest airlines at HNL in terms of market share after Hawaiian are United (11%), Delta (10%), American (5%), Japan Airlines (5%) and Alaska Airlines (3%).
AIRPORT REPORT: HONOLULU
For the overseas market share, the traffic mix is diverse with Hawaiian Airlines (30%), United (15%), Delta (15%), American (7%), Japan Airlines (7%) and Alaska (5%) accounting for the bulk of the enplaned traffic with the remaining 20% split between the 18 other airlines serving Daniel K Inouye International Airport. Higashi reveals that he is happy with the number of destinations currently served from HNL, although he would always like to see some more, and he is set to get his wish soon as Southwest Airlines will launch services to HNL later this year or early next.
Route development Having recently been granted permission to operate to HNL, Southwest has announced its intention to launch non-stop services to Hawaii from the Californian cities of Oakland (OAK), San Jose (SJC), San Diego (SAN) and Sacramento (SMF). The airline also wants to operate an “inter-island” service between the Hawaiian islands, although it has yet to announce launch dates for any of these services. One of Hawaii’s main inter-island carriers, Island Air, ceased operations last year after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Higashi says: “We continue to work with Southwest Airlines and they are on track to begin service to Hawaii by early 2019. Similar to Southwest’s impact at other markets, the Airports Division anticipates that Southwest may stimulate the market with lower fares and capture some of the passenger share held by current carriers.” And there is more good news on the way as Japanese airline, ANA, is set to launch daily A380 services between Honolulu and Tokyo in March 2019 following the planned upgrade of two airbridges that will allow the gateway to handle the giant double-decker aircraft.
Future development Regular visitors to HNL will have noticed plenty of changes over the last four years as its West and Central wings have been renovated. The gateway also has an impressive new digital wayfinding system, introduced free Wi-Fi courtesy of Boingo earlier this year, and has enhanced its gardens and a number of other facilities in a bid to boost the airport experience.
However, with traffic on the rise and demand meaning that gates are already at a premium between 10am and 2pm each day, it probably won’t come as a surprise to learn that HDOT has a number of projects either underway or on the drawing board to ensure that the lack of capacity never holds back growth at HNL. “We have 47 gates today and every one is taken during the 10am to 2pm timeframe, which means that the airport faces a number of capacity issues on a daily basis,” admits Higashi, although he is quick to note that outside of these times HNL is more than equipped to cope with demand. On June 1, ground was broken on the construction of HNL’s new Mauka Concourse, which according to the airport will deliver it with “260,000 square feet of environmentally friendly space designed to enhance the overall passenger experience” and 11 new gates when it opens in 2020. At the time, Governor of Hawaii, David Ige, noted: “I’m thrilled to get underway with construction of a new concourse at the state’s busiest airport. In two and a half years, we will deliver a beautiful new facility to the residents of our state and the visitors who come to Hawaii from around the world.” While Blaine Miyasato, co-chair of the Airlines Committee of Hawaii, said: “The project is really the tangible first step in the modernisation of the Daniel K Inouye International Airport and will add much needed gates to accommodate growing demand at Hawaii’s busiest airport. We look forward to the opening of a new world class facility here in Honolulu.” Located on the Ewa side of the airport and connected to Terminal 1 (the current Inter-island terminal), the $220 million two-level complex will be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certified facility and feature 11 gates capable of accommodating narrowbody aircraft or six gates for widebodies. The second level departure area will include a new air-conditioned Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint with six lanes to screen passengers faster and reduce the amount of time spent in security lines. To make room for the new Mauka Concourse, the project will demolish the existing Commuter Terminal building and annex, including the ground level parking Lot B and terminal roadways.
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONOLULU
And there’s more to come as HDOT recently revealed an ambitious plan for a new $1.1 billion, 800,000-square-foot Diamond Head concourse to replace the existing facility, which is nearly 50-years-old. When it becomes reality, the new concourse will be located on the east side of the airport and is expected to have up to 16 gates – 12 to 14 of which would be for use by widebody aircraft – as well as a second international arrival facility with customs and border protection, an improved security checkpoint and a commuter terminal if necessary. Higashi reveals that HDOT is currently in the conceptual planning and design phase for the new facility which is expected take about eight to 10 years to complete and become operable. He says: “We know what we want and need, and we know where we want it to be located, so it is just a question of fine-tuning the plan to get the necessary approval from the airlines for the design and, of course, the cost of the facility, which ultimately will be passed on to them. “The new concourse will accommodate increasing demand by multiple airlines to bring more flights to Hawaii.” In the meantime, HDOT is investing $15 million on refurbishing the existing Diamond Head Concourse to extend its life for another eight to ten years by making it more fit for purpose and passenger friendly. On the cards are plans for more rest rooms, additional retail/F&B outlets and a fresh, new look for the facility that is primarily used by United Airlines passengers. Elsewhere at HNL the construction of a new consolidated rental car facility (CONRAC) is about 50% done, although unlike the one nearing completion at Kahului Airport, buses powered by alternative fuels instead of a tram will link it to the terminals.
Sustainabilty efforts As you would imagine from an airport located in one of the most beautiful places on earth, HDOT is very environmentally aware and HNL has a long track record of green initiatives. Highlights include the introduction of the US’s largest energy saving performance contract with a private company (Johnson Controls)
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which will lead to a 49% reduction in energy consumption across Hawaii’s airports and save an estimated $518 million in electrical costs over a 20-year period. As a result of the decision, Johnson Controls will complete more than 900 individual conservation measures, which include the replacement of nearly 98,000 light fixtures with high-efficiency light-emitting diode (LED) technology and energy efficient lighting, upgrading ventilation and air-conditioning systems and installing more than 33,000 solar photovoltaic panels. Over 20,000 photovoltaic panels have already been installed across Hawaii’s airports and they will soon be joined by another 4,260 at HNL on the roof level of Terminal 1’s parking garage above a new car port, which will also add shaded parking for vehicles, when complete. The new panels – which align with Governor Ige and the State of Hawaii’s goal to only use 100% renewable energy by 2045 – will provide enough energy to power more than 328 homes for a year and are expected to nearly halve the airport’s annual electricity bill. “There is so much to like about this improvement project. It’s good for the environment, it will save the state money and it provides covered parking at the airport,” enthuses Governor David Ige. “This is another step forward in my administration’s continuing mission to meet Hawaii’s sustainability goals.” Environmental efforts such as these have helped Daniel K Inouye International Airport become one of only 16 airports in North America to achieve Level 2 – Reduction status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme. The ACA programme recognises airports worldwide that are committed to managing their carbon footprint through measurement and reduction with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality. Higashi, who notes that HDOT recently launched a water recycling pilot programme at HNL to treat and re-use waste water for irrigation and other non-drinking purposes, says: “Protecting our natural AW environment is, and always will be, a top priority.”
SPECIAL REPORT: SECURITY
Staying two steps ahead ACI’s new handbook on landside security is in response to today’s landscape of ever-changing terrorist threats, writes ACI World’s head of security, Nathalie Herbelles.
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irports and their partners are constantly innovating to improve security. Initiatives such as Smart Security, for instance, focus on enhancing the passenger screening checkpoint, a crucial layer of airport security with a high impact on passengers’ experience. The screening process is predominantly focused on protecting aircraft: in making sure that no prohibited item can be taken on board and used to carry out an attack. Today’s reality, however, is that terrorists are not just looking at carrying out sophisticated attacks, but also more achievable ones on soft targets in public areas. These may cause fewer casualties than destroying an aircraft, but they require less planning. Examples of landside attacks at airports have come at Brussels, Istanbul–Atatürk, Moscow-Domodedovo and Glasgow. The methods of attack – vehicle ramming, explosives, guns or knives – follow similar patterns to attacks on crowded places in cities like Paris, Berlin, Nice, Toronto and London.
New ICAO Standards to address landside risks As part of its security strategy, ACI World advises authorities on the adoption of new security rules, helping to shape them and ensuring that changes are proportionate and effective. In 2016, ICAO decided to amend Annex 17 by upgrading its two Recommended Practices on landside to the level of Standards, making them mandatory for States. ACI welcomed this change as it was an appropriate response to the changing threat landscape. Annex 17 now requires that States establish security measures to protect landside areas from attacks. But what are ‘landside areas’? And how should we determine their boundaries at the airport and outside of the
airport perimeter (access roads, for instance)? According to ICAO, this is for each State to define. Another challenge is that government agencies or companies may be responsible for different parts of landside security measures. For example, the airport might be responsible for patrolling the perimeter, while local law enforcement may be responsible for patrolling the railway station under the airport. Annex 17 requires that States co-ordinate landside security measures between all relevant government departments, agencies and other entities, clearly identifying each one’s responsibility.
ACI’s new Landside Security Handbook ACI World’s mission includes promoting airport excellence – helping members build and maintain strong security. We do this by collecting best practices and sharing guidance material with airport members. To help them make sense of landside threats and their new regulatory obligations, in April 2018 ACI released a handbook on landside security. It provides hands-on advice on how to: • Assess the risk of landside attacks • Prevent and deter attacks • Set clear responsibilities between the different players • Be prepared for, and respond to incidents • Recover and communicate, and • Build a strong security culture. As every airport is different, the handbook provides examples and options for different operating environments. Airports want their landside facilities to be open and accessible for travellers, well-wishers and staff, with a variety of attractive commercial offerings and services.
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SPECIAL REPORT: SECURITY
Infrastructure investments now often include large-scale projects located in the airport environment. An example is Singapore Changi Airport’s new Jewel complex – which will include a hotel, retail, dining and an entertainment complex to attract neighbouring communities and travellers. Each State and airport should develop its own risk assessment and keep it up to date with new threats. The ICAO Risk Context Statement provides useful inspiration (and a possible methodology), assessing the global risk of landside attacks as ‘medium-high’. This is second only to an attack via an improvised explosive device (IED), which are still deemed to be the preferred method of attack for terrorists. Mitigations put in place in the landside should be carefully balanced against their impact. The ideal situation is where security is built in to the airport design, because retro-fitting improvements could be much more expensive. Features such as smart landscaping, blast resistant structures, curved access roads and bollards can help prevent, minimise or even deter attacks. The handbook devotes a section to this important topic. Landside areas are different from the security restricted area, so the same measures do not necessarily apply. Nonetheless, several States still require that everyone is screened before entering the building – also known as the ‘front of house’. This may create new vulnerabilities because people having to queue to get inside the building represent a target for attackers. In other words, the solution may only transfer the risk as opposed to treating it. Should screening be considered necessary, a better approach may be to screen in a random continuous manner – making sure that queues are minimised. The same principle should apply throughout the landside. Congestion in public areas creates the potential for mass casualties. This is another reason for encouraging the use of self-service options for passengers, whether through mobile boarding passes, home-printed baggage tags, self-service bag drop points (like the one pictured above in Singapore Changi’s new Terminal 4) and check-in kiosks. Airports and airlines are working together – both individually and collectively, through ACI World and IATA – to process people through the landside check-in and baggage-check system faster, reducing their vulnerability to landside security threats. Generally, a range of mitigations can be introduced that achieve a high security outcome without forcing everyone to stop – this can be a combination of patrols, explosive detection dogs (EDD), CCTV monitoring and behaviour analysis. Ultimately, one of our best security defences against landside attacks and other risks is awareness and security culture. Staff and travellers who
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are aware and alert to the threat of attacks will report incidents, breaches and activities of concern. While some practical steps can help us prevent and discourage landside attacks before they happen, the Landside Security Handbook encourages airports to mitigate their impact when they do happen, prepare their response and bounce back, resuming full operations.
Training and APEX in Security To bring these best practices to life, ACI World offers training as well as airport reviews, known as the Airport Excellence Programme (APEX). Under APEX in Security, ACI co-ordinates and dispatches an ACI Security Review Team of experts to a host airport, with the goal of improving security in specific areas of interest. A review will usually include a wide range of security key areas, including landside security.
Longer term Terrorists will continue to change and modify their methods and approaches to try and circumvent the best efforts of governments, security services and airports. We must be two steps ahead of them in anticipating and planning to mitigate these threats. This means making sure that airport security is sustainable and can withstand the test of time. Currently, our focus is mostly on protecting the aircraft – ensuring that all persons and items getting on board are screened. As an industry, we must ask, is this the right focus? Or should the airport become the focus, building and increasing security through different layers at different points? In the future, the measures airports implement in the landside could be used to determine the intensity of screening later in the process. For instance, security could start outside of the airport, with baggage being picked up and screened remotely. A stand-off portal picking up traces of explosives in the check-in area could affect whether a passenger should be screened more, less or differently at the security checkpoint. How they are screened would also be affected by their risk score, calculated through data like the advance personal information they provide when booking a trip. In effect, the checkpoint could become the smaller layer of an onion. We are starting to have discussions with our airport members and with regulators and partners around the world. Setting an audacious vision for airport security, which adapts to risk and protects infrastructure as well as flights, is something ACI has committed to delivering in 2019 – and it promises to be an energising journey.
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SPECIAL REPORT: SECURITY
Technology
pioneer
Hamad International Airport’s vice president of security, Saeed Al Sulaiti, explains how smart, cutting-edge solutions and a customerfocused philosophy are enhancing security levels and transforming the passenger experience in Qatar.
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amad International Airport’s digital transformation and continued investment in its ‘Smart Airport’ programme are fuelling the young and ambitious gateway’s mission to offer passengers a hassle-free travel experience that complies with the highest standards of safety and security. The airport’s 2014 opening ushered in an exciting new chapter for aviation in Qatar and it has since grown to accommodate an impressive 8,700 passengers and 19,500 bags per hour and more than 30 million passengers per year. In another few years, the airport’s expansion plan will accommodate more than 50 million passengers on a yearly basis. It is, however, well equipped for the challenge due to its vision of becoming the ‘airport of the future’, a user-centric approach, and continued investment in cutting-edge technology. Indeed, this philosophy means that Hamad International Airport (HIA) is positioned to achieve industry-leading solutions and both pioneer and test new technologies that will transform its operations. HIA is one of just a few airports in the world that is championing the ‘Smart Security’ programme and has conducted trials that utilise the latest technology to optimise the airport’s facilities and security processes, empower travellers and redefine the airport experience.
New era of security HIA is also an active member of ACI Asia-Pacific’s Regional Security Committee and, in line with a growing global emphasis on improving airport security, has launched the ‘New Era of Security’ (Neos) initiative. Under Neos, HIA is now testing a brand-new generation of equipment that includes ‘Human Security Radar’ (HSR) in partnership with Apstec Systems. This new feature can detect suspicious items carried by passengers in a ‘free flow’ process, which eliminates the need for checkpoints that might disturb or frustrate the traveller. With new technologies like HSR, HIA is enhancing the traveller experience while also ensuring operational efficiency, making the journey safer, easier and more comfortable. Live passenger trials of the body scanners have achieved industry leading flow rates of above 400 per hour.
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Moreover, planned trials to remove screeners from each lane and test centralising cabin baggage screeners may well lead to improvements in efficiency and security effectiveness.
More transfer security checkpoints options Parallel to operational excellence is the airport’s commitment to a hassle-free and seamless passenger journey. HIA’s recent decision to offer four transfer security checkpoints and 50 security lanes capable of accommodating up to 6,000 passengers during peak hours, means shorter queuing times at security points, which is great news for transferring passengers with a short transfer window, even with HIA’s increasing passenger traffic. The newly-introduced ‘short connection lanes’ ensure passengers a connection time of under an hour, minimising time spent at security checkpoints at peak times and reducing the stress of short connections. ‘Minimum connection lanes’ have also recently been introduced, allowing passengers with very short connection time to be screened to national standards at the arrival gate directly in the terminal, rather than having to walk to a central screening point.
Reducing queuing times to under five minutes HIA’s introduction of two additional transfer areas – it now boasts four across the north and south nodes of the airport – have resulted in an industry-leading achievement in airport security screening – 95% of transfer passengers queue for under five minutes. Indeed, the combination of significantly reduced walking times brought about by the extra transfer areas, with the overall security screening capacity increases to accommodate rising passenger demand, meant that HIA actually exceeded this mark in April 2018, when 99.5% of over one million transfer passengers were screened in less than five minutes.
SPECIAL REPORT: SECURITY
Our continued efforts and investments in cutting-edge technology have helped HIA meet the highest standards of safety and world-class security. Customer satisfaction scores continue to improve with 92% of passengers in July rating their experience as either excellent or good.
First in MENA ready to accept electronic bag tags HIA is paving the way for airport innovation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by being the first airport ready to accept electronic bag tags. Both HIA and Qatar Airways have recently completed IATA’s Electronic Bag Tag (EBT) readability tests. EBTs will play another key role in providing reduced queuing time, a simplified baggage-drop process, and more leisure time at the airport. EBTs will also play an important role in providing greater operating and carbon efficiency. With this leading development, future travellers will have a permanent electronic bag tag and will no longer be required to print and apply traditional bag tags, completely digitalising the baggage process.
Strong strategic partnerships HIA’s strategic partnerships play a key role in catalysing leading technology solutions at the airport. Last year, for instance, marked the signature of two major partnerships that build on the gateway’s Smart Airport vision. HIA’s MOU with Huawei and with global IT provider SITA, comprised of 400 members in the global air transport industry, provide a productive framework to trial and enhance innovative passenger processing solutions. With a sharp focus on reducing waiting times at airport touchpoints, HIA is working hand-in-hand with its strategic partners and technology experts to execute frontline technology solutions. In collaboration with SITA, HIA is exploring biometric integration across several self-service processes including check-in, bag drop, security screening and aircraft boarding. HIA will also receive 62 next-generation common-use check-in kiosks, with bag tag printing capability and boarding pass verification
e-gates. These kiosks and e-gates will have the ability to incorporate biometrics to identify passengers. The use of biometrics will enhance security processes while delivering smooth end-to-end travel using a single biometric token. The airport’s partnership with Huawei enables innovative concepts, prototypes and solutions in several areas across IoT and autonomous machines.
The future for HIA Under the ‘Smart Airport’ vision, HIA is now looking ahead to a promising future of world-class technology and innovative solutions. By introducing automated processes and self-service at every touch point of travel, HIA is facilitating more efficient passenger movements within the terminal. The airport is working closely with Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy to process the arrival of approximately 96,000 passengers per day during the FIFA World Cup 2022. As our world grows increasingly digital, we’re finding that striking the right balance between cutting-edge technology and a warm, passenger-friendly experience is what foregrounds our success. While we seek new and innovative solutions, we’re prioritising our travellers and testing what truly works to improve their travel experience. We’re collaborating with the right partners, continuously engaging our stakeholders, and providing a world-class experience that makes us one of the best airports in the world. The next step for HIA is to initiate new trials aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of robotics for passenger facilitation, and of blockchain technology for the rapid and secure sharing of data across multiple stakeholders. What I can tell you is that as HIA looks ahead to accommodating rising passenger demand while maintaining and boosting its position as one of the best airports in the world, staying ahead of the game with airport trends and innovation and empowering passengers will remain AW at the core of airport operations as we strive for excellence.
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AI and tunnel vision
New technology for screening staff in Oakland, a planned new biometric tunnel in Dubai, and an upgrade to JFK Terminal 4’s Security Operations Centre come under the spotlight in our security news round-up.
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akland International Airport (OAK) – a TSA Test Innovation Site for new technology – has installed Evolv Edge, a physical threat detection and prevention system powered by artificial intelligence, to streamline its employee screening programme. The installation enhances OAK’s security posture by protecting against metallic and non-metallic threats while simultaneously improving operational efficiency. The gateway is looking for innovative new ways of carrying out security checks of staff and equipment as its workforce expands to cope with rising passenger numbers, which passed 13.2 million in 2017 to cement its status as the second busiest airport in northern California. According to Evolv Technology, its solution provides OAK with the ability to screen employees for metallic and non-metallic threats with a fast, non-invasive process. Designed with built-in wheels for portability, OAK can easily move the system throughout the airport allowing maximum efficiency for its employee inspection programme. “With today’s threat landscape, the security perimeter has expanded beyond traditional checkpoints,” says CEO, Mike Ellenbogen. “Evolv Edge’s flexibility and portability provides Oakland International Airport with an added layer of security when it comes to employee screening. Oakland International Airport is always at the forefront of innovation, and we will continue working closely with their team to ensure success and safety.”
Smart tunnel planned for DXB Dubai International Airport (DXB) is set to trial a new ‘smart tunnel’ that carries out biometric scans of passengers as they walk through it and look at videos projected onto its walls. In essence, while passengers admire the views – a virtual aquarium and wild horses are just two of the films that have been tested to date – 80 in-built cameras are used to scan each person’s iris and face to verify their identity. Travellers have to pre-register before using the biometric tunnel by visiting one of the airport’s 3D face scanning kiosks; then, when
they’ve walked through the smart tunnel, their biometrics will be compared to their digital profile and, if it’s a match, they’ll be waved through. In theory, this could mean that passengers no longer need to pass through a traditional airport security checkpoint or even have to use e-gates and other self-service technologies, although in reality this scenario is still years away. Speaking about the aquarium concept, Dubai’s Deputy Director General of Residency and Foreign Affairs, Major Gen Obaid Al Hameeri, told The National newspaper: “The fish is a sort of entertainment and something new for the traveller but, at the end of the day, it attracts the vision of the travellers to different corners in the tunnel for the cameras to capture his/her face print. “The virtual images are of very high quality and gives a simulation of a real-life aquarium.” The new security tunnels could be introduced in Terminal 3 by the end of this year and, if they prove successful, launched in the other terminals by 2020, although a spokesman for Dubai Airports insists that they remain “a concept only at this point”.
Upgrade for Security Operations Centre at JFK’s T4 New York–JFK’s Terminal 4 has awarded Thales a contract to upgrade its Security Operations Centre (SOC) as part of a modernisation project to enhance security operations at the facility. Under the terms of a three-year deal, Thales will deliver an Airport Operation Control Centre (AOCC) platform that provides processes and procedures to make the management of security and operations at the terminal smoother and more efficient. It will also provide a command and control centre to enhance situational awareness of terminal activities, while giving the operators complete functionality of all sub-systems and allowing security staff to be more proactive. The technologies will help the newly expanded terminal keep pace with rising passenger demand. It currently accommodates around a third of 59 million passengers handled AW annually at New York’s busiest gateway.
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Better for everyone Synectics’ Greg Alcorn explains why he believes that intelligently integrated surveillance is fast becoming an airport’s most important HR tool.
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irports are complex entities and critical gateways for cities, regions and nations, channelling millions of passengers to destinations across the globe every year. They also arguably face more daily logistical, operational and security challenges than most other businesses, which is why it is not surprising to learn that they are also some of the largest employers in the world. Hubs like London Heathrow and Dubai International Airport, for example, employ over 160,000 people between them. But your biggest asset – your workforce – is also one of the biggest risks to your business. With high-security zones, dangerous operating areas and complex shift patterns to be considered, ensuring that thousands of staff remain safe, well, and where they should be while working to exacting protocols, is a mammoth task. It is also a challenge ideally suited to intelligently integrated surveillance command and control solutions.
The power of connected real-time oversight While airports commonly use surveillance, a practice that has yet to be widely adopted is the pairing of visual data with information from the vast array of devices at their disposal to achieve a clear, real-time view of operations. By monitoring surveillance footage alongside data from security, safety, management systems and edge devices – operators are able to view, manage, and, more importantly, understand the significance of all this data from a single unified interface. It is exactly this opportunity that intelligently integrated surveillance command and control solutions present. And while this naturally has significance for improving passenger-side operations, it also has the power to transform the way airports implement and enforce processes vital to staff security, safety and wellbeing.
People-mapping for clarity on clearance For the protection of staff and passengers alike, ensuring that access to specific airport zones is restricted – in accordance with accurate identification and clearance levels – is a major priority. With literally a small town of personnel to ID, authenticate, and process through a wide range of back office and airside work areas – from cleaners, administrators, retail workers, check-in teams, maintenance staff and baggage handlers to airline crews – this is no small feat.
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But the process is significantly simpler when systems are integrated to deliver airport-wide situational awareness. Consider a simple example. A member of staff’s badge with integral RFID is swiped to enter a restricted area. With an intelligently integrated solution, this one action can trigger any number of automated responses: surveillance footage prioritisation to automatically or manually match against ID photos held on system; cross-referencing with staffing schedules to check whether that individual should be on shift; or people-counting verification to confirm only one individual (the badge holder) passes through the door to prevent ‘tailgating’. If any anomalies are detected, these can be alarmed to prompt appropriate investigative workflows for operators to follow in order to determine risk or the issue at hand. Through interoperability with connected systems, control centre teams then have the power to initiate protocol-driven actions such as access door lockdowns. These capabilities, combined with real-time GIS mapping, mean that control centre operators can view a live map of airport activity and personnel, with the ability to action an appropriate response.
Supporting wellbeing with strict adherence to safety Crucially, while achieving such a comprehensive understanding of personnel movements supports security objectives, it also has major implications for guaranteeing the safety of staff.
SPECIAL REPORT: SECURITY
A prime example of this is airport aprons. Personnel operating in these areas have potential access to passengers, fuel, baggage, plane embarking/disembarking infrastructure etc. As such, verifying IDs and closely monitoring activity in real-time is clearly a security priority. But these areas are also hazardous. Failure to follow the right safety protocols – from wearing high-visibility and specialist clothing and keeping within ground-marked safe walkways to always working in pairs to complete specific tasks – can result in serious injury or even death. The intelligent integration of surveillance, access control, sensors and video analytics make working in these areas much safer with anomalies flagged based on data parameters. This allows control room teams to immediately respond if, for example, a worker strays over a virtual perimeter line, isn’t clearly displaying their ID badge, or removes their high-visibility jacket. Aprons are just one example where leveraging sub-system data through the surveillance platform can produce actionable intelligence. The same principles can be applied across the entire airport estate, with GIS data and rules based on Standard Operating Procedures allowing airports to apply alarm parameters based on the workers’ exact on-site location. Any immediate dangers can be identified and dealt with in real time, while recorded footage is automatically categorised and can
be logged for post-event safety training and/or review for long-term solution planning, such as infrastructure changes that may boost worker safety. Lone-worker systems, PMRs (professional mobile radios) etc can all be integrated and monitored to ensure workers are safe. With body-worn cameras also being used in a number of global airports from Missouri to Mumbai, the integration possibilities supporting real-time safety monitoring are virtually endless. And of course, monitoring is not restricted to physical safety. The 24/7 nature of airports means another risk factor lies in staff who are tired or overworked, which can result in operational inefficiencies or, worse still, put the lives of both workers and passengers in jeopardy. In this context the integration of access control, shift roster databases, and clocking-out systems can, for example, alert managers to a person working too many shifts in a row.
A guiding hand in emergency scenarios A unified, centralised command and control solution also supports optimal deployment and co-ordination of emergency response teams in the event that workers need support. Combining GIS mapping data, IDs, training information from personnel files and video data, operators can quickly locate incidents and the nearest members of staff with the right skills to help.
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Respondents can then be guided to incident locations quickly and effectively, and if necessary, access systems can be overridden to enable teams to take the most direct route possible through the complex airport environment. As an example, in Texas, San Antonio International Airport has 4,000 doors posing a huge challenge when also confronted with negotiating significant crowds of passengers. This logistical capability, made possible by the smart use of data, can make a huge difference to response times. Once on location, information can be shared with responders, including any images that may be pertinent to assess danger or risk levels, and they can be talked through procedures via integrated communications, with operators following on-screen workflows based on real-time data received regarding the incident in question.
Another exciting development that will be made possible as analytics software improves – from facial recognition to behaviour analysis – is increased automated deployment of staff. For instance, the software could analyse camera footage, detect that a spillage has occurred, and automatically initiate a workflow prompting the appropriate staff to clean up the mess, avoiding a potential slip and fall incident. An alternative scenario could be that the combined surveillance footage and system data identifies passengers waiting for a delayed flight at a gate with an air conditioning system that needs maintenance attention, prompting it to send out a workflow to distribute bottles of water – a nice customer service touch.
Supported staff means better business What does the future hold? Using technology to provide more in-depth, immediate on-the-ground help to workers is a crucial area of development in the industry right now. Many solutions currently being trialled offer enormous potential when added to the integrated command and control mix. An interesting example is Singapore Changi Airport’s recent trial of augmented reality (AR) smart glasses that superimpose project instructions and information, enabling workers to carry out real-time ground and ramp handling tasks more efficiently and effectively. In the future, monitoring data from AR glasses could be integrated alongside flight information and staff rotas to optimise the deployment of staff. During emerging events such as flight delays or teams in other terminals being shorthanded due to worker absence, the glasses could convey real-time instructions and redirect individuals as appropriate. They could also detect, for example, if certain workers are bearing an undue strain of handling heavy equipment, so managers can intervene and spread the load more fairly to improve safety and wellbeing.
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Perhaps the biggest advantage of using system integration to support staff safety and wellbeing is that, for many airports, technology and capability are already in place. Individually, the systems needed to obtain useful data are active – they are just disparately managed. The right command and control platform capitalise on that potential; and by adopting an open architecture solution, airports can seamlessly integrate legacy hardware alongside newer devices and trial-proven tech at a pace that suits both budget and evolving needs. Air travel is set to increase exponentially, with IATA predicting air passenger numbers will nearly double to 7.8 billion by 2036. This kind of increase is not sustainable without an effective, supported, and well-managed workforce. However, with such a powerful HR and organisational tool at their disposal, the opportunity is there to seize. AW
About the author Greg Alcornis the divisional director for transport and infrastructure at Synectics.
SPECIAL REPORT: SECURITY
Another
dimension Smiths Detection’s global market director for aviation, Cameron Mann, discusses how CT technology can improve security, efficiency and the passenger experience at airport checkpoints.
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ccording to World Bank data, over the last 30 years the number of global air passengers has grown from around 905 million per annum to 3.97 billion in 2017. At the same time, the airline industry encountered a number of terror-related incidents – from liquid explosives to soft-target airport attacks. In recent years, threats have evolved with smaller and more complex concealments and more will inevitably follow as air travel becomes an even bigger part of our lives, Boeing predicting that air traffic will double by 2037. As part of the efforts to thwart terror threats, government’s have introduced restrictions on liquids, electronics and even powders that passengers could bring on board an aircraft in a bid to keep the planes, crew and passengers safe and secure. Over the years, regulators have introduced a series of standards and security enhancements to ensure air travel remains safe and secure. In 2015, the European Union released the Explosives Detection Systems for Cabin Baggage (EDS CB) standards. The management of equipment testing and the production of results is the responsibility of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). This led to the introduction of Computed Tomography (CT) technology at checkpoints. However, regulators have provided airports with options on the implementation of these standards depending on their individual circumstances, priorities and resources. With the use of EDS CB certified equipment by airports following ECAC Regulations, the random screening of a certain percentage of all passenger belongings is no longer required. If it’s a C1 certified screening system, passengers need to remove electronics and liquids from their hand baggage. If it’s a C2 certified system, subject to the national regulator, passengers can leave electronic items in their bags while, removing liquids out of their bags. And if a scanner meets the C3 standard, nothing needs to be removed from the bag. This provides opportunities to change the divestment process, making it less complex and faster, thereby improving passengers’ travelling experience.
CT technology is the only technology that is likely to meet EDS CB C3 (and in the future C4) standards. How does CT differ from current scanners? CT technology isn’t new. Developed originally for medical applications, CT was first used for hold baggage security scanners in the early 1990s. It has taken time for both regulatory and technological advancements to make it a viable option for cabin baggage; bearing in mind the checkpoint environment demands for something much smaller, lighter and less intrusive. Typically, X-ray scanners at a checkpoint provide 2D images from fixed generators and detectors. Unlike these conventional systems, the X-ray generator and detectors in a checkpoint CT system are mounted on a gantry, which rotates at a constant speed as the hand baggage is carried through the scanner on a conveyor belt. A rotating gantry spins around the object taking hundreds of views at slightly different angles and then reconstructs the raw data into volumetric 3D images. The comprehensive data collected is used to make more precise measurements and very accurate judgements on substances within a bag. For example, it supports operators by automatically differentiating between explosives and other organic, but benign, items such as chocolate. CT scanning is expected to offer opportunities to drive automation and operational efficiency at checkpoints. In addition to providing high-level automated detection, it also paves the way for further sophisticated algorithms, which support automatic object recognition of prohibited items. Currently, an operator needs to review every image generated by the scanner, but once object recognition algorithms are deployed, this process – the detection of explosives and prohibited objects – could introduce opportunities for various levels of automation, and an operator might only need to conduct follow-up inspections. By elevating the detection of explosives in hand luggage to a completely new level, CT technology will improve the safety and security of air traffic, operational efficiency of airports and the aviation network and significantly improve the AW passengers’ experience.
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AIRPORT DESIGN
People pleaser
Gensler’s Keith Thompson and Terence Young and Heerim’s Byungkoo Lee tell us more about the concepts behind the design of Incheon International Airport’s impressive new Terminal 2.
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s you would expect from an airport whose name is synonymous with top quality customer service, Incheon International Airport wanted its new Terminal 2 to be something special in terms of its look, feel, facilities, services offered and ease of use. High requirements indeed, but if the hugely positive feedback from passengers in the few months since Terminal 2 opened for business on January 18 is anything to go by, Incheon’s new high-tech facility is already proving popular with passengers. With 37 contact gates and 32 remote positions in Phase 1, the terminal is the airport’s first major expansion project in 17 years and boasts a number of ‘smart technology’ features such as 62 self-check-in desks, self-bag drop and facial recognition systems that allow automated immigration processing. Initially equipped to handle 18 million passengers per annum, the 368,000sqm complex has its own airside hotel, sense-of-place art work and other features that include an observation deck, napping rooms, kids play areas and others showcasing the best in South Korean culture.
The design process The airport announced a design competition for Terminal 2 on December 27, 2010, and Gensler was asked to join the Korean powerhouse Heerim as the collaborating design architect in what became the Heerim–Mooyoung–Gensler– Yungdo (HMGY) consortium. Working closely with Heerim, Gensler and Heerim collaborated on the design work that formed the basis of the design submittal. While the consortium partners were involved throughout, other key consultants
included BNP (baggage), Hugh Dutton (curtainwall), Lea+Elliott (APM) and Landrum & Brown, SAP group (concession planning). The design competition attracted entries from seven internationally recognised architectural teams, and after each was evaluated by the jury, the HMGY team prevailed. Winning the competition, the HMGY team started the one-year basic design phase on July 25, 2011, with the goal of completing the project in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics at PyeongChang.
Concepts and inspiration We evaluated a variety of organisational concepts starting with some from an earlier ‘ideas competition’ and arrived at the ‘bent H’ layout, which offers the best balance between the needs of originating and connecting passengers while simultaneously meeting all the programme requirements. The inspiration behind the design was that of the phoenix, which is both a creature in Korean mythology and an indirect reference to reunification which remains a strong sentiment among most Koreans. Beyond that the design is a blend between looking into the future and looking to the past. The design of the passenger journey is an interpretation of a passenger walking through a traditional Korean painting. At the highest level is the cloud or mountain layer, the middle is the forest and village layer, and the lower levels represent a textured rocky coastline. Each layer in the building has a corresponding material colour and texture to reflect this painted inspiration. The design applies the patterns and local stone, wood and colours to create an authentic journey through Korea.
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Future-proofing Gensler’s role meant asking the question: What is the airport of the future? What does it mean for the region and the country and how do we see the journey changing into the next decade? The client, Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), asked us to build upon the repeated success and awards of Incheon T1, and propel the passenger experience level to an even higher trajectory. We looked at everything from traditional mythology, painting and textiles to get inspiration while leveraging the innovations that Korean technology companies are pioneering. Gensler also led the design of the exterior envelope, creating a skin that maximises natural daylight.
Large triangular gardens serve passengers and staff seeking a quiet place to relax and unwind and possibly enjoy a meal in view of the garden. The dining terrace includes a mix of high-end and mid-range priced food and retail serving western and Asian foods. Further out from the gates, where impulse purchases are more likely, are smaller convenience boutiques, fast-serve food and beverage options. These target tenants were planned in the early design phase, the actual selection of retail partnerships rest with the airport’s revenue development group and they were ultimately responsible for leasing a mix of retail, food and beverage.
Innovation Challenges and opportunities One early hurdle we faced during the competition was fitting all the required aircraft including contact gates and remote stands on site while providing short walking distances between gates. With that solved, the next challenge came just after 30% of the basic design was submitted. The client, IIAC, requested a significant increase in the number of check-in positions, a change in the curvature of the headhouse, and relocation of the two security checkpoints to a more central location to aid in consolidation of some of the specialty retail offerings. In addition, the phasing of the programme meant that the north concourses and portions of the headhouse were to be deferred until a later date, yet the initial concept presumed a unified architecture. This required the headhouse to accomodate future expansion with the minimum of disruption whilst maintaining the architectural concept at Phase 1.
The passenger experience The passenger experience is a fully integrated journey that includes retail and dining, educational moments as well as art and technology showcases. During the design phase we identified the need for a variety of budgets and experiences at the airport: fast-serve and budget retail as well as fine dining and luxury retailers including Prada and Louis Vuitton. The outcome of our design studies was a vibrant boutique avenue as a venue for international boutique fashion houses and fine dining cafes overlooking ‘the avenue’, once a passenger passed through security.
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Two particularly unique areas stand out as innovative. The first is landside access across the airside to an observation deck via an internal bridge spanning the airside retail district. This space serves two functions: to allow non-passengers to view the operational airfield and post security activity in the concourse, and to provide educational entertainment. The gallery space showcases a model of the plans for the entire Incheon airport complex, a children’s play zone, an educational display showing the baggage system, a VR ride that takes the viewer through the baggage system, and a series of dioramas dramatising stories from staff about the history of Incheon airport. This space becomes a gathering place to learn about the past and future of the airport and feel the size of the community of travellers, staff and airlines. The second stand out experience is the integration of art throughout the building. Moments such as the three-story vertical core with the Korean alphabet; the migrating birds leading travellers to the observation deck; the sculptural information desks; and the reflective globes in the garden create an energy of curiosity and wonderment. Kids stop and play, people take selfies, and workers and staff find a place to recharge.
About the authors Keith Thompson is Gensler’s firmwide aviation and transportation practice area leader and Terence Young is a design director with the company. Byungkoo Lee is the executive vice president of Heerim, leading the firm’s aviation design practice.
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CAR PARKING
Park and fly
Airport World takes a look at a handful of initiatives designed to boost car parking efficiency, revenues and customer service levels at gateways across the globe.
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o slick and impressive is Edmonton International Airport’s own parking product, jetSet Parking, that it has expanded beyond the boundaries of the Alberta gateway and now also provides car parking services at Canada’s Saskatoon (YXE) and Vancouver (YVR) airports. Established in 2010 and deliberately operated as an independent brand to counter consumer belief that airport parking is more expensive than the off-site alternatives, jetSet competes directly against the off-airport parking operators and suppliers and is now the dominant player in the Edmonton market and an important economic generator for EIA. Indeed, courtesy of a parking reservation system developed by Chauntry for jetSet, EIA became the first North American airport to introduce online parking reservations and one of the first to provide a rewards programme and make customised offers to passengers. Today, 80% of all its parking transactions are made online. A self-park and valet service are offered to customers at all three Canadian airports and, at EIA, there is the option to check-in for WestJet flights at shuttle bus stations and the main office. EIA’s parking and management solutions director, Brett Bain, says: “Today, many airports compete with off airport parking operators who generate significant revenues while sharing little, if any, of the revenue stream with the airports they serve. We wanted to change this and therefore set up jetSet as a separate parking brand.
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“The goal of jetSet is the creation of a national and international airport brand, which, as airports, we can share the benefits from. By working together, the potential for national and corporate sales opens up sales channels which very few airports enjoy today.” He adds: “We are a significant generator of non-aeronautical revenue for EIA. The airport now makes an average of C$7.68 per enplaned passenger, which is the highest in Canada, but such is the strength of the jetSet brand that most people don’t associate it with the airport.”
Investing in analytics Norwegian airport operator, Avinor, has partnered with IDeaS Revenue Solutions to grow revenue at 11 car parks offering more than 20,000 parking spaces at Oslo Airport. Avinor insists that the new strategy will create a better experience for the growing number of travellers using the airport’s car parks. Customers are also promised that they will receive more dynamic pricing on Avinor’s pre-book solution, with regulated prices based on actual demand. “In an increasingly complex ground transportation environment, we recognised that, while we have done a good job to date, investing in analytics to better understand and price the demand for our car park business would enable us to truly optimise our parking inventory,” says Amy-Caroline Løken, category manager for Avinor.
CAR PARKING Smart parking at SFO
“It would also create a better customer experience for the growing number of travellers looking to pre-book online. “We’re truly excited to partner with IDeaS. The company will not only give us a system to automate pricing updates to our selling systems, but also will guide us through the journey given their extensive expertise in airport parking revenue management.” According to the technology company, its Car Park Revenue Management System “empowers airport commercial and parking managers to automate revenue management and price distribution, leveraging best-in-class SAS Analytics and easy-to-use data visualisations and interactive dashboards”. The web-based, self-learning tool dynamically forecasts parking demand, enabling optimal pricing decisions to be set over a full booking window, so customers are accurately charged according to demand and parking revenues are optimised. “One of the best ways airports can manage a correct pricing system is through applying automated revenue management to their parking assets,” explains IDeaS’ director of strategic accounts, Guy Barnes. “Moving from manual or less sophisticated pricing decisionmaking to a data-driven environment delivers significant revenue growth to an area that typically delivers the greatest EBITDA for airports. “We’re hugely excited to partner with Avinor and Oslo Airport, and we look forward to working with the team to provide increased control in driving performance.”
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has awarded the Parking Guidance System contract for its Long-Term Parking garages (LTP1 and LTP2) to Park Assist. The company’s M4 camera-based smart-sensor powered technology was selected along with a set of features to help SFO reduce costs, generate new revenue opportunities and create an innovation-driven parking system. It will also be fully integrated with SFO’s Park Access Revenue Control System (PARCS) to add more seamless functionality and further enhance the customer experience. The M4 camera based smart-sensor system uses License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, as well as digital directional signage, which helps guide drivers to the nearest available space. Upon entry to the facilities, airport branded signs are utilised to clearly communicate parking space availability and let visitors know where to turn. Park Assist’s signage is configured to display real-time parking availability throughout the entire facility of over 6,682 spaces. According to SFO, visitors will now enjoy effortless parking, with guidance throughout the entire garage, and even back to their car using Park Assist’s Find Your Car feature via the airport’s mobile app. Once the system is fully installed, a complete integration with other technology currently in use at the facility will take place to ensure a seamless exchange of data between all parking systems and software. In addition to sensors and intuitive controls, Park Assist’s Park Surveillance feature will be added to the project scope to serve as a security enhancement. The camera-based system can capture streaming video whenever motion is detected in or around a space, or continuously – if desired. “We are delighted to work with San Francisco International Airport in delivering an exceptional customer experience in parking while helping to create more operational efficiencies and conveniences,” says Park Assist’s CEO, Gary Neff.
E-commerce on agenda at Seattle-Tacoma AeroParker have won a 10-year contract with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to supply a robust e-commerce platform for its parking operation. The AeroParker system will allow airport customers to reserve and purchase parking and ancillary services in advance of their travel. Sea-Tac is currently ranked as the 9th busiest US airport, serving nearly 46.9 million passengers in 2017 and manages one of the world’s largest single structure parking garages with more than 13,000 spaces available for both short and long-term parking. Jon Keefe, CEO of AeroParker, says: “This is a prestigious contract that we are extremely proud to have been awarded. We look forward to working closely with the Port of Seattle. This win continues to maintain our current growth rate and firmly establishes AeroParker in the United States.” Established in 2000, AeroParker processes millions of pre-book parking and ancillary transactions per annum across its airport and port customers throughout Europe. It’s growth in the US has been facilitated by Venture Capital (VC) funding, which was secured in 2014. Offering airports multiple channels to increase non-aeronautical revenues from parking and ancillaries, AeroParker’s software also enables airports to collect valuable customer data for future AW commercial gain.
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EVENTS: SMART AIRPORTS
SMART thinking!
Joe Bates looks back at some of the highlights of July’s SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition which helped showcase the best in airport commercial development, IT innovation, strategic thinking and planning and design.
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n airport leaders panel helped draw an impressive crowd of over 400 delegates to the opening sessions of the SMART Airports & Regions Conference & Exhibition in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. In the spotlight were Edmonton International Airport’s Tom Ruth; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s Greg Richardson; Greater Toronto Airport Authority’s Howard Eng; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s Lance Lyttle; and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s Candace McGraw. The CEO Panel, listed as ‘The Thinkery’, covered a wide range of topics broadly centred around the challenges and opportunities facing their respective airports now and in the future. Edmonton’s president and CEO, Ruth, outlined some of the incredible developments going on at his airport today as the gateway looks to decrease its dependency on aeronautical revenues, boost its commercial income and cement its status as one of the region’s most important economic generators. The projects include the recently opened outlet mall and the ongoing construction of an 800,000 square foot high-tech facility for growing medical cannabis, a giant COSTCO warehouse, new hotel, an eight-acre truck training track, horse racing track and an assortment of cargo, logistics and distribution facilities.
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Ruth, who described EIA as Canada’s largest airport in the north and gateway to the north with more land than any other airport in the country, noted that when you build an airport city the development naturally radiates outwards for the entire region. He said: “Why do we pursue commercial development? Well, we do it for several reasons, one of which is to create a passenger/ tourist destination. “Today, for example, we have almost as many people coming to the outlet mall as they do to the airport. This, of course, drives economic prosperity with 2,000 new jobs added this year alone based on all the commercial developments. Being a destination also drives passenger and cargo growth.” He added that thanks to Alberta Aerospace and Technology Centre and another 30 incubated companies based at the airport, EIA today viewed itself as a laboratory for innovation. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta’s interim deputy general manager and CFO, Richardson, whose airport remains the world’s busiest handling in excess of 104 million passengers per annum, revealed that ATL had to find increasingly innovative ways of using and developing the airport site as its 4,700-acre plot of land was “relatively small” for an airport of its size, and effectively meant that having enough gates to meet rising demand would always be an issue.
EVENTS: SMART AIRPORTS
But the airport is definitely up for the challenge as its $6 billion capital improvement programme, ATLNext, includes plans to modernise its existing facilities, add new parking and cargo complexes and a sixth runway to “boost the airport’s capacity, provide some extra gates and enhance the aesthetic appeal of Atlanta.” ATL’s economic importance to Atlanta and the surrounding region remains huge, noted Richardson, the latest figures showing that it currently generates $64 billion in economic activity and is responsible for 450,000 jobs. Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) president and CEO, Eng, touched on the ambition to develop Toronto Pearson into a ‘mega hub’ and the need to improve ground transportation links in order to reduce the time it takes to travel to the airport, which is expected to increase by 30% in the future as passenger numbers rise. “If it takes too long to get anywhere, the region will no longer be an attractive place to visit and this will have an adverse impact. So, we are working with the regional government to create a transit hub at the airport,” said Eng. Lyttle, managing director of Seattle-Tacoma, talked about his airport’s growing traffic figures – it is now the ninth busiest airport in the US in terms of passenger numbers – and rising economic impact, its reputation as a pioneer in the use of new technology and how $4 billion worth of investment on 30 different projects over the next decade will raise the gateway’s capacity to 57mppa by 2027. While Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s CEO, McGraw, spoke about how her airport has bounced back from losing its status as a Delta hub to becoming one of the fastest growing gateways in the US with local passenger numbers up 63% in the last three years. She said that a new more diversified business plan and a series of new cargo and commercial developments – which includes signing a deal with Amazon to build a new $1.5 billion Amazon Prime Air hub on 900 acres of land at CVG – ensured that 60% of its income now comes from non-aeronautical revenues. “We’re not going to get caught flat-footed again by being too reliant on one tenant or one line of business,” said McGraw.
Asked to sum up in five words or less the top priorities they thought their gateways should adopt to become a SMART airport, the CEO panel offered some sound advice. EIA’s Ruth stated: “Consistently being innovative and adaptable.” ATL’s Richardson commented: “Enhancing performance through collaborative innovation.” GTAA’s Eng offered: “Focus on reliability and consistency.” Little noted: “Innovation, flexibility, connectivity, knowledge and work.” And McGraw said: “Be agile and make decisions quickly.” The event – hosted by Edmonton International Airport (EIA) in partnership with Edmonton Economic Development, the Leduc Nisku Economic Development Association and Edmonton Global – began with welcome addresses from Ruth; Tanni Doblanko, mayor of Leduc County; Bob Young, mayor of Leduc; Sarah Hamilton, councillor, City of Edmonton; and Myron Keehn, vice president of air services and commercial development at Edmonton International Airport. Doblanko referred to EIA as being the “heartbeat” of the region and Hamilton called it a “vital resource” for Edmonton and the surrounding region. The opening sessions were followed by ‘The Thinkery – Part 2’, where more airport leaders – Charlotte-Douglas’ Stuart Hair; El Paso’s Monica Lambraña; Minneapolis-St Paul’s Brian Ryks; and Vancouver’s Craig Richmond – continued the conversation about the economic impact their respective gateways have on their respective regions. Richmond touched on traffic growth, the C$9.1 billion in development projects needed at YVR over the next 20 years to ensure that it is equipped to meet future growth, and stressed the importance of connecting passengers, which he admitted continue to prove pivotal to the launch of most new long-haul routes. In terms of innovation, he revealed that the airport had now sold close to 1,600 of its own developed BorderXpress kiosks to other airports, meaning that in certain months of the year it made more money from the machines and sales of other products than it did from parking. He also felt that federal politicians often took his airport for granted despite it enjoying the greatest period of growth in its history, facilitating a significant C$16.5 billion in total economic
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EVENTS: SMART AIRPORTS
activity, C$8.4 billion in GDP and C$1.4 billion in taxes and being served by more mainland Chinese carriers than any other airport in Europe or North America. Ryks stated that MSP’s success in ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer satisfaction programme reflected its investment in customer service, and noted that its focus on air service development had been rewarded with the launch of 48 new routes since 2016, which created more competition on existing services and had driven down airfares. “Our route development success can, in part, be put down to our outreach to the regional business community through the Regional Air Services Partnership,” said Ryks. “This is a partnership between the Metropolitan Airports Commission and Greater MSP, which is the regional economic development partner for the entire area, and engages executives at the CEO level from 3M, Ecolab, Xcel Energy, Minnesota Vikings and many other Fortune 500 companies. “The unique thing about this is that we are not interested in past travel patterns. We are interested in looking forward, one to three years, to find out where these companies are going and more about emerging markets. As a direct result of these discussions Delta will launch a new direct service to Seoul in April next year.” Delegates got to learn a little more about some of the world’s most ambitious airport city plans during the next session, where Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance’s executive director, Shannon James, arguably stole the show with his informative and entertaining presentation about ATL and the aerotropolis-related real estate development going on within a 20-mile radius of Hartsfield-Jackson. Stressing the importance of collaboration and co-operation, he said: “We are a public private partnership and our territory is very expansive covering two counties and 14 cities that view and utilise HartsfieldJackson as a central business district. We have developed a true regional approach to economic development where everyone shares the same vision, purpose, goals and objectives which makes navigating [the process] a lot easier.” He added that the projected economic benefit of the planned developments, which include housing, hotels, offices, retail outlets and a host of other commercial facilities, was upwards of $1 billion and up to 10,000 new jobs. Also on the panel were Greater Gaston Development Corporation’s Mark Cramer; Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board’s Malcolm Bruce; Hubstart Paris’ Elisabeth Le Masson and MAG USA’s CEO and president, Rosemarie Andolino. Day one ended with a final session called ‘Next Airports & Smart Cities’ moderated by EIA’s Myron Keehn before delegates spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening at Fort Edmonton Park where the many
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highlights included streetcar and wagon rides; a trip to the theatre; and watching muskets being fired! Day two opened with a debate on ‘Disruption and Incubation’ before the programme divided into three separate sessions for the remainder of the event, essentially covering IT innovation, technology driven solutions and customer service in Stream A; Infrastructure development, intelligent design and sustainability in Stream B; and Airport centric development, including housing, and non-aeronautical revenue streams in Stream C. ACI World’s ASQ manager Sevda Fevzi, and San Antonio International Airport’s always energised and entertaining chief customer experience office, Karen Ellis, spoke in the customer service focused session in Stream A. While Tehran–Imam Khomeini International Airport’s chief development officer, Pieter van der Horst, offered this advice to all airports thinking of creating their own ‘aerotropolis’ or ‘airport city’ projects. “The masterplan is just the start of the process and must be viewed in this way and developed as the game inevitably changes,” he warned. “I’ve seen so many airports develop master plans over the years and then they don’t know what to do with them, so after two to three years nothing happens and there are no investors. In the meantime, a new real estate manager comes onboard and they think that the master plan isn’t good, and the whole process starts again. Don’t let this happen to your airport.” Prior to the conference delegates had the opportunity to take a tour of EIA – those on the Landside Tour had the chance to see Robo-bird, its falcon-like drone designed to scare real birds away from the airfield – and/or take part in MXD Development Strategists’ Discovery Workshop where a host of high-calibre speakers addressed the theme of SMART Airports – connectivity, innovation and opportunity. AW
MASTER PLANNING
Growth creation
Gresham Smith’s Grant Clifford tells us more about how creating space in the central terminal area has helped elevate the passenger experience at Tampa International Airport.
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s more and more airports worldwide reach operational capacity at their terminal complexes, they’re often left with fewer and fewer options when it comes to expanding facilities and managing congestion on roads and kerbsides. Additional land at terminal complexes is hard to come by and starting from scratch or performing a massive reconstruction can be incredibly expensive and disruptive, meaning airports must figure out how to get more out of their existing infrastructure and leverage underutilised land. Our team at Gresham Smith recently had the opportunity to help solve a space problem at Tampa International Airport by making some improvements at the Main Terminal and repurposing real estate on a different part of the campus. The solution meant that we were able to increase capacity and reduce congestion at the Main Terminal. Keep reading to learn why and how we settled on a remote space solution.
Going through growth When Tampa International Airport (TPA) began updating their master plan in 2012 they were serving approximately 16 million passengers per annum and, at the time, rapidly running out of space for key functions. Predicting strong growth, airport leadership recognised the need to act quickly to create extra capacity. And their decision was wise as passenger numbers have soared by 22.5% over the last five years to reach a record-breaking 19.6 million in 2017. The airport’s terminal complex is a hub and spoke configuration with the Main Terminal at its core and short-term parking above, with all four airsides connected by automated people movers (APMs). A large long-term parking structure is located across the street that, back in 2012, was also home to rental car operations. The unique configuration creates a compact, user-friendly terminal complex and the short walking distances are very popular with travellers. The compact nature of the terminal also means that the existing kerbsides are very short and have limited capacity, making significant expansion difficult. To keep up with demand the airport has constantly modernised and made additions, but by 2012, they needed a more radical solution.
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Leadership had previously explored constructing a new terminal on the north side of the site, but it was going to be an expensive option. Instead, they analysed areas of need and developed a three-phase plan to increase capacity from 20 million to 35 million passengers per annum. The first phase of the plan, which we recently completed, focused on decongestion. The airport’s kerbsides were at capacity and two levels in the adjacent parking garage didn’t provide room to accommodate the vast number of rental cars needed during peak hours of operation. This had resulted in the rental car companies compensating by shuttling cars between the garage and off-site service centres, to the tune of 2.7 million vehicle movements a year. These shuttling activities were contributing significantly to congestion on the Main Terminal kerbsides. Long-term parking was also at capacity and was regularly forced to close because it was full. To alleviate the congestion and expand Tampa International Airport’s rental car operations, Gresham Smith was commissioned as part of a design-build team to tackle the airport’s biggest pinch point.
Consolidating rental cars After careful consideration, we developed a plan to relocate all rental car facilities 1.5-miles south of the Main Terminal next to the existing economy parking garage, well away from the point of congestion. The existing rental car service centre sites would be reconfigured to create a greenfield site for new construction and free up additional land that will be needed for the second phase of the master plan. By decentralising rental car services, we were able to avoid a massive reconstruction project at the Main Terminal and simultaneously minimise the impact on airport customers and operations during the construction phase of the new project. At 2.6-million-square-feet, the new consolidated rental car centre (RCC) is the foundation for the first phase of TPA’s master plan. The facility has storage space for more than 8,600 vehicles and can process 3,200 vehicles per hour. A total of 30 wash bays and 144 fuelling stations allow the rental companies to clean, fuel and process cars in less than 15 minutes, greatly reducing turnaround times.
MASTER PLANNING
The new RCC doubles the number of on-site rental car brands, meaning more convenience and more choice for travellers. Additionally, a new remote kerbside at the facility provides an alternative venue for vehicles to pick-up and drop-off passengers.
A better way to bag check Improved technology is allowing terminals to process more passengers with less real estate. As part of the improvements, we needed to relocate the ticket counter and bag check operations for the airport’s largest carrier, Southwest Airlines. The new design includes self-tagging kiosks (STKs), which allow customers to print their own bag tags and tag their checked luggage. The self-tagging model streamlines the check-in process for customers and allows for higher throughput without increasing the amount of space leased by the airline. The STK at TPA was also part of a larger rollout that Gresham Smith has participated in across Southwest’s entire network. We also added the capability for a common-use remote bag check at the RCC. Customers can now return their rental car, print their bag tag and drop their bag off at the counter, all before ever heading to the Main Terminal. Since opening, approximately 10% of all bags are now being checked at the RCC, meaning that 10% fewer customers need to go to the ticketing and bag check level at the Main Terminal. With only three airlines initially represented at the remote bag check, that number will only grow as more carriers come on board.
Maintaining customer service with SkyConnect When new facilities are remote, it is important to have efficient, reliable transportation to maintain a high level of customer service. At TPA, the RCC is connected to the Main Terminal and the economy parking garage via SkyConnect, an Automated People Mover (APM). The APM has replaced the economy parking shuttle bus operation, which previously operated 24/7 and also contributed to the Main Terminal’s congested kerbsides. In just four and half minutes, a customer – likely bag-free thanks to the remote check-in process – can travel on SkyConnect from the RCC and economy parking to the Main Terminal without the headache of kerbside congestion. With six, two-car trains, the APM can move up to 2,500 passengers per hour in each direction and, as TPA continues to experience growth, the system was designed so additional cars can be added to the trains. The SkyConnect station at the Main Terminal was also designed to allow for expansion should TPA need to build additional facilities to the north.
Sustainable approach By relocating TPA’s rental car services, we kept the Main Terminal intact and extended its life, avoiding building a new terminal or a total reconstruction that would have otherwise been necessary. After all, the most sustainable building is the one you don’t have to build. The former rental car facilities at the long-term parking are now being repurposed to provide an additional 2,400 parking spaces that also address long-term parking capacity needs without having to construct a new structure. We also consolidated previously developed land adjoining the new rental car centre, maximising its potential and creating space for the next phase of the master plan, which calls for a commercial development, SkyCenter, next to the new RCC. In fact the next phase of the master plan is already underway with the airport’s administrative offices being moved to SkyCenter and the space freed up at the Main Terminal being used to add much needed kerbside capacity, further reducing congestion and supporting the airport’s growth.
The numbers don’t lie The RCC and SkyConnect opened on February 14 this year, and instantly removed around 10,400 vehicles a month from the Main Terminal roadways, which equates to 3.8 million trips annually – approximately 40% better than projected. In March, alone, year-on-year rental car transactions increased by approximately 12.3%. The speed and convenience of SkyConnect has also resulted in higher use of the remote kerbside and the airport’s economy parking. These small changes in customer behaviour have added up, contributing to better than expected traffic reductions at the Main Terminal. Sometimes the best solution isn’t the most obvious one. By moving TPA’s rental car services away from the Main Terminal and employing an APM, we were able to improve travel times – and the customer experience. Indeed, TPA’s new RCC and SkyConnect help provide the top-notch travel experience passengers have come to expect from the airport that finished second in JD Power’s 2017 North American Airport Satisfaction Study. AW
About the author Grant Clifford is a senior vice president in Gresham Smith’s Tampa Aviation studio with more than 30 years of experience on a variety of aviation projects.
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OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Focus on efficiency Thomas Romig, head of Geneva Airport’s new Airport Operations Centre (APOC), tells Airport World more about the benefits of the gateway’s new €1.8 million nerve centre.
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veryone has spent time in traffic on a motorway at some point in life. Imagine a motorway on which a continuous flow of traffic has to be sustained at the set speed limit. If the motorway is dimensioned according to the expected throughput, the volume of cars per hour does not change and they all travel at a continuous speed, theoretically there will never be a traffic jam. However, as soon as one car starts slowing down or one of the lanes on the road is unavailable, traffic will back up and congestion will start. At the same time, the people driving the cars will get frustrated, see their satisfaction levels go down and possibly even be late for or miss an appointment. This same image can be applied to an airport which, as with many motorways, have a continuous flow of passengers, bags, aircraft and goods using their infrastructure. And, as soon as a delay is generated in one portion or process of the airport system, the entire operation can be impacted with reductions to the operational performance, use of available capacity and customer satisfaction. In order to deal with these types of issues Geneva Airport, which often operates a full capacity, developed a fully integrated Airport Operations Centre (APOC) which opened in May 2017. This state-of-the-art facility, which accommodates 30 work stations and has four large video walls displaying everything from video feeds to a custom build weather dashboard, has become the airport’s operational nerve centre. The personnel working in the APOC not only monitor the daily operations within the airport system but manage all possible types of disruptions to the operation as well as emergency situations that are then fed into the Emergency Operations Centre adjacent to the APOC for resolution. The Geneva Airport APOC – developed as a collaborative project between Swissport, Dnata and the airport authority – has in scope the entire airport operation, from landside access, through all terminal and airside processes then up into the airspace.
In order to monitor all these processes through a transverse and co-ordinated approach as well as to maintain situational awareness for all organisations in the APOC, an Airport Operations Dashboard was implemented when the APOC opened. This tool captures data from a multitude of sources (baggage sortation system, check-in desks, car traffic, queue times, aircraft flows, radar data, etc) so as to display it in consolidated form. It also includes specific real-time and predictive performance indicators allowing for the APOC staff to anticipate actions that may be needed to avoid delays or reductions in performance. From an organisational perspective, the APOC was developed around the concept of Collaborative Decision Making (CDM), whereby all decisions made within the APOC will take into consideration inputs from all affected stakeholders. The fundamental purpose of this process is to ensure transparent and fair decision making and resolution finding. Initially the APOC was set up with the two main ground handlers established in Geneva, with the Swiss Border Guards and the airport authority. However, shortly after opening, the main airline customer (easyJet) joined the APOC during peak traffic days and will be followed by the Swiss ATC provider as of early 2019. The inclusion of these key stakeholders ensures even better co-ordination and service delivery to airline customers and passengers using the airport. Fundamentally, the APOC has allowed Geneva Airport to improve its operational performance, reduce the delays in management of disruptions, improve the overall co-ordination, collaboration and communication between all stakeholders and, most importantly, sustain a continuous passenger growth without adding any additional physical capacity. The added value of such a collaborative approach to managing airport operations has been immense and continues to be of great importance, in particular in light of the systemic capacity crunch seen through the summer’s operations generating massive delays AW and cancellations across the European network.
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Going green
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
London Gatwick has unveiled a number of green initiatives this summer that will have a positive impact on the environment, writes Joe Bates.
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t has been a busy summer for London’s Gatwick Airport in more ways than one, for in addition to soaring traffic demand, the gateway has introduced a number of pioneering new green initiatives. They include launching the UK’s first electric car sharing service and becoming the first airport in the world to introduce an innovative car-pooling service that offers staff preferential parking spaces and tracks their associated reduction in vehicle miles and emissions. It believes that the new electric car sharing initiative, which allows customers to reserve and pick up a 100% electric car at Gatwick – and return it to the airport or any of 300 compatible pick up/drop off points across London – will appeal to passengers, staff and local residents. The service, which operates in a similar way to London’s cycle sharing schemes, is being rolled out in partnership with Bluecity, the only company to operate a pan-London electric vehicle car sharing service with 100 cars currently available in total. Gatwick’s chief commercial officer, Guy Stephenson, said: “Gatwick leads the way on airport innovation and this UK airport first not only offers a new, flexible option for getting on and off the airport, it also improves air quality. “Given the popular demand for similar electric car sharing services in other parts of the world, this new service has the potential to take off in the UK and we are proud to be at the forefront of this transport revolution.” The staff car-pooling initiative, offered in partnership with journey sharing platform Faxi, collects data from each shared journey – via a smartphone app – and uses it to incentivise drivers with access to preferential parking bays in their existing car park. Over time those drivers who regularly transport the most passengers to and from work will be given the opportunity to upgrade to a staff car park of their choice. These car parks are located up to one mile closer to the terminal buildings, so the scheme could significantly reduce commuting time by up to 40 minutes each day.
According to research, only around 10% of people in UK regularly share their journeys with another traveller despite data suggesting that nearly half of them would share a journey with someone they know. Gatwick has also announced the signing of a three-year deal with Haven Power to continue supplying it with 100% renewable electricity and is upgrading its facilities to accommodate easyJet’s new fleet of A321neo, which it insists will reduce noise and produce lower carbon emissions while growing passenger numbers. Gatwick’s decision to begin purchasing renewable electricity from Haven Power five years ago was a key factor in the airport achieving 100% carbon neutrality under ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme last year. “Gatwick was among the first airports in the world to go for 100% certified renewable electricity, helping to reduce UK carbon emissions,” enthuses the airport’s sustainability manager, Rachel Thompson. “That’s credit to our Engineering (Utilities) and Procurement departments, for having the vision to choose renewable electricity and to Haven Power, for being able to provide it. “Our target for renewable energy is 25% by 2020 and as electricity accounts for 75% of the airport’s ground operations’ carbon footprint – it means we are achieving our target.” In terms of new A321neo friendly facilities, Gatwick has invested £10 million on re-configuring its Pier 4 apron and stands to handle the new aircraft, and will shortly begin work on a major £180 million extension to its Pier 6 facility that will add a further eight purpose-built stands for the A321neo. The airport’s head of airspace, Andy Sinclair, says: “We are fully committed to reducing noise for our local communities as much as possible and will continue to work closely with our airline partners, and invest in infrastructure, to increase the number of quieter aircraft that can operate from Gatwick.” He notes that easyJet’s new fleet strategy is “a positive step for those affected by noise around the airport” as the airline currently AW accounts for 40% of aircraft movements at the gateway.
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RUNNING WBP NEWS HEAD
The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners
Big deal in the Big Apple
Hudson Group is set to expand its footprint at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) after LaGuardia Gateway Partners awarded it a retail package win for the gateway’s new Terminal B. As part of the new contract win, Hudson Group will design the first FAO Schwarz airport and travel destination store of its kind, featuring signature FAO Schwarz toys and games, and will bring the epicentre of New York literary culture to Queens with McNally Jackson, New York City’s iconic independent bookseller. Additional brands represented in the new retail package include Hudson – the company’s internationallyrecognised travel essentials and convenience brand – as well as LaGuardia Dufry Duty Free and M.A.C. The shops will be located in the eastern concourse of the new terminal, which is part of the $8 billion overhaul of the entire airport first unveiled by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2015. The 1.3 million square foot terminal will feature 35 gates, over 25 retail and F&B offerings, and dual pedestrian bridges that span active taxi lanes connecting the main part of the terminal to two island concourses. “Hudson’s iconic brand coupled with its new and exciting concepts makes the company an ideal partner for this new contract,” said Ed Baklor, chief commercial officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners. “Hudson Group has been delivering unique concepts that cater to the immediate needs and wants of travellers at LGA for over 30 years and we are excited to extend and expand the company’s contract at Terminal B.” Hudson’s president and CEO, Joseph DiDomizio, said: “The new contract highlights how diligently we work to ensure that airport concessions are evolving to meet the growing needs of travellers. This is especially true for LGA, as our competitive bid will bring the nation’s oldest and most iconic toy brand, FAO Schwarz, into airports for the first time at the city’s oldest commercial airport.”
Boingo to provide Wi-Fi services at 54 Brazilian airports Travellers passing through Brazil’s airports can now expect a good Wi-Fi service following Infraero’s decision to award Boingo Wireless the contract to provide services at 54 gateways across the country. Wi-Fi coverage is now live at Aeroporto de Congonhas (CGH), Aeroporto Santos-Dumont (SDU), Aeroporto Internacional de Recife (REC) and Aeroporto Internacional de Curitiba (CWB), with Boingo’s full roll-out across all 54 airports to be completed by early 2020. Boingo will build and operate the networks with Ziva, a local wireless infrastructure company in Latin America that is well-known for its flexible hardware and software solutions. The two companies were awarded the business after submitting a joint bid to Infraero. “Infraero’s partnership with Boingo and Ziva will allow passengers to have a better experience when travelling through our airports,” said Marx Martins, director of commercial business, Infraero.
“The new Wi-Fi solution is intended to meet the demand for fast and quality connectivity while waiting to take off.” Marcos Ferraz, director of business development at Boingo, noted: “Wi-Fi is now an expectation for travellers and we’re pleased to deliver this in-demand airport amenity for millions of passengers. “Our blazing-fast Wi-Fi helps improve the passenger experience by unlocking powerful wireless connectivity, whether travellers are browsing social networks, streaming entertainment or using the airport as their mobile office. This launch is an exciting step forward in becoming the largest airport Wi-Fi provider in Latin America.” Brazil travellers can receive fast, free Wi-Fi sponsored by advertisers, or can opt for even faster speeds by purchasing a one-day or monthly Boingo subscription.
GECAS Location: Shannon, Ireland Contact: Cronan Enright, head of airline strategy E: cronan.enright@gecas.com W: www.gecas.com GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) is a world leader in aviation leasing and financing. With 50 years of experience, GECAS offers a wide range of aircraft types including narrowbodies, widebodies, regional jets, turboprops, freighters and helicopters, plus multiple financing products and services including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks secured debt financing, capital markets, engine leasing, and airframe parts management.
CDM Smith Location: Boston, MA, USA Contact: Jill Greene E: greenejA@cdsmith.com W: www.cdmsmith.com CDM Smith provides lasting and integrated solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities to public and private clients worldwide. As a full-service consulting, engineering, construction and operations firm, we deliver exceptional client service, quality results and enduring value across the entire project lifecycle.
SWAC Location: Flemington, NJ, USA Contact: Daniel Krantz E: dkrantz@secureworker.com W: www.secureworker.com The Secure Worker Access Consortium (SWAC) is a unique co-operative programme that delivers comprehensive personnel assurance technologies and services to risk managers. SWAC unites the efforts of public agencies, private corporations, labour groups, and contractors, assuring that all members comply with security and safety requirements.
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018
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HUMAN RESOURCES
PEOPLE
matters Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey provide their thoughts on uncertainty, anxiety and the passenger experience.
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ver the last couple of months both of us have flown independently on long-haul return flights from Europe to North America for business and personal reasons. We have a fascination with airports and are both seasoned travellers, but comparing notes we realised that, even for us, the experience of inter-continental travel still ranks highly on the scale of stressful and frustrating experiences. And it’s not only the long duration flights and time zone changes which we need to cope with. Our combined list of additional challenges for these journeys included a time consuming visa application process with the US Embassy; the airline carrier IT system declining to print a boarding card with no explanation; heavier than usual traffic to the airport; a very long security queue; an unexpected random selection for an additional personal security check; a gate change which was not communicated and meant a rush to the correct gate at the last minute; a need to negotiate a move to a different part of the plane because of a large, head-lolling, sleeping passenger in the next seat; and a rip-off taxi ride at one of the destinations. Travel doesn’t seem to be getting any easier! One of our flights was business class, the other economy, but the numbers of people who now travel and the growing impact of geopolitics mean that whatever class
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you pay for, there are bound to be frustrations. And that’s despite the tremendous effort airports have already made to improve the passenger experience. What more could airports do? Well, from a psychological perspective we know that uncertainty is particularly difficult for people to manage. The same areas of the brain are activated by uncertainty as by danger and risk. This impacts our physiology, and it can be hard to stop ourselves becoming anxious, angry and reacting emotionally. Anything airports can do to mitigate uncertainty can help. What might this mean in practice? • Providing clear up to date information on what’s happening is the starting point. Explanations of flight delays, queue times, and guidance for official taxis all fall into this category. The best airports should never hear their passengers say: “They didn’t even tell us what was going on”. • Human reassurance is the second part of the equation. Having some friendly, knowledgeable people around to confirm we are on the right lines is helpful: they can answer questions, provide guidance, and respond flexibly to a wide diversity of passengers. They provide a human touch. The best airports should never hear the phrase “There was no one we could find to help us”. Is ‘emotional security’ on your airport’s radar?
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018
Jamie Rhee is the new commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation. She took up the post on August 1 following the resignation of predecessor, Ginger Evans. Rhee is a 24-year veteran city official, most recently serving as Chicago’s procurement services commissioner. Fraport AG’s supervisory board has approved an early contract extension for the company’s executive board chairman (CEO), Dr Stefan Schulte. Effective September 1, 2019, Schulte’s contract will be extended for an additional five years until August 31, 2024. Balram Bheodari is the new interim general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, succeeding Roosevelt Council who has been named as the chief financial officer of the City of Atlanta. Copenhagen Airport has named Rasmus Lund as its new chief financial officer. He moves from a similar position at the Saxo Bank and will take up the position on December 1. Akron-Canton Airport’s new president and CEO will be Renato ‘Ren’ Camacho, currently chief of planning and engineering at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Camacho starts his new job on October 1, replacing the long serving Rick McQueen who is retiring at the end of the year. Aberdeen International Airport in the UK is looking for a new managing director following Carol Benzie’s decision to step down from the role after five years in the hot-seat and 10 years at the gateway. Derek Provan, CEO of owner, AGS Airports Limited, and a former managing director of the airport will oversee the business until a permanent replacement is found. Former Liverpool and Shannon Airport boss, Neil Pakey, has been appointed CEO of Nieuport Aviation, which operates the terminal building at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has announced the appointment of two new deputy executive directors. Bernardo Gogna will serve as the deputy executive director of the Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) Executive and Michelle Schwartz will serve as the deputy executive director–chief of external affairs.
About the authors Dr Richard Plenty is managing director of This Is... and runs the ACI World Airport Human Resources programme. Terri Morrissey is chairperson of This Is... and CEO of the Psychological Society of Ireland. Contact them through info@thisis.eu
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