Airport World, Issue 4, 2024

Airports

Airport World

Editor Joe Bates +44 (0)1276 476582 joe@airport-world.com

Sales Directors

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Design, Layout & Production

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Subscriptions subscriptions@aviationmedia.aero

Managing Director

Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@aviationmedia.aero

Everything counts

Editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the importance of good customer service in this ‘passenger facilitation’ themed issue of Airport World.

Some 16 years ago, I pondered what constituted good customer service at an airport, and the question is still as relevant today as when I originally asked it back in February 2008.

Does it mean a sparkling new terminal equipped with the best technology money can buy? How about fast and efficient services? And what about being served by pleasant and helpful staff?

My conclusion back then, and still is today, is that it is probably a combination of all three and more as good customer service invariably means different things to different people, and these ‘ideals’ are certainly not a constant. A lone business traveller, for example, wouldn’t bat an eyelid if an airport has a crèche, but these feelings maybe very different if travelling on holiday with their young family.

and upped their game in terms of how they view and look after them.

And for anyone thinking that keeping an airport’s toilets clean cannot be that difficult, just consider the fact that at the recent SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition in Denver (See page 38), Miami Dade Aviation Department’s digital strategy and chief information officer, Maurice Jenkins, revealed that 100,000 passengers a month use one single restroom at Miami International Airport.

We highlight a number of innovative ways that airports are becoming more operationally efficient and passenger focused in this ‘passenger facilitation’ themed issue of AirportWorld.

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At the time, I touched on the importance of staff courteousness and service with a smile, because an airport could literally spend millions of dollars on a new terminal building or the modernisation of old facilities, but it really counts for very little if airport staff fail to provide a good customer experience.

In my opinion, good communication is also a key factor in the delivery of top notch customer service, and I’m glad to say that this is something airports are much better at doing today than they were in 2008, primarily through the use of technology that can keeps us up to date on everything from the length of security queues at check-in and the walking distances to gates, to the occupancy level of airport restrooms.

ACI’s highly successful Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer excellence programme has also played a major part in helping airports improve their respective customer service levels over the years.

Early ASQ results, for example, highlighted the importance of the cleanliness of airport terminals, and in particular restrooms, when it comes to overall passenger satisfaction levels, and airports across the globe have noted this

These include taking a closer look at the potentially revenue generating benefits of becoming more family-friendly; showcasing airport art; and enhancing the passenger experience through new technology, facilities and services.

We also hear from Abu Dhabi Airports managing director and CEO, Elena Sorlini, about the transformational benefits of Zayed International Airport’s new Terminal A and the company’s customer service strategy.

Our main airport feature is on Amsterdam Schiphol. This edition also includes a comprehensive round-up of airport infrastructure projects in South East and East Asia, and our review of the recent SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition in Denver.

Elsewhere in the issue we hear from ACI World director general and CEO, Luis Felipe de Oliveira; report on some of the latest sustainability initiatives going on at airports across the world; and consider how strategically utilising modern technological solutions can streamline airport operations.

We round out the issue by addressing the importance of designing airports for a diverse range of travellers in our regular ‘people matters’ column; and report on the latest news from ACI and ACI's World Business Partners (WBP).

In this issue

3 Opinion

Editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the importance of good customer service in this ‘passenger facilitation’ themed issue of Airport World.

9 View from the top

ACI World director general and CEO, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, addresses the global challenge of passenger facilitation and ACI World’s commitment to building a more accessible and inclusive air transport system.

10 ACI news

The latest news stories from ACI World, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, and ACI Latin America and Caribbean show that the focus is clearly on the sustainable growth and development of the world’s airports. 14

Future focused

We report on the latest news and developments from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Family matters

Pragma Consulting’s Mohamed Hisham considers how focusing on families can significantly boost the non-aeronautical revenue of airports.

20 Works of art

Joe Bates takes a closer look at the different ways airports are introducing artwork into terminals and across the airport campus to create a destination in their own right and a unique experience for travellers.

24 Game changer

Elena Sorlini, managing director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, tells Joe Bates more about the transformational benefits of Zayed International Airport’s new Terminal A and the company’s customer service strategy.

28

Easy come, easy go!

Enhancing the passenger experience through new technology, facilities and services continue to be a key priority for the world’s airports. Joe Bates takes a closer look at some of the latest initiatives and awards.

Director General and CEO

Luis Felipe de Oliveira (Montreal, Canada)

Chair

Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA)

Vice Chair

Jost Lammers (Munich, Germany)

Immediate Past Chair

Aimen Al Hosni (Muscat, Oman)

Treasurer

Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium)

ACI WORLD GOVERNING BOARD

DIRECTORS

Africa (3)

Emanuel Chaves (Maputo, Mozambique)

Fabrice Grondin (Saint-Denis, Réunion)

Mpumi Mpofu (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Asia-Pacific & Middle East (9)

Lorie Argus (Melbourne, Australia)

Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah (Bahrain)

SGK Kishore (Hyderabad, India)

Fred Lam (Hong Kong)

Emmanuel Menanteau (Paris, France)

Akihiko Tamura (Tokyo, Japan)

Yun Qin (Shanghai, China)

2 Vacancies

Europe (7)

Armando Brunini (Milan, Italy)

Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium)

Jost Lammers (Munich, Germany)

Javier Marin (Madrid, Spain)

32

Asia’s big build

Marnix (Max) Groot provides a snapshot of the major ongoing and planned airport development projects in South East and East Asia.

38

SMART talk

Joe Bates looks back at some of the key moments from July’s SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition in Denver.

42

The power of technology

Honeywell Building Automation’s Alex Cowen considers how strategically utilising modern technological solutions can streamline airport operations.

44

Going green

We shine the spotlight on the latest sustainability efforts of Munich, LaGuardia and Washington DC’s airports and a handful of the award winning projects in ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East’s Green Recognition 2024 programme.

Yiannis Paraschis (Athens, Greece)

Augustin de Romanet (Paris, France)

Nazareno Ventola (Bologna, Italy)

Latin America & Caribbean (3)

Ezequiel Barrenechea (Guayaquil, Ecuador)

Mónika Infante (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Juan José Salmón (Lima, Peru)

North America (6)

Kevin Dolliole (New Orleans, USA)

Deborah Flint (Toronto, Canada)

Joseph Lopano (Tampa, USA)

Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA)

Sam Samaddar (Kelowna, Canada)

Roelof-Jan Steenstra (Toronto, Canada)

Regional Advisers to the World Governing Board (10)

Evans Avendaño (Lima, Peru)

Lew Bleiweis (Asheville, USA)

David Ciceo (Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

46

World Business Partners News

We round-up some of the latest ACI World Business Partner stories from across the globe.

50

People matters

Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey reflect on the importance of designing for a diverse range of travellers.

Seow Hiang Lee (Singapore)

Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid (Delhi, India)

Mohamed Saeed Mahrous (Cairo, Egypt)

Jorge Rosillo (Galapagos, Ecuador)

Brian Ryks (Minneapolis-St Paul, USA)

2 Vacancies

WBP Observer

Esperanza Morales Martin (Global Exchange)

Correct as of August 2024

View from the top

ACI World director general and CEO, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, addresses the global challenge of passenger facilitation and ACI World’s commitment to building a more accessible and inclusive air transport system.

This is my last View from the Top as my tenure as ACI World director general and CEO comes to the end after an exceptional four and a half years leading the organisation. For the next edition, my successor, Justin Erbacci, will have the pleasure to contribute to AirportWorld and the airport community.

I am pleased to end with a very important topic, the theme of this edition: ‘passenger facilitation’, a critical aspect that encompasses the entire travel journey, from booking to the final destination.

Ensuring the smooth flow of travellers, baggage, and cargo in a safe, secure, and efficient manner requires a co-ordinated effort among airports, airlines, organisations, and authorities worldwide. For instance, the process of crossing borders involves various measures and controls, which must be as seamless and efficient as possible.

With the ICAO Council designating 2024 as the "Year of Facilitation" (FAL 2024), I want to emphasise the importance of accessibility, an area of growing significance. FAL 2024 features a series of activities aligned with the ten chapters of Annex 9, organised in collaboration with ICAO Member States and partners like ACI World.

These activities include webinars, events, and training sessions aimed at creating awareness and promoting the importance of air transport facilitation, strengthening global collaboration and capacity building initiatives by the multiple partners involved.

ACI World is fully committed to building a more accessible and inclusive air transport system. Our members understand that people with disabilities and those with reduced mobility require accessible infrastructure and an inclusive passenger journey.

Advocating for an accessible air transport system

The challenges of accessible air travel are multifaceted and vary by region. Physical barriers, such as insufficient ramps or inadequate seating, are common, but there are also technological, informational, and systemic challenges. For example, inconsistent communication standards between airports and airlines can cause confusion and stress for travellers with disabilities.

Addressing these barriers requires a global perspective. ACI World collaborates with airports and advocacy groups worldwide to develop best practices that can be adapted locally while maintaining a global standard of accessibility. As we are a global industry this approach ensures that improvements benefit travellers everywhere.

The ACI World Facilitation and Services Standing Committee consists of ACI members who share best practices and recommendations to improve terminal flows while considering passenger growth and its impact on airport facilities.

The Committee focuses on ensuring sustainable processes and infrastructure, preparing airports for increased operational complexity, and delivering excellent customer experiences. Amongst the main results made

available are use cases for airports looking to implement similar initiatives to enhance accessibility and assistance to persons with disabilities in various airport environments.

ACI World experts and members actively advocate for policies and standards, and shape global airport and passenger facilitation through participation in industry events and collaboration with international partners, including ICAO, IATA, and the World Health Organization.

Enhancing airport accessibility

ACI World also works closely with accessibility advocacy groups and international partners to develop resources and best practices to help airports eliminate barriers to air travel. One of our key initiatives is the Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Program, which has already seen participation from over 50 airports globally. This programme is a continuous improvement tool that helps airports measure, evaluate, and enhance their accessibility services, management and culture.

In 2024, ACI World will release a new guidance on airports and accessible travel to incorporate the latest best practices for establishing barrier-free infrastructures, accessible design considerations, and supporting the needs of persons with mobility/visible and non visible disabilities.

Moreover, the ACI World Global Training programme offers comprehensive training solutions to enhance the skills of airport professionals. Members can access instructor-led classroom sessions and self-paced online courses covering various aviation topics, including accessibility and customer experience standards.

A global vision for the future

As the demand for accessible air travel grows, ACI World’s global perspective is essential in addressing the diverse challenges faced by passengers with disabilities. Our initiatives are crucial steps toward creating a truly inclusive air travel ecosystem.

ACI World’s efforts go beyond compliance; they advocate for a travel experience that is welcoming, empowered and equitable for all. By continuing to collaborate with global partners, ACI World is paving the way for a future where accessibility is the standard, not the exception, in air travel.

World in motion

The latest news stories from ACI World, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, and ACI Latin America and Caribbean show that the focus is clearly on the sustainable growth and development of the world’s airports.

Working to support aviation’s decarbonisation efforts

ACI World and Airbus have signed a co-operation agreement to support the industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of aviation.

The alliance will address key areas including Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen technologies, advanced air mobility, operations efficiency, and aircraft noise management practices.

ACI World says that it will also foster the exchange of information and perspectives on low carbon operations, communicate industry progress, jointly develop guidance materials, and potentially formulate unified positions on policies and standards to achieve the industry targets.

“ACI World and Airbus’ groundbreaking co-operation agreement marks a pivotal step in our journey towards a net-zero carbon

aviation industry,” enthused ACI World director general and CEO, Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

“The strategic alliance underscores the unwavering commitment of airports worldwide to sustainable aviation, ensuring that we not only reduce our environmental impact but also maximise the socio-economic benefits of air travel.”

While Airbus’ chief sustainability officer, Julie Kitcher, noted: “This partnership marks a significant step in our collective efforts to reduce aviation’s environmental impact.

“By combining our technological expertise with ACI World’s vast network and operational insights, we aim to influence policies and standards that support sustainable aviation and drive industry-wide innovation. Together, we can create a cohesive and aligned approach to achieving our decarbonisation targets and enhancing the sustainability of the global aviation sector.”

This collaboration builds on the successful partnership between Airbus and ACI EUROPE, which began two years ago, and which has significantly strengthened the relationship by working together on the deployment of alternative energies including hydrogen and SAF within European alliances, sharing technical data with European airports and communicating progress at key industry events.

ACI World believes that the expansion of this collaboration to a global scale underscores the importance of integrated efforts between aircraft manufacturers and airport operators on a global scale.”

World Committee Forum marks new milestone for ACI World

ACI World welcomed top airport experts from around the world to Montreal this summer for the inaugural ACI World Committee Forum focused on strengthening global aviation collaboration.

The event brought together over 300 committee members from all six ACI World Standing Committees and their sub-groups to engage in meaningful dialogue, share best practices, and develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing the aviation industry today.

During the keynote addresses, ACI World’s director general and CEO, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, said: “This forum marks a significant milestone for ACI World and the aviation industry, as well as the city of Montreal as the World Capital of Civil Aviation.

“It presents an unparalleled opportunity for our committee experts to collaborate, exchange best practices, and drive innovations that are actively shaping airports and the wider aviation ecosystem.

“In addition, it fosters heightened interaction between the committee experts and ICAO, underscoring the importance of airports in international civil aviation’s development. We extend our gratitude to our member experts for their invaluable contributions.

“Together

with ACI World staff and collaboration with aviation partners, we develop timely resources and advance airport interests during key phases of policy development. Our committees are truly championing change behind the scenes for travellers and communities worldwide.

ACI APAC & MID’s Green Airports Recognition winners

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East took the opportunity to celebrate the winners of its Green Airports Recognition (GAR) 2024 during the recent ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East/ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The awards recognised 12 airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East for their outstanding accomplishments in sustainability projects.

Biodiversity and nature-based solutions was the theme for the awards, with airports encouraged to submit their best practices in preserving ‘biodiversity’ and utilising ‘nature-based solutions’ on their respective campuses.

As a result, ACI APAC & MID received submissions on a wide range of topics that included plantation for carbon reduction and social benefits; marine life conservation by airports; wetland/ ecological rejuvenation; in-house airport horticulture and nurseries; and wildlife management for safe operations.

There are three categories of recognition for the awards (‘Platinum’, ‘Gold’, and ‘Silver’) which are based on four different airport size categories – Over 35mppa, Between 15-35mppa, Between 8-15mppa, and Less than 8mppa.

ACI-LAC signs sustainable development MoU in Brazil

ACI Latin America and Caribbean (ACI-LAC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazil’s National Aviation Agency (ANAC) and ABR Aeroportos do Brasil to promote the exchange of technical knowledge, experiences, data and information for the sustainable development of the civil aviation sector.

The agreement provides for the direct exchange of data and information between the entities for the implementation of initiatives related to environmental sustainability, implemented by Brazilian airports certified by ACI-LAC in Brazil.

The objective is to jointly develop actions and support and training materials aimed at airports to encourage the adoption of best practices in management and environmental sustainability, such as the implementation

of clean technologies, which will help achieve the sector's goal of reducing net carbon emissions produced directly by airports to zero by 2050.

The MoU was signed by Filipe Reis, ACI-LAC senior consultant for airport issues, Tiago Pereira, CEO of ANAC, and Fábio Carvalho, CEO of ABR Aeroportos do Brasil.

"It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to work together with ANAC and ABR in the decarbonisation process of Brazilian airports and to see that these partners, as well as our members, are clearly committed to the goal of achieving Net Zero,” noted Reis.

“We know that this is a major challenge and that ACI-LAC has a lot to contribute based on the knowledge and experience it has accumulated over the years.”

ACI events

2024 November 26-28

Airports Innovate Rome, Italy

ACI World

Luis Felipe de Oliveira

Director General and CEO

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

2024 September 16-22

ACI Africa Annual General Assembly, Regional Conference & Exhibition Johannesburg, South Africa

7-10

ACI North America Annual Conference & Exhibition Grand Rapids, USA

ACI offices

ACI Africa

Ali Tounsi

Secretary General

Casablanca, Morocco

Tel: +212 660 156 916 atounsi@aci-africa.aero www.aci-africa.aero

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East

Stefano Baronci

Director General

Hong Kong SAR, China

Tel: +852 2180 9449

Fax: +852 2180 9462

info@aci-asiapac.aero www.aci-asiapac.aero

ACI Europe

Olivier Jankovec

Director General

Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (2) 552 0978

23-26

ACI World Customer Experience Global Summit Atlanta, USA

Fax: +32 (2) 502 5637 danielle.michel@aci-europe.org www.aci-europe.org

ACI Latin America & Caribbean

Rafael Echevarne Director General Panama City, Panama Tel: +507 830 5657/58 info@aci-lac.aero www.aci-lac.aero

2024 November 5-6

The Trinity Forum Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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

Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, is a federated organisation comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, ACI EUROPE, ACI Latin America-Caribbean and ACI North America. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. As of May 2024, ACI serves 814 members operating 2,110 airports in 169 countries.

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Future focused

We report on the latest news and developments from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (AMS) has long been one of the world’s most innovative hubs and a major economic generator for the Netherlands.

It is arguably the pioneer of the airport city in terms of the co-ordinated development of non-aeronautical related facilities around the airport site, and a leader in the trial and adoption of new technologies, new passenger facilitation concepts and sustainability initiatives.

The desire to permanently look to improve instead of standing still and resting on its laurels, aided by the success and route network of home carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, has ensured that it has been one of Europe’s busiest airports for decades.

Indeed, the 61.9 million passengers to pass through its facilities in 2023 cemented Schiphol’s status as the third busiest international airport on the planet, and fourth busiest in Europe for passenger traffic after London Heathrow, iGA Istanbul, and Paris-CDG.

Last year’s total represented a healthy 18% upturn on the 52.5 million passengers it welcomed in 2022, although it was still 14% down on the 71.7 million it accommodated in pre-COVID 2019.

Nevertheless, passenger traffic is on a steep upward trajectory, and that has continued in the first half of 2024, with throughput up 11% on last year’s figures, including the 5% rise in June when almost six million travellers used AMS.

This year’s upturn – the airport handled 31.8 million passengers in the first six months of 2024 – means that if the summer goes as well as anticipated, AMS is expected to handle between 65-69 million passengers in the calendar year.

And with the Dutch government recently shelving controversial noise abatement plans to reduce the number of flights allowed at AMS from

500,000 now to 460,000 by Winter 2024, there really is no reason why AMS cannot continue to grow and develop for years to come, primarily through modernising its existing facilities and embracing new technology rather than building additional infrastructure.

Having said that, AMS operator, the Royal Schiphol Group, has no intention of letting its existing terminals become old and tired, so it is investing €1.4 billion on a new Pier A set to open in 2027 and will continue to upgrade and enhance its existing facilities to boost the airport’s operational efficiency and the customer experience.

In fact, it has already outlined plans to invest €3 billion in maintenance and upgrades between 2024 and 2027 to raise the quality of Schiphol’s facilities and services and make the airport more sustainable.

Pier C, the baggage basement, climate-control systems, walkways, aircraft stands and taxiways are among the key airport infrastructure due to undergo major maintenance or need renewing.

New Pier A

Schiphol’s currently under construction Pier A is expected to open in April 2027 and provide “an important pillar” in the extra quality and comfort that Schiphol wants to offer passengers and airlines.

In outlining the planned opening date for the new €1.4 billion facility, which will be completed by new contractor BAM Bouw en Techniek (BAM), the airport believes it provides clarity for the airlines which can now be confident that the project is back on track.

Being built to LEED Gold standards, the 55,000sqm pier will boast eight gates, including three for the largest aircraft, that the airport admits are crucial for it to meet current and future peak demand, in terms of passenger flow, aircraft stands and fleet renewal.

Spread across three floors and resembling a terminal in its own right, Pier A will have its own security filters, border control area, shops, and F&B facilities.

“We will get the keys to the new Pier A in December 2026, after which we'll conduct operational testing of the new systems and hundreds of colleagues and airport partners will learn how to work in the new environment,” enthuses executive director for Schiphol infrastructure, Sybren Hahn.

“Then, in April 2027, we will open the doors to passengers and airlines. A lot still needs to be done before then. Together with BAM, we're putting our shoulders to the wheel.”

Sustainable development

The Royal Schiphol Group prides itself on its sustainability efforts which have gained AMS a host of awards, one of which was being among the first ten airports in the world to achieve new Level 5 certification in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

Reflecting on the achievement, the airport’s head of sustainability, Denise Pronk, says: “This accreditation is a significant milestone and it's in line with our ambition to be one of the most sustainable and high-quality airports in the world.

“We’ve lowered the CO2 emissions produced by our own activities by 90% compared to 2010. But we're not stopping there; we continue to work towards an emission-free airport in 2030.

“Schiphol and our partners' electric ground equipment fleets are getting bigger and bigger, we run entirely on Dutch wind power, and the terminal and our buildings are gradually being taken off the gas grid. At the same time, we continue to work on making aviation more sustainable.”

One of the most recent sustainability innovations at AMS is the installation and testing of the world’s first super battery at an airport.

In what is being described as a world exclusive, Schiphol has taken a major step toward energy storage and the further electrification of ground equipment with the arrival of an Iron Flow Battery at the airport.

The large battery, recently installed on the A/B apron, offers a reliable power supply for the charging of electrical equipment and thus relieves pressure on the grid.

It will be tested extensively over the coming months when it will be used to supply electricity to Schiphol’s electric Ground Power Units (e-GPUs) on the A/B apron, which of course, help enhance the air quality on the apron and reduce noise.

AMS notes that the Iron Flow Battery is distinguished by its use of natural components. In contrast to commonly used lithium batteries, it works using iron and salt water – materials that are widely available, have a lower environmental impact and are fire safe. The capacity of the battery remains constant for up to 20 years.

“I am extremely proud of this innovation. The Iron Flow Battery is a great example of how we as an airport want to lead the way with innovative infrastructure that improves the quality of work,” notes Hahn.

“During the test period, the focus is on user-friendliness, reliability and efficiency. If the result is successful, more batteries will follow, with the aim of making all ground equipment emission-free and electric.”

The battery is partly subsidised by the EU and part of TULIPS – a European collaboration of 32 aviation parties and knowledge institutes led by Royal Schiphol Group. The programme runs until the end of 2025 and aims to accelerate the development of innovations that can make airports more sustainable.

Another sustainability project worth highlighting is Schiphol’s initiative with BAM to improve the climate control systems in Pier E on the way towards becoming a CO2 emissions free airport.

The project involves traditional gas-powered boilers being replaced by an additional electric heat pump and the installation of new air conditioning units which will be connected to the existing thermal energy storage system underground.

Key to this project are the efficient use of energy and increased sustainability at the airport. Schiphol's goal is for all its own buildings to be off the gas grid by 2030.

“This collaboration with BAM at Pier E is a step in the right direction,” adds Hahn. “Pier E used an average of 290,000m3 of natural gas each year. That amount must be lowered to zero by 2030. This is only possible if we renew and replace our existing assets. New climate control systems that do not use gas will help us to significantly lower our gas usage.

“We will be introducing proven solutions, such as thermal energy storage, at Pier E. That's a major task at a location that is always operational. This sometimes makes it a complex puzzle along with other replacement maintenance, but we are eager to get to work.”

The airport notes that part of the terminal, most of the piers and several offices already partially run on thermal energy storage systems. This is a sustainable system that stores energy underground in the form of heat and cold. Pier E is one of the first piers to make the full transition to thermal energy storage.

Always innovating

As we reported in the September/October issue of Airport World last year, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport continues to innovate by using smart solutions to enhance its operational efficiency and help secure its long-term future.

Schiphol recently launched a new collaboration with South Korea’s Incheon Airport and Norwegian airport operator, Avinor, to pool their respective knowledge to accelerate innovation in baggage handling.

Under the umbrella of the BOOST programme, the trio have agreed to work together on new technologies and improvements in the area of robotics and automation in baggage handling.

Elsewhere on the airport site, Schiphol continues to conduct trials of self-driving vehicles, the latest project involving the use of two Ohmio electric autonomous buses to transport airport staff short distances.

In an earlier trial the buses followed a fixed airside route, stopping at locations close to several cleaning and ground handling companies where they picked up and dropped off employees.

The airport basically wants to discover more about the advantages of autonomous transport and, just as importantly, what employees think of it and whether they are happy to use it.

Staff recruitment and retention

I think it is no secret that staff numbers at Amsterdam Schiphol were hit hard by the COVID pandemic, and like many other airports across the globe, it initially proved difficult to recruit new employees to replace those that have left the industry.

Although staff numbers at the airport are now pretty much back to where they were before the pandemic, the Royal Schiphol Group recognises that the industry no longer has the job appeal that it had before COVID and that going forward it is going to have to do a lot more than before to attract the airport staff of tomorrow.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that in 2023 Schiphol invested a lot in creating higher wages and better working conditions for staff, and the move appears to have paid off, as the number of security guards working at the airport increased significantly. According to the airport, the extra manpower contributed to a “more comfortable experience for passengers”.

The airport operator also notes that in 2023 it made investments in new lifting aids in the baggage areas to make the work of baggage handlers easier, and says that it is taking important, and ongoing steps, to better protect employees against emissions from vehicles and aircraft.

And Schiphol hopes that a newly launched Amsterdam MBO Internship Pact in co-operation with local businesses and education providers will prove the catalyst for more airport internships in the future.

The airport states: “Working at Schiphol must remain attractive to everyone who dreams of working in aviation. From the baggage basement to the top of the control tower – the possibilities for meaningful and challenging work at the airport are endless.

“Having the opportunity to do an internship at Schiphol is more important than ever. This kind of practical work experience teaches you how to deal with the challenges that arise when working at an airport.”

Family matters

Pragma Consulting’s Mohamed Hisham considers how focusing on families can significantly boost the non-aeronautical revenue of airports.

Airports are constantly looking for ways to improve their non-aeronautical revenue, and an important segment to focus on is passengers travelling with children.

Families travelling with children represent a significant opportunity for airports to boost revenue across both retail and food and beverage (F&B) sectors.

By better understanding and catering to the unique needs of these passengers, airports can enhance the travel experience and drive economic growth.

Extended dwell time and higher spending

Families with children are inclined to spend more time at the airport, partly due to the need to arrive early and the unpredictable nature of travelling with young ones.

And this extended dwell time often translates into higher spending on retail. Indeed, according to recent research, families with children spend more on retail purchases compared to solo passengers or those without children.

This trend – the average transaction value (ATV) is also higher for passengers with children – is driven by the need to keep children entertained and content during the wait.

Impulse purchases and targeted retail

Impulse purchases of toys, travel games, and even small souvenirs become more likely when travelling with children.

Retailers offering toys, books, games, and family-oriented products such as WHSmith, Hamleys, and Lego benefit significantly. These stores provide a range of products that cater to the interests of children and teenagers, making them attractive stops for families.

Specialty stores like NatGeo and Discovery Channel also benefit as they offer educational toys and science kits for children, adding an element of learning and discovery to the travel experience. Themed stores such as Harry Potter and Disney attract children with specific interests, providing themed toys and memorabilia that cater to both children and teenagers.

Older children and teen Interests

Older children tend to be more interested in electronics, health and beauty products, and gaming. Airports are increasingly recognising this trend and responding accordingly.

For example, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the US have introduced dedicated gaming units called Gameway, offering a range of gaming options that appeal to teenagers and young adults.

Likewise, Manchester Airport recently opened the first UK airport gaming site in Terminal 1 called Gaming Point. These gaming areas not only entertain older children but also encourage families to spend more time and money at the airport.

Pop-Up family entertainment zones

An emerging trend in airport retail is the creation of pop-up family entertainment zones. These zones feature temporary installations of popular brands and entertainment options designed to engage children and families.

For instance, during peak travel seasons, airports can collaborate with toy and game companies to set up play areas. These pop-up zones provide interactive experiences, attract footfall and activation.

Singapore Changi Airport partnered with Hasbro games to transform T3 into a Hall of Games which includes physical and digital games based on the popular Hasbro games, which also include a pop-up store from which you can purchase Hasbro merchandise and games.

Catering to varied dietary needs

The F&B sector at airports also reaps considerable benefits from families with children. Families often need to cater to varying dietary preferences and needs, which often leads to purchases from multiple outlets.

Airports are increasingly offering more foodcourt-style quick-serve brands that provide different varieties of food in a single location, making it easier for families to find something for everyone.

Convenience-led offers are also likely to be in high demand, with parents purchasing snacks and drinks for their children. This higher spend is driven by the need for frequent snacks, meals, and drinks to keep children content and hydrated.

For instance, parents might buy a quick snack to tide children over until the flight or purchase drinks and light meals to ensure they are well-fed and comfortable.

Family-friendly F&B facilities

Parents are more likely to purchase full meals in airport F&B units that offer child-friendly menus and amenities such as highchairs. Play areas and dedicated family seating areas also tend to attract more families, leading to increased sales.

Airports are beginning to recognise the importance of these facilities in enhancing the travel experience for families.

Both Heathrow and Gatwick airports in the UK had a promotion during the school holidays called ‘Kids Eat Free’, where children eat for free from a range of participating food outlets when an accompanying adult buys a meal.

Such promotions are effective in attracting families to dine at airport restaurants, increasing overall sales. The Charlie Brown café at Incheon Airport is another example, attracting children with its colourful designs and characters while also providing amenities such as play areas, toys, and a children's menu.

These features make it a popular choice for families looking for a relaxing and enjoyable dining experience.

Enhancing the travel experience

Airports that invest in family-friendly environments not only enhance the travel experience for families but also drive economic benefits. Facilities such as play areas, family lounges, and nursing rooms encourage longer stays and higher spending.

The adjacency of these play areas to retail and F&B outlets can further increase sales, as parents are more likely to shop and dine if their children are entertained and comfortable.

Airports with comprehensive wayfinding systems and services like strollers and family security lanes make travel less stressful for parents, thereby increasing their likelihood to engage in shopping and dining.

Clear signage and easy-to-navigate terminals help families move around the airport more efficiently, reducing stress and making the overall travel experience more enjoyable.

An IATA survey found that 68% of parents stated that they are more likely to spend on retail and F&B if the airport provides adequate family facilities. This statistic underscores the importance of family-friendly amenities in driving economic growth at airports.

Incheon Airport, recognised as the World’s Most Family-Friendly Airport by Skytrax in 2024, offers dedicated play areas, nursing rooms, family restrooms, baby stroller rentals, and a mini theme park located next to Terminal 2 for families with longer layovers.

These facilities make Incheon Airport a preferred choice for families, ensuring they have a pleasant experience and are more likely to spend on retail and F&B offerings.

Innovation and promotions

Airports are also leveraging technology to enhance the travel experience for families. Mobile apps and digital signage can provide real-time information about family-friendly facilities, promotions, and entertainment options.

Some airports have introduced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences to engage children, providing immersive and entertaining activities that keep them occupied during waits.

For example, Singapore Changi Airport has ventured into the popular world of Roblox by creating a virtual reality version of Changi Airport called ‘Changiverse’ offering players the chance to explore extraordinary landscapes and complete quests through the different airport facilities like baggage reclaim and check-in hall.

Such interactive games create an additional layer of fun and innovation for children to enjoy and creates memorable experiences.

Seasonal promotions and events

Seasonal promotions and events can further enhance the family travel experience and boost spending. Airports can host events during school holidays, summer vacations, and festive seasons, offering activities and discounts tailored to families.

For instance, organising a holiday-themed event with activities like face painting, crafts, and character meet-and-greets can create a festive atmosphere that encourages families to spend more time potentially resulting in more spend opportunities at the airport.

Conclusion

The presence of families with children at airports significantly boosts retail and F&B sectors, driven by higher spending on essentials, entertainment, and food. As airports continue to evolve into multi-faceted commercial spaces, the emphasis on family-friendly services and amenities will play a crucial role in driving economic growth and enhancing the overall passenger experience.

By investing in family-friendly facilities, expanding retail and F&B options, leveraging technology, and implementing effective marketing strategies, airports can attract more families and increase non-aeronautical revenue.

Focusing on the needs and preferences of families travelling with children is not only beneficial for enhancing the travel experience, but also essential for driving economic growth in the competitive airport industry.

By creating a welcoming and accommodating environment for families, airports can ensure sustained revenue growth and a loyal customer base.

Works of art

Joe Bates takes a closer look at the different ways airports are introducing artwork into terminals and across the airport campus to create a destination in their own right and a unique experience for travellers.

Embracing art in terminal buildings might not be the newest fad in the world, but it appears to be one that airports are taking more seriously than ever before as they strive to create unique experiences for passengers and boost customer satisfaction levels.

Arguably, the most famous art installation of all is the Rijksmuseum at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, which has been showcasing world famous paintings at the Dutch hub for more than 22 years.

And in more recent times new airports such as Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Hamad International Airport in Qatar have embraced art and culture from the get go, between them boasting a series of impressive sculptures, paintings and museums.

Indeed, such is the desire to make an impression that art is being factored into the design of many new terminals being built today, and increasingly across the entire airport campus, to capture the attention of and excite travellers when they travel to and from the airport by road.

Bold new art installations at Salt Lake City International Airport

One such airport that has gone all in with art is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), which up until now has invested over $40 million on artwork that includes the eye-catching ‘The Canyon’ that runs through the Main Plaza in its new terminal, and ‘The Peaks’, a monumental sculpture designed to reflect the nearby Wasatch Mountains and pay tribute to Utah’s five Native American tribes as well as the five elements of the natural world: air, earth, fire, space and water. Both were imagined by artist Gordon Huether in collaboration with the airport, which wanted The Canyon and other artworks in the new terminal to provide a truly memorable experience for passengers.

Talking about the airport’s artworks at the recent SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition in Denver, SLC’s director of communication and marketing, Nancy Volmer, said: “Among the top 10 things people wanted to see from our new airport was that it reflected the beauty of Utah.

“It was also very important to our executive director at the time, Maureen Riley, who wanted people to remember Salt Lake City International Airport, and our business travellers told us that they wanted to see the beauty of Utah represented in the airport, so we did, through art, providing windows with views of the mountains on our east and west side, and used colours that felt like Utah.”

She noted: that the airport, designers and architects all got together early in the planning process to make sure that the new terminal lived up to expectations by including a number of “large scale art installations”.

Designed to evoke the Salt Lake City landscape, The Canyon spans 362 feet, roughly the length of a US football field, and uses 2.5 acres of composite fabric and the equivalent of seven miles of aluminium tubing. The entire work consists of 412 individual tensile membrane frames.

While The Peaks, made from weathering steel, is 90ft high at its tallest — the size of a 12-story building — and weighs approximately 75 tons. The skin of each of the five sculptures has a graphic of the globe etched on the surface. A glass orb, placed near the top of the tallest peak, pinpoints the location of Utah on the globe.

Other art installations at SLC include ‘Whimsy Wall’ art works that will eventually be present in all 24 restrooms, ‘The River Tunnel’ – an immersive sound and light experience located in a 1,000ft long

underwater tunnel connecting concourses A and B – and ‘Near Distance’ next to the TSA checkpoint which actually includes some salt from Utah's famed salt lakes.

“All our artworks are designed to represent the spirit, culture, people and beauty of Utah,” added Volmer.

Nature meets multimedia architecture at Changi’s Terminal 2 Moment Factory in collaboration with design studio BOIFFILS has created two signature multimedia installations aimed at bringing the Garden City’s natural beauty into Changi Airport’s newly renovated Terminal 2.

The features support the airport’s goal to be a destination in its own right — a vision that’s repeatedly earned it awards in ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer excellence programme and numerous other accolades.

The Wonderwall is described as a breathtaking four-story digital waterfall nestled between vertical gardens, which utilises a curved LED screen that showcases a mesmerising cascade of water and rock formations. Multiple times an hour, a surreal choreography takes place as the flow dramatically reverses course for a three-and-a-half show set to a bespoke composition by pianist Jean-Michel Blais.

While The Digital Sky is a dreamscape that offers transit passengers a chance to unwind beneath a sprawling digital sky. Mirroring real-time daylight and meteorological conditions via integration with the airport’s weather system, the overhead installation offers an unexpected view of the outside world.

At intervals, the sky transforms into a captivating underwater scene. Embedded within the greenery, an ever-evolving soundscape draws from nearly 100 recordings of local wildlife, spatialised to create an immersive nature experience.

“Our third collaboration with Changi Airport Group allowed us to really push the envelope, both creatively and technically,” says Fady Atallah, creative director at Moment Factory.

“With these installations, travellers will get to immerse themselves in Singapore’s nature with two unique experiences in their journey: an awe-inspiring moment at the Wonderfall and a surprising pause under the digital sky in the dreamscape.”

Arts and Culture Festival at Hong Kong International Airport

Doing things a little more traditionally this summer is Hong Kong International Airport, which recently launched its HKIA Arts and Culture Festival 2024.

The event, which lasts until October 31, feature a series of art exhibitions showcasing the talent and creativity of Hong Kong artists while promoting Hong Kong’s unique culture to travellers from around the globe.

Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has partnered with M+, MobArt Gallery, Art Promotion Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and Hong Kong Arts Centre to present art exhibitions that highlight the diversity of the local arts scene.

The festival will include four exhibitions spanning diverse themes, from traditional crafts to digital arts. Visitors can personalise their own postcards of Hong Kong street scenes by using stamps made with ‘Lee Hon Kong Kai’ fonts, a signature calligraphy commonly used in Hong Kong’s signs since 1970s. Visitors can also receive limited-edition luggage stickers designed by local artists.

Elsewhere, there is a series of gongbi paintings, traditional Chinese paintings delicately and exquisitely outlining natural beauties, which have been transformed via multimedia digital technology into dynamic visuals and interactive artworks at the Ground Transportation Centre.

While the airport’s giant digital screen will feature four animated paintings created by local artists and 260 secondary school students.

“As the gateway to Hong Kong, HKIA stands as an ideal venue to showcase the diverse cultural landscape of our vibrant city,” said AAHK’s acting CEO, Vivian Cheung.

“HKIA has been providing a valuable platform for both established and emerging local artists to share their work with a global audience since 2015. The Arts and Culture Festival will enrich the journey of every traveller passing through the airport.”

Looking to the future at New York JFK

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected to build and operate the highly anticipated $4.2 billion Terminal 6 (T6) at John F Kennedy International Airport, has announced that 18 artists have been selected to debut new public art commissions when the terminal opens to passengers in 2026.

The art programme is led by Public Art Fund, the independent non-profit organisation dedicated to art in public spaces. The featured artists, including 10 from New York City, will capture the spirit of New York with a diverse range of artworks that will be seamlessly integrated into the terminal.

According to PANYNJ, sculptures, suspended installations, wall works, and glass mosaic floor medallions will create a unique New York sense of place. It notes that the project supports its vision to create a world-class passenger experience at JFK through inspirational public art, operational excellence, 21st century technology and world-class functionality.

“Public art that is inspiring and evocative of our region is an essential part of the Port Authority’s strategy to create world-class airports that are becoming destinations in their own right,” says Port Authority executive director, Rick Cotton.

“Just as we have done at LaGuardia and at Newark-Liberty’s Terminal A, the public art at JFK’s new Terminal 6 will dazzle travellers and help create a sense of place unique to New York.”

Multiple new public artworks unveiled at SFO San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) in partnership with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has unveiled multiple new public art installations at Harvey Milk Terminal 1 upon the completion and recent grand opening of the final section of the terminal.

“The collection of art found at San Francisco International Airport is some of the finest in the world, and that’s no exaggeration,” enthused Ralph Remington, SFAC’s director of cultural affairs.

“From captivating 2D works to murals, sculptures and everything in between, we hope the world class artwork travellers will see as they make their way towards their travel destination inspires them and keeps them coming back for more.

“We are thankful to have been able to partner with SFO to incorporate new public art as part of the renovation of Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and thank all the artists who worked closely with public art staff to make their visions and dreams, reality.”

Funding for public art at SFO was generated from the Art Enrichment Ordinance, or 2%-for-Art-Program, which ensures two percent of gross construction costs from the expansion of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, and other publicly funded capital construction projects at SFO, be allocated for public art.

The Arts Commission developed an ambitious public art programme designed to create a dynamic environment that engages travellers from the moment they arrive at the airport, showcasing world class art throughout the airport campus, pre- and post-security.

The final section of the award-winning $2.5 billion Harvey Milk Terminal 1 opened on June 17, 2024, and includes new public art, a new north check-in lobby, a new mezzanine-level security checkpoint, two additional aircraft gates, four new concessions and a new connecting walkway that links all SFO terminals post-security.

“Harvey Milk Terminal 1 sets a new benchmark for the airport experience,” said SFO’s airport director, Ivar Satero. “This facility celebrates the legacy of a pioneering civil rights leader, with museum exhibits and public artwork that together tell a story about what makes San Francisco great and how people like Harvey Milk continue to serve as an inspiration for the world.”

Two new works were installed as part of the completion of this final section. Craig Calderwood’s immersive three-story mural The Only Blue is the Sky and Suzanne Husky’s Close Encounter with the California Sublime.

The former uses vibrant visual vernacular to capture the exuberance of queer history and culture while honouring the legacy of civil rights pioneer Supervisor Harvey Milk, and the latter is said to reimagine Albert Bierstadt’s painting, Merced River, Yosemite Valley, c.1866, by adding a tourist family in the act of taking a selfie with a California grizzly bear to critique environmental commodification and exploitation.

Hip-Hop celebration at Toronto City Airport

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport was among the first to unveil new artwork this year when it opened its ‘Project T-Dot’ photography exhibit by local photographer, Ajani Charles, that celebrates Toronto’s diverse Hip-Hop scene.

In line with terminal operator Nieuport Aviation’s commitment to reflecting the vibrancy and diversity of Toronto through unique art activations, the exhibit is the largest art installation ever at the downtown gateway.

Project T-Dot depicts candid images of Toronto's most renowned Hip-Hop figures, as well as many others who are lesser-known but nonetheless influential in Toronto's Hip-Hop scene, allowing travellers the opportunity to engage with the cultural richness of the city as they pass through Billy Bishop Airport.

The exhibition comprises 60 large-scale photographic panels in the terminal's atrium alongside an interactive touchscreen where they can learn more about Toronto's Hip-Hop culture, community, and history by exploring engaging supplementary information.

"As the owner and operator of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Airport, Nieuport Aviation is committed to not only playing a vital role in connecting travellers to the places they want to be, but also to connecting our neighbours and travellers to Toronto's vibrant culture," explained president and CEO, Neil Pakey. AW

Game changer

Elena Sorlini, managing director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, tells Joe Bates more about the transformational benefits of Zayed International Airport’s new Terminal A and the company’s customer service strategy.

Can you tell us a little more about Abu Dhabi Airports’ customer service philosophy and why you take good customer service so seriously?

Passengers today expect more from airports than they used to. Long queues and a lack of convenient, affordable commercial services are no longer considered an acceptable airport experience.

Today’s passengers expect excellence as standard, and their expectations are always rising. As a result, airports have to be flexible in the way they operate to meet the evolving passenger experience. It’s that or get left behind.

At the airport, speed is of the essence. Passengers expect streamlined processes and minimal wait times and are increasingly willing to embrace biometrics and off-airport processes to achieve this. Indeed, confidence in biometric technology is on the rise and passengers seem to appreciate using biometric data over traditional passports and boarding passes. We are well prepared for this new dynamic.

Is it possible to highlight the main customer service goals you strive to achieve?

Just one word should suffice to answer this question, ‘Excellence’. Indeed, excellence in all aspects of customer service.

How important is new infrastructure, such as new terminals or the modernisation of existing ones, to enhancing the airport experience for passengers?

As I’ve already said, passengers today expect more from airports than they used to. In our case, the new Zayed International Airport was needed to meet the exponential growth in demand from both visitors and airlines and to unlock the full potential of tourism and trade in Abu Dhabi.

Our airport can now handle 79 planes at once and up to 11,000 passengers per hour. It has doubled the capacity of the old terminals, managing up to 45 million passengers annually, both visiting and in transit.

It is no exaggeration to say that the terminal was designed to provide the most innovative, safe, and seamless airport experience, meeting the highest standards of quality and service required by the aviation industry and passengers. Its X shape optimises operational efficiencies and reduces walking times.

Our aircraft parking infrastructure for example, now includes 65 contact stands and 14 remote stands, complete with dedicated boarding gates. This expansion will reduce congestion, provide passengers with a more relaxed boarding experience and allow for smoother onward journeys without unnecessary delays or inconveniences. It is also worth noting that Zayed International Airport continues to enhance its facilities to solidify its position as a global leader in airport technology and passenger experience.

Has the new airport embraced the very latest technology?

Absolutely. I would even go as far to say that we have set a new standard for airport technology as Zayed International Airport stands out as the first and only airport worldwide to utilise a nine touchpoint facial recognition journey.

This technology is deployed at various stages of the airport experience, including the self-bag drop area and counters. As a result, passengers enjoy significantly reduced queueing times for a hassle-free and seamless journey through the airport. Furthermore, there is no longer a need for physical documents to navigate through immigration and boarding processes, enhancing convenience and ensuring the highest levels of safety and security.

Finding your way through the airport has also been made easier thanks to the augmented reality Wayfinder, which enables real-time navigation throughout the terminal to support airport guests. Route selections are personalised with animated 3D themes for Desert, Oasis, City, and Sea, offering interactive and convenient navigation for an enhanced and entertaining experience. Finally, passengers can expect a rapid journey, as they can go from kerb to gate in just 12 minutes, minimising wait times and maximising efficiency.

Are we in danger of forgetting the important role people play in the provision of customer service excellence?

We will never underestimate the role people play in the customer service process. Our customer care is based on the highest standards adopted worldwide, and technology is a means to the end of making the passenger’s journey as comfortable as possible. Additionally, we have personnel stationed at almost every corner of the airport, ready to help passengers and answer any questions they might have.

How big a role does ‘sense of place’ and ‘art’ play in your customer excellence strategy?

Zayed International Airport’s new branding encapsulates the spirit of the new airport beyond its physical structure of steel and glass. We were inspired by the design of this iconic terminal, with each pier representing and pointing to either the city, desert, oasis, or sea –landscapes synonymous with Abu Dhabi.

Using this for creative inspiration, we’ve linked each of those piers to a key landmark, immortalised in the brand logo we’ve recently unveiled. From the Great Hall of Terminal A to the historic walls of Qasr Al Hosn, the legacy of Emirati navigators embodied by the dhow boat, to the enduring properties of date palm trees and the desert sun, these unique features create a sense of place for passengers, providing an unforgettable experience.

This is not just about the infrastructure. We have been working hard to ensure that the level of service we offer matches the beauty of the terminal, creating a consistently superior end-to-end passenger experience. From a seamless journey powered by the latest smart scanning technology to intuitive systems that prioritise ease of movement and passenger rest, Zayed International Airport is built with our passengers and partners at its very heart.

The airport encompasses elements of rich Emirati culture and a strong foundation of Arabian heritage, fostered by the vision of the UAE’s founding father, to whom the new airport pays due homage.

We wanted to showcase the late Sheikh Zayed’s legacy to the visitors of Abu Dhabi due to his significant contributions to the emirate, which he helped develop into a centre for business, tourism, and culture.

Last, but not least, Zayed International Airport is home to one of the largest environmental art installations in the Middle East, the Sana Al Nour, a Barjeel structure inspired by the wind towers of the Gulf region. It weighs approximately 100 tons and incorporates 1,632 curved glass panels. It stands 22 metres tall and 17 metre wide.

The traditional Barjeel design facilitates an energy-saving airflow for the entire terminal building; it allows natural light and cool air to pass through the front and top of the structure while heat rises through the middle.

Can you give us some examples of customer service excellence at Zayed International Airport airport that you believe helped it do so well in ACI’s ASQ Survey?

At Zayed International Airport, customer service excellence is ingrained in our company culture. This commitment is reflected in our airport design, products, services, and operations, particularly in passengerfacing touchpoints.

We have replaced traditional information desks with customer service agents who roam the airport looking for people to assist. They engage with passengers, assist with inquiries, and provide recommendations for food and beverage outlets available at our airport.

In a large passenger terminal building, walking distances to gates can be challenging for some passengers. To address this, we offer complimentary roaming buggies throughout the terminal, prioritising passengers with reduced mobility, the elderly, families, and others in need.

In this day-and-age, connectivity is essential. Zayed International Airport offers complimentary Wi-Fi and mobile charging services to ensure passengers stay connected with their loved ones. Mobile charging services are available at seating areas airside and at charging stations near the gates. We also offer power bank charging services.

We are also proud of the airport’s ambience. Zayed International Airport provides a state-of-the-art environment where passengers can relax while travelling. The terminal features plants and floor-toceiling glass windows, bringing the natural beauty of Abu Dhabi into the airport experience.

Can you tell us why you consider ACI’s ASQ programme invaluable to AUH and Abu Dhabi Airports?

For nearly 20 years, we have participated in the ACI ASQ programme, a continuous improvement initiative involving all our airport stakeholders. We produce reports and hold quarterly meetings with our stakeholders to review the results and identify areas for improvement. The ACI ASQ programme also allows us to benchmark our airport against more than 400 airports worldwide, helping us assess our strengths and identify opportunities for growth. Furthermore, it offers invaluable knowledge-sharing opportunities at the subcommittee level with global airports. The comprehensive, data-driven feedback provides insights into various areas of airport operations, aiding informed decision-making to enhance passenger experiences.

Our global reputation and accolades from this programme serve as powerful marketing tools, boosting morale and attracting more partners and business to the airport.

What does good service mean to you?

In an airport sense, to me, great customer service is about transforming the airport experience into an exciting and memorable part of the journey for our visitors. It is about ensuring that airport processes

are seamless, quick, and enjoyable, and just as importantly it is about delivering a stress-free overall experience that leaves passengers feeling relaxed and valued. From the moment they arrive at the terminal to the time they board their flight, every interaction should be designed to exceed expectations and create a sense of anticipation for their next visit.

By providing exceptional service, we aim to make Abu Dhabi a destination that passengers look forward to returning to, time and time again. Whether it's through personalised assistance, world-class amenities, or innovative services, our goal is to make every journey through our airport a wonderful adventure in its own right.

What is Abu Dhabi Airports doing to ensure the sustainable growth of its airports and meet the environmental/climate change concerns of the travelling public?

Sustainability is a core element of Zayed International Airport, which is ‘Green Building’ certified under the Pearl Building Rating System [PBRS], achieving 3 Pearls at the design stage. Over 90% of the steel and 82% of the timber used in constructing the new terminal is certified and from sustainable sources, reducing the amount of raw material used and promoting the circular economy.

More than 70% of the plants used in the terminal’s campus landscaping are native and adaptive species that are drought and saline resistant. Water-efficient fixtures and fittings have been installed throughout the airport, resulting in a 45% improvement over the Estidama benchmark figures. We continue working to comply with the efforts needed to be a sustainable airport.

Easy come, easy go!

Enhancing the passenger experience through new technology, facilities and services continues to be a key priority for the world’s airports. Joe Bates takes a closer look at some of the latest initiatives and awards.

Robotic pods to enhance accessibility at YVR Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is to trial the industry’s first, autonomous, electric robotic ‘pods’ designed to assist passengers with reduced mobility.

"The new self-driving pods made by A&K Robotics represent an important step forward for accessibility at YVR, helping ensure people of all ages and abilities can independently navigate our terminals,” said Tamara Vrooman, president and CEO at Vancouver International Airport. “Through our role as the first testbed, we are supporting the development and implementation of made-in-B.C. solutions that benefit YVR and our community as well as local businesses. We look forward to having this new technology available for travellers as early as next year."

The Cruz mobility pods utilise an intelligent navigation system that allows users to overcome the mobility challenges of travelling through an airport the size of YVR – its main terminal is approximately 650 metres from the security screening checkpoint to the last boarding gate – and accessing facilities such shops, restaurants, accessible washroom facilities and other amenities.

YVR notes: “The pods have integrated real-time mapping software that enables passengers to accurately and intuitively understand where they are within the airport. Over the coming months, we will be conducting trials with employees, members of the accessibility community and, eventually, travellers.

“This phased approach will ensure the pods are safely integrated into the airport environment. It also provides an opportunity for our teams to work closely with A&K Robotics to solicit feedback that will help evolve and adapt the form and function of the pods to meet the unique needs of our travellers.”

Autonomous

transportation and world’s first Smartphone Express Bag

Drop Service

Hong Kong’s first autonomous mass transport system will operate between Hong Kong International Airport’s SKYCITY and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB).

It became a step closer to reality this summer when airport operator, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), awarded the tender for the development of autonomous vehicles and the new transportation system to the KCM–PML Joint Venture, formed by KC Smart Mobility Company Limited (KC Smart Mobility), a subsidiary of Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Limited, and Prime Motors Limited.

The joint venture has also joined forces with Baidu, a market leader in autonomous driving technology, which will be the technology provider of the intelligent transportation integrated system; and Xiamen King Long as vehicle supplier.

The autonomous transportation system will operate on Airportcity Link, a dedicated vehicular bridge integrated with a pedestrian walkway. Built by AAHK, Airportcity Link will connect the Hong Kong Port of HZMB and SKYCITY, a major commercial development on the Airport Island that provides a wide array of dining, shopping and entertainment offerings.

Visitors riding on the autonomous vehicles from the Hong Kong Port will reach SKYCITY in just three minutes, or vice versa. Each autonomous vehicle will carry a maximum of 16 passengers.

The entire system can carry 500 passengers per hour per direction at the initial stage, with a target to increase the throughput to 2,000 passengers per hour per direction.

Vivian Cheung, acting CEO of AAHK, said: “HKIA has been pioneering the application of autonomous driving technology. We are the world’s first and only airport to put autonomous vehicles into live airport

operations in a large scale, with autonomous electric tractors for baggage and cargo delivery, autonomous patrol cars to enhance airport security, and autonomous buses to shuttle airport staff on the apron.

“The seamless connection between SKYCITY and the Hong Kong Port of the HZMB brought by the new system, along with the numerous attractions at SKYCITY, will certainly create exceptional experience and lure visitors, especially those from the Greater Bay Area, to the new landmark.”

In the next phase of development, the autonomous transportation system on Airportcity Link will be further extended from SKYCITY to the nearby Tung Chung town centre, providing convenient connection with the MTR and bus service.

In other passenger facilitation news, the pioneering airport has launched what is believed to be the world’s first Smartphone Express Bag Drop Service.

Described as a groundbreaking new development in the use of Hong Kong International Airport’s Flight Token smart technology, the new service enables passengers to complete online check-in and scan their travel documents with their smartphones before heading to the airport. Upon arrival at HKIA, they can proceed directly to the Express Bag Drop counters and drop their bags by themselves with their smartphones in under one minute, compared to an average of three minutes at the airline counters or Smart Check-in Kiosks.

HKIA is the only airport in the world where passengers are able to complete all departure procedures using only their smartphones and facial recognition technology, including online check-in, travel document verification, bag drop, entering the security area, and boarding through self-service.

Assisted travel and hidden disabilities services enhanced at BHX

As part of Birmingham International Airport’s enhancements to the customer journey, including the new security search area, a new service has been put in place for customers who use Sunflower Lanyards as a way of discreetly making others aware of their hidden disability.

To ensure that customers, who require the Sunflower Lanyard service can access it, a new ‘check-in’ facility will be introduced at the UK airport. This new check-in system will ensure that passengers, with hidden disabilities, can be assisted by trained colleagues from the airport whilst travelling through.

Chris Wilson, BHX’s head of terminal operations, said: “The Sunflower Lanyard has been in place for many years here at

Birmingham International Airport to assist our customers with hidden disabilities and those requiring assistance whilst travelling through the airport. This new process ensures we can fully support our customers with the help they need, whether from the check-in point to the aircraft or just through the security process. The choice is up to our customers, ensuring their independence.

“Our customers are at the heart of what we do. This new check-in service will help us deliver the best customer service to everyone, while also allowing us to understand how many people need support at any given time.”

New CT technology and security lane concept at Frankfurt Airport and London Luton

Frankfurt Airport claims to have marked an important milestone in the ongoing upgrade of its security checkpoints with the opening of nine additional security checkpoints equipped with modern CT technology.

It is confident that the new equipment, as well as an innovative lane concept now available in Departures B-West of Terminal 1, will enable passengers to reach their departure gate even faster and more conveniently than before in the high-traffic area.

Some 35,000 passengers on 200 flights depart every day from Concourse B of Terminal 1. The new checkpoints in B-West are equipped with CT scanners from Leidos, which ensure faster and more convenient checks.

Passengers may keep their electronic devices and liquids in their hand luggage without having to present them separately.

The same now applies to passengers travelling through London Luton Airport (LLA) following the successful roll-out of next generation security scanners.

The gateway’s chief operations officer, Neil Thompson, said: “We are delighted to become one of the first major airports to offer the benefits of next generation security to all passengers.

“This investment provides London Luton Airport with enhanced screening technology that will significantly elevate the service provided to passengers flying from LLA this summer and beyond, aligning perfectly with the simple, friendly passenger experience we always look to deliver.”

Early risers can also now take advantage of LLA’s newly launched Prebook Security initiative, another option designed to make the LLA security experience as quick and easy as possible.

The free service allows passengers to skip security queues by reserving a 10-minute slot up to four days before travelling.

SFO named as one of best airport in the US for kids

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has been named as one of the best airports in the US for kids by maternity retailer, ‘Motherhood’, in its 2024 Motherhood Loves Community Awards.

The award noted that SFO “offers five interactive and colourful Kids Spots (some decorated by the SFO Museum) where kids can play and burn energy”.

It adds: “Older kids can check out exhibitions by the SFO Museum, tour the Aviation Museum & Library, or watch a film in the Video Arts Room. Six nursing rooms are spread throughout the terminals, and you can purchase child-friendly necessities from various shops as well as rent car seats.”

For the record, other winners included Dallas-Love Field (DAL), Philadelphia (PHL), Portland (PDX), Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), LaGuardia (LGA) and San José Mineta (SJC) airports.

Dublin Airport’s sensory rooms

Taoiseach, Simon Harris, has officially opened a new sensory room at Dublin Airport for passengers with autism, dementia, cognitive impairment, or other sensory needs.

The airport believes that the opening reaffirms its strong commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all travellers.

The new sensory room, located in Terminal 1 near the 200 gates, complements an existing facility in Terminal 2. These rooms feature relaxing music, mood lighting, a bubble wall, bean bags, digital display panels, textured flooring, and memory and motor skill games. They can be adjusted to provide either a calming or stimulating environment.

Dublin Airport also offers an ‘Important Flyer’ programme, providing wristbands or lanyards to passengers with sensory issues, signalling to staff that additional assistance may be needed.

Taoiseach Harris stated: “The opening of this new sensory room is proof of daa’s commitment to ensure that everyone, regardless of their sensory needs, can be afforded the same opportunity to travel in comfort and with dignity.”

The airport’s managing director, Gary McLean, said: “The opening of our second sensory room is a significant step towards making Dublin

Airport a more inclusive space. It is essential that we cater to the needs of all our passengers, ensuring their journey is as comfortable and stress-free as possible.”

Thai gateway shows commitment to customer service excellence

Earlier this year, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) in Thailand became the 100th airport accredited in the ACI World Customer Experience Accreditation Programme, highlighting its steadfast commitment to enhancing the passenger experience.

The ACI World Customer Experience Accreditation Programme, delivered in partnership with travel technology company Amadeus, equips airports with the tools and strategies to elevate customer experience management.

Participating airports undergo a comprehensive assessment and training process, encompassing stakeholder engagement, employee development, and service improvement initiatives.

Airports of Thailand president, Dr Kijmanawat Kerati, noted: “It is our honour for Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport to be the 100th airport accredited in the ACI World Customer Experience Accreditation Programme.

“We take immense pride in our dedication to creating a culture of customer-centricity and continuous enhancement of service quality. We are committed to prioritising the needs of our passengers and delivering excellence in every aspect of the passenger experience.”

Customer experience excellence will be top of the agenda at ACI World’s annual Customer Experience Summit and Exhibition in Atlanta, USA, this September.

The event – being held on September 23–26 – will bring together over 500 senior airport executives, customer experience professionals, and industry leaders from across the globe to explore the latest trends, products, and technologies driving customer and employee experiences.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions to enhance the passenger journey.

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Asia’s big build

Marnix (Max) Groot provides a snapshot of the major ongoing and planned airport development projects in South East and East Asia.

Asia is a hotspot for infrastucture development projects with China, in particular, in the midst of a programme to upgrade its existing airports and build dozens more to give it the capacity to meet future demand.

This article highlights a selection of projects either under construction and/or in the feasibility and planning stage in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Mongolia, South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines.

CHINA

China has been building and expanding airports unrelentingly since the early 2000s. As the country has been trying to recover from an economic slump, there are no signs of slowing down. Currently, hundreds of airport projects are being executed or planned, including a vast number of regional airports and general aviation facilities.

Major new greenfield projects include Dalian and Xiamen, where the existing airports cannot expand and are being replaced with large-scale offshore airports.

Several other cities, including Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Kunming are building or planning to build a second major airport. Another greenfield project worth mentioning is the plan to build an airport in Suzhou, China’s only city with a population of over 10 million without an airport!

Many of China’s existing major airports are expanding with new runways, passenger terminals, and cargo facilities. Large-scale expansions are currently being planned or constructed at Changsha, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haerbin, Kunming, Lanzhou, Nanchang, Ningbo, Sanya, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang,

Shanghai Pudong, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Urumqi, Xi’an, Xining, and Zhuhai.

As the number of projects in China is too much to cover here in detail, we will focus on a selection of noteworthy projects.

Shanghai Pudong Airport is expected to start the construction of its Phase 4 expansion project later this year. The expansion includes a new 852,600sqm international and domestic terminal (Terminal 3); an integrated transportation centre and multi-storey car parks; hotels and offices; approach roads; and support infrastructure.

Shanghai Airport Group is also advancing the construction of Nantong New Airport, positioned as Shanghai’s third airport. The project, located in Tongzhou District, Jiangsu Province, will feature two parallel runways and a terminal with an initial capacity for 40 million passengers annually.

In the future, two more runways and a boarding satellite will be added, raising Nantong New Airport’s capacity to 80 million passengers annually. Construction is set to begin in 2024, with completion expected between 2026 and 2027.

In April, the construction of Guangzhou’s second airport, Foshan Gaoming International Airport, kicked off, with completion expected by 2027. The $7 billion first phase includes two parallel runways of 3,600 metres and 3,800 metres, a passenger terminal building of 420,000sqm with an annual capacity of 30 million passengers, and cargo facilities.

Additionally, it will be connected to the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang high-speed rail. The addition of a third runway could potentially equip the airport to handle 60mppa by 2050.

While the current Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is expanding to accommodate 80 million annual passengers, the

southwestern mega-city is already planning a second major airport to be built between 2026 and 2030.

The first phase of Chongqing Zhengxing Airport will cost $7 billion and includes two runways and a terminal building with a capacity of 40 million annual passengers. When fully completed, the new airport will have three to four runways, boast a capacity of up to 80mppa, and be capable of handling aircraft such as the A380-800 and B777-9. It is, however, expected to start life as a domestic only airport before being developed into a regional aviation and cargo hub.

In the northern port city of Dalian, construction is underway on the $4.3 billion offshore Dalian Jinzhou Bay Airport. Being built on 21 square kilometres of reclaimed land, it is scheduled for completion in 2035 and will replace Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport.

The project’s first phase includes the construction of two 3,600-metre runways, along with a 550,000sqm passenger terminal with a capacity of 43 million annual passengers. Upon full completion, the airport will have four runways and an expanded terminal, serving up to 80 million passengers annually. It will also be capable of handling one million tonnes of cargo per annum.

In the southeastern port city of Xiamen, work is underway on the $2.1 billion first phase of the offshore Xiamen Xiang’an International Airport. The first phase will include two 3,600 and 3,800-metre runways and a passenger terminal offering 580,000sqm of floor space and boasting 78 contact stands.

It will initially be equipped to accommodate 45 million passengers and 750,000 tons of cargo per annum. Later, two more runways and two more passenger terminals will be added, increasing its capacity to 85mppa and two million tonnes of cargo.

In Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Airport is in the final phase of its massive $18 billion expansion project, which includes a third runway, which opened in July 2022, and a new boarding concourse, which is currently under construction and expected to open in June 2025.

The 283,000sqm boarding concourse has 34 contact stands and 23 remote stands. It will be connected to the terminal by means of a 2,600 metre long automated people mover (APM) system.

Terminal 2, which initially only had check-in facilities, shops and restaurants, will be upgraded to a full-service processing terminal. The expansion will raise the airport’s capacity by 30 million passengers yearly to 104mppa.

In the longer-term, Hong Kong International Airport is expected to handle 120 million passengers and a huge 9 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Near neighbour, Macau International Airport, also has ambitions to grow and is set to embark on an expansion project to raise the airport’s annual capacity from 10 to 13 million passengers with additional remote boarding gates and an expanded taxiway system. The land reclamation project required for the project is expected to start in the second half of 2024, with completion expected in 2029. In a later development phase, the gateway’s capacity could be expanded to 15mppa.

MALAYSIA

Although traffic numbers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport are still well below its 75mppa capacity – it welcomed 47.2 million passengers in 2023 – the airport has plans in place to almost double its capacity to 140mppa should there be a significant upturn in traffic in the coming years.

Elsewhere in Malaysia’s capacity city, Kuala Lumpur’s Subang Airport, which functioned as the city’s main airport until KLIA opened in 1998, is to be redeveloped into an international airport supporting intra-Asian business connections, mirroring airports such as Taipei Songshan and Seoul Gimpo.

These plans include raising the capacity of the airport’s passenger terminal from 1.5 to 3 million passengers per annum, and possibly up to 8mppa with future development.

Outside of the capital, Penang International Airport is about to start a terminal expansion project to double the gross floor area of the passenger terminal to 115,000sqm, effectively raising its capacity to 12mppa. Scheduled for completion in Q2 2028, the project will allow for the addition of six contact stands, bringing the total number of stands to 18. There are also plans to add six remote stands and a new multi-storey car park with an additional 1,700 parking bays.

In the tourist destination of Kota Kinabalu, focus has switched to upgrading the existing airport after environmental concerns caused the government to shelve plans for a new gateway. As a result, there are now plans in place to lengthen the airport’s 3,780-metre runway and increase the terminal’s capacity from 9mppa to 12mppa by 2026. In the long-term (2044), the capacity will be further increased to 21mppa.

In May 2024, local authorities announced plans to construct a new international airport for Kuching, as the current airport cannot be expanded beyond its current footprint. The existing Kuching International Airport (KIA) may be repurposed for chartered jets or private planes. Extensive studies must be conducted to determine whether this project is desirable and feasible.

Meanwhile, Kota Bharu International Airport is finalising a project to expand its passenger terminal. The project involves adding a wing with five additional boarding bridges and a 1,300 vehicle capacity parking garage. Next up will be a 400 metre expansion to the airport‘s 2,000 metre long runway after the $93 million project was approved in May 2024.

Finally, in Kedah in northwest Malaysia, the state government is looking for investors and approval from the central government to build Kulim International Airport, a.k.a. the Kedah Aerotropolis project, a cargo and logistics-focused airport and associated airport city development.

At the time of writing, the Kedah government was in talks with the Chinese Henan Airport Group about potentially financing the $1.6 billion first phase of the project.

INDONESIA

With traffic booming again it seems likely to be only a matter of time before airport operator Angkasa Pura II, updates and relaunches its pre-COVID plan to build a fourth passenger terminal at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The original plan for the terminal, designed by Grimshaw, was for a 300,000sqm passenger terminal capable of handling 45mppa, which would have raised the gateway’s capacity to around 110 million.

Meanwhile, to address long-term growth in Jakarta, there are proposals to build a second airport on a 3,000-hectare site about 50 kilometres southwest of Jakarta that could handle around 70 million passengers per annum.

In Bali, Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai International Airport is planning to expand its capacity from 24 million to 32 million passengers per annum. The expansion includes the enlargement of the departure hall and security area, and increasing the number of gates. This growth is expected to be sufficient until around 2031 or 2032, after which the new North Bali Airport will be developed.

Discussed since 2015, if the North Bali Airport does come to fruition, it is expected to have an annual capacity of 32 million passengers, making it Indonesia’s second-largest airport.

According to existing designs, which are likely to be revised in Phase 1, the airport will initially feature a single 4,100 metre runway, a 230,000sqm passenger terminal, a cargo terminal, a maintenance area, and a seaport. Later, a second runway can be added.

Batam’s Hang Nadim International Airport is also in line for an upgrade with construction work starting on its new Terminal 2, which could open as early 2026.The project, part of a larger $370 million development plan for the airport, involves an investment of approximately $148 million in its first phase.

Terminal 2 will cover 50,000sqm and is designed to handle up to 9.6 million passengers annually. A consortium that includes PT Batam International Airport, PT Angkasa Pura I, Incheon International Airport Corporation, and PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk is developing the terminal. Future enhancements include a new apron to increase the airport’s capacity.

Another interesting project is the construction of Nusantara Airport, which will serve Indonesia’s future capital, located on the east coast of Borneo. With an investment of $261 million, Phase 1 includes a 3,000-metre runway and a 7,350sqm passenger terminal that will initally only serve guests of the state. Long-term, the airport could eventually be expanded to handle 30 million annual passengers.

SINGAPORE

In 2025, Changi Airport will start constructing its new $10 billion Terminal 5, which will raise its capacity by 50 million to about 135 million passengers per annum.

The terminal, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and Heatherwick Studio, has been designed with the “airport as a city” concept in mind,

with each area viewed as a “series of neighbourhoods” with their own character. The terminal is expected to be operational by the mid-2030s.

Terminal 5 is part of the Changi East mega-development – its 1,080-hectare site is almost as big as the land area of today’s Changi Airport – which will provide future capacity for Singapore’s gateway to the world.Operator, Changi Airport Group (CAG), has stated that it wants Terminal 5 to be green and sustainable beyond today’s standards in line with its commitment to being a sustainability pioneer.

MONGOLIA

A study to expand and enhance the capacity of Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar will begin in June 2024 and is expected to be completed by January 2025. Opened in July 2021, the airport has a 3,600-metre runway and a 3mppa passenger capacity terminal, which can be expanded to 12 million passengers annually. The airport is expected to welcome 2.2 million passengers this year, up from 1.75 million last year.

Mongolia is also hoping to build a new commercial airport near Kharkhorum in the centre of the country. The airport is part of a much larger undertaking to build a new city – New Kharkhorum – to reduce pressure and congestion in Ulaanbaatar, which is now home to more than half of the country’s population and is home to most of its economic activity and civic infrastructure. The project is now in the feasibility stage.

More definite are Mongolian government plans to upgrade Choibalsan, Gurvansaikhan and Hovd airports. The upgrades to ICAO category 4C (Choibalsan and Hovd) and 4D (Gurvansaikhan) include extending runways and enhancing passenger facilities. The projects will be executed in PPP formats.

SOUTH KOREA

By the end of 2024, Incheon International Airport will complete the $3.5 billion expansion of Terminal 2, which will increase Incheon’s capacity from the current 77 million passengers per annum to 106mppa. With this, Incheon will become one of the world’s largest airports in terms of passenger capacity. But it doesn’t end there; Incheon is currently planning a fifth round of expansion, including a third passenger terminal and fifth runway.

Another notable development is a $900 million project to modernise Terminal 1, which is over 20 years old. The renovation will commence in April next year and is expected to be completed by June 2033. A new cargo terminal with an annual capacity of 140,000 tons is also set to open at Incheon Airport in 2027. This addition will significantly increase the airport’s cargo handling capacity from the current 280,000 tons annually to an expected 420,000 tons.

Another major undertaking in South Korea is the new offshore Gadeok International Airport near Busan, the country’s second-largest city.

The $9.8 billion airport is set to open by the end of 2029 and have facilities that include a single 3,500-metre runway, a 17mppa capacity passenger terminal and cargo facilities capable of handling up to 286,000 tonnes of cargo per annum. Work on the terminal design will commence during the second half of this year.

Elsewhere, there are plans to build a new airport in Daegu to replace the city’s existing gateway by 2030. Construction of the new airport, which will accommodate both civilian and military aircraft, is expected to start in 2025.

Upon opening, the new airport – which will serve South Korea’s fourth largest city – is expected to have a single 3,200 metre runway, a 10mppa capacity passenger terminal, and an airport city development focused on cargo and logistics. A high-speed rail will also connect the new airport to western Daegu and Uiseong. Additional runways and terminals can be added later according to demand.

South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, expects work to start this year on the new $604 million Saemangeum International Airport ahead of its scheduled opening in 2028. The airport will initially have a 2,500-metre long runway and a single passenger terminal.

Another gateway with big plans is Cheongju International Airport, which is considering building a new international passenger terminal. The airport also wants to add a civilian-exclusive runway – the current runway is shared with the military – and enhance its commercial facilities, and duty-free shops. This expansion aims to prepare Cheongju International Airport for a more significant regional role in support the broader tourism industry.

Finally, in Jeju Island, a popular tourist destination, there are plans to build a second airport to supplement the existing Jeju International Airport. The $5.1 billion project, which has been under discussion for years, will include a 3,200-metre runway and passenger terminal equipped to accommodate up to 19 million passengers annually. The project is currently in the planning phase.

JAPAN

The largest airport project in Japan in the coming decade will be the complete revamp of Tokyo’s Narita International Airport based on the creation of a 100-gate mega terminal, the first phase of which is expected to open in the early 2030s.

The project will merge the three existing terminals and significantly increase space for aircraft. The eastern half of the terminal is expected to be completed between 2030 and 2034, with the rest to be built based on air travel demand. The building will offer up to 1.15 million square metres of floor space and 30 additional aircraft parking bays, taking the total to around 190.

Tokyo Narita’s airfield capacity will also be significantly expanded with a new 3,500-metre Runway C and the extension of the existing Runway B from 2,500 to 3,500 metres. These projects are scheduled to be completed by 2029. Upon completion of all the projects, the airport will be capable of handing 75 million passengers per annum – 25 million more than today.

Tokyo’s Haneda Airport is also expanding, with construction work recently beginning on a new satellite facility north of Terminal 1. The 21,000sqm satellite, which is expected to be in use by the summer of 2026, will boast six gates equipped with boarding bridges.

Haneda is also considering a plan to connect its two major terminals, creating a new international terminal processor above the Shuto Expressway, which runs between the terminals. If realised, this plan is expected to significantly improve convenience for passengers transferring between domestic and international flights and alleviate congestion in Terminal 3. Preliminary studies are currently underway.

In Osaka, recently completed renovation and extension works have increased the capacity of Kansai International Airport (KIX) from 23 to 40 million passengers per annum.

However, in 2023, Kansai handled 41.5 million passengers, and more expansion will be necessary. The airport’s master plan allows for the construction of a third major passenger terminal opposite Terminal 1, but this may still be a few years away as operator, VINCI Airports, is likely to look at optimising operations across KIX’s existing facilities before investing in the new terminal.

In Sapporo, the city’s downtown Okadama Airport is considering upgrading its terminal either through an expansion project or reconstructing the existing layout and design. A basic plan, to be finalised in the fiscal year 2024, will detail the scale and cost of the project which the airport is aiming to complete by 2030.

A project that is 100% happening is the opening of a new passenger terminal at Kobe Airport, which will be in operation ahead of Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai. The so-called “sub-terminal” will have a total floor area of 15,000 to 20,000sqm and effectively double the number of aircraft parking stands at the gateway.

Several airfield expansion projects are ongoing or being planned elsewhere around the country. Fukuoka Airport, for example, plans to open its second 2,500-metre runway in spring 2025; Kitakyushu Airport is to extend its runway to 3,000 metres to strengthen its role as a hub for international cargo transportation; Lengthening the runway at Yakushima Airport will allow it to handle jet aircraft; and Komatsu Airport, located on the western coast of Honshu Island, is considering building a parallel runway, according to its 30-year master plan.

Naga Airport is also planning a $178 million project involving the construction of a new 2,000 runway with a different orientation, in addition to building a new passenger terminal, and a larger apron to accommodate more and larger aircraft.

CHINESE TAIPEI

One of Asia’s largest airport construction projects is the addition of a new Terminal 3 and a third runway at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport by 2027.

Set to open in phases with the north concourse being inaugurated in mid-2025, the new 640,000sqm terminal is expected to increase the airport‘s capacity from 45 to 82 million passengers annually.

While the new 3,700-metre third runway will raise the gateway’s airfield capacity from 50 to 90 aircraft movements per hour when it opens in 2030.

In the south of the country, Kaohsiung Airport is preparing to build a new passenger terminal, with construction slated to start in 2025. The new terminal will be built in phases, starting with a new 8mppa capacity building on the east side of the existing international terminal. In the final stage, set to be completed in 2040, the airport’s capacity will have doubled to 16.5 million passengers per annum.

THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines is going through a dynamic growth phase, with various airport upgrade projects planned or underway. Most investment focuses on Manila, where, if all they all come off –including the more long-term projects – the combined capacity of the airports will be a staggering 375 million passengers per annum.

So what are these projects? As part of a $3 billion upgrade, there are now confirmed plans for a new passenger terminal at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), according the San Miguel Corp-led consortium, which has won the 15-year operations and maintenance contract for the airport.

Designed to accommodate up to 35 million passengers annually, the new terminal will raise the airport’s capacity to 62mppa. Its development will result in relocating all offices from the current terminals to the new building, freeing up 30% more space in Terminals 1, 2, and 3, which will be renovated. Construction of the new terminal is anticipated to take around three years, with plans to commence building within six months after receiving the necessary approvals.

In order to focus on Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the San Miguel Corp (SMC) decided to delay the development of the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan. Originally planned to start in 2025, it has been postponed to 2026, but Momberger Airport Information expects more delays.

The first phase of the $14.5 billion project, to be built on artificial land 35km north of Manila, will include two runways, a passenger terminal with an annual capacity of 35 million passengers, and an

airport city development. Depending on demand, two more runways and two more passenger terminals can be added, increasing its total capacity to in excess of 100 million passengers per annum.

Due to the recent award of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport concession to SMC, another major project to build a new airport for Manila, Sangley Point Airport, has been put on hold for now, but perhaps indefinitely. Its $4 billion first phase, to be built on reclaimed land, outlines plans for a single runway and a 25mppa capacity passenger terminal. If demand materialises, three additional runways could potentially be added, along with extra terminal capacity to theoretically accommodate up to 30mppa.

Clark International Airport, which also serves Metro Manila, plans to invest $121 million on the construction of a second runway, taxiways, aprons, and landside access roads and utilities. In addition, UPS is establishing a new hub at Clark. Construction is set to begin in February 2025, with operations expected to commence by late 2026.

The airport has also announced plans to construct a $152-million agriculture trading hub within the Clark civil aviation complex, aiming to make it the largest food hub in the Philippines.

According to the master plan, the passenger terminal can be expanded to handle 30 million passengers annually. In the long-term, a third runway and two more passenger terminals can be added, increasing the airport’s capacity to accommodate up to 80mppa.

Other projects around the country include new airports planned or under construction at Bukidnon, Barangay Tambo, and Pangasinan. Major planned greenfield projects include the $292 relocation of Dumaguete’s airport, the $142 relocation of Masbate airport, and the relocation of Cotabato airport.

About the author

Marnix (Max) Groot is managing editor of Momberger Airport Information, a bi-weekly executive newsletter providing market intelligence on airport projects worldwide. Founded in 1973, it is currently the world’s oldest independent airport publication. You can sign up for a free, two-month trial here.

SMART talk

Joe Bates looks back at some of the key moments from July’s SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition in Denver.

Soaring outside temperatures and record visitor numbers that included 720 delegates and 62 exhibitors from across the globe really made July’s SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition in Denver, Colorado, one of the hot tickets of the summer.

The event – hosted by Denver International Airport (DEN) in partnership with Airport World publisher, Aviation Media – featured the best in airport commercial development, IT innovation, strategic thinking and planning and design.

A key focus throughout being on the smart strategies, opportunities and innovations that development, design, technology and the internet is bringing to environments, communities and cities.

As event moderator Chris LeTourneur, president and CEO of MXD Strategies explained in his opening remarks, the core infrastructure pillars for smart airports comprise of transportation, power, integrated utilities, urban development, resource management and IT based connectivity.

He also reminded delegates of the importance of weaving sustainability throughout the airport ecosystem and touched on the potential development of airports as clean energy hubs to support the decarbonisation of the industry.

In his welcome speech, Phil Washington, CEO of Denver International Airport (DEN), spoke about Vision 100, the airport’s strategic plan to get to 100 million passengers per annum with its guiding principles focused on sustainability and resiliency, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, operational excellence, and enhancing the customer experience.

Talking about the ongoing development of DEN for the next stage of its life, Washington said: “The airport opened in 1995 and was designed and built for 50 million annual passengers. Right now, we are close to

80 million, so we are effectively rebuilding the airport, and it’s not often you get an opportunity like this.”

He continued: “We are in what we call a mega-trend mindset, that is we have been identifying the mega-trends that are coming to the aviation space and working towards solutions to how we can embrace them and enhance the customer experience.

“In Denver, we are planning long and acting fast instead of planning slow and acting slow. With all our current projects it is very important that once the planning is in place, we act fast to accelerate the build out of the airport.”

On the podium immediately afterwards in the first CEO/airport directors panel of the day, Washington explained that DEN published its first ESG report last year and was working on its second. From the environmental perspective, he said electrification and the installation of solar panels were major strategies going forward for the airport.

He told the audience that a new Energy Performance Contract (EPC) was designed to save millions of dollars in terms of lighting and water costs, and revealed that DEN was also looking at SAF and hydrogen as future fuel sources. DEN's Centre of Equity and Excellence, he said, had a research component that looked at best innovation practices around the world and bringing them to Denver International Airport.

From a social perspective, Washington said that “making sure that there is a seat at the table for historically underutilised, minority-owned businesses” was one of his priorities, feeling that the language used in most airport procurement documents today doesn’t encourage joint ventures with these businesses.

In response to what the top ESG priorities are for his airport, Lance Lyttle, the managing director of Seattle-Tacoma International

Airport (SEA), noted that the airport was on the verge of issuing some new bonds with ESG related conditions even though it wasn’t a requirement of investors.

He also spoke about SEA’s decarbonisation plans, including the adoption of SAF, how technology is helping reduce CO2 emissions and the Port of Seattle’s current policy of employing 120 paid high school interns a year to encourage new recruits to the industry with fresh ideas.

Atif Elkadi, CEO of Ontario International Airport (ONT), told delegates that his airport was working with the State of California and different airport stakeholders to ensure that the gateway has the infrastructure to support the electrification of all ground equipment by 2035/2040 or earlier.

In terms of the bigger innovation picture, he said: “Airports can start to set the tone and lead the way on ESG in North America as we have the innovation and the mindset to really be the leaders in the different ESG categories.”

Also part of the panel were Jamie Abbott, director of airports for the County of San Diego; Elisabeth Le Masson, vice president of the Paris Region Executive Committee; and Jonna McGrath, vice president of United Airlines airport operations.

Given just a few words to respond to the question, ‘what are the opportunities that airports and their adjacent regions should be considering to facilitate innovative smart and sustainable growth?’, Paris Region Executive Committee's Le Masson said: “Maximise your location and the future is ours to create together”.

In the hot-seat for the second leaders panel of the morning, which essentially covered how airports will act as incubators for innovation and change, were Bryan Benefiel, deputy general manager and chief financial officer of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL); Myron Keehn, president and CEO of Edmonton International Airport (YEG); and Rob Hoxie, chief development officer of the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA).

Benefiel noted that as the world’s busiest airport, building resilience into its future growth and development was probably the best way it could serve Atlanta and the surrounding region. He said enhancing the airport’s infrastructure, much of which was built in the 1980s, technology innovation, and best utilising the airport’s workforce would be vital to ensuring ATL’s future success.

Hoxie described the CDA as “the runway people” due to the 13 runways split across Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports that now meant that “getting planes to Chicago could be done in an unconstrained way for the first time in three plus decades”.

YEG’s Keehn noted how his airport is a key enabler and co-investor in the development of new technologies for many of the region’s sectors including renewable energy, hydrogen, clean technology, aerospace, life sciences, food and agriculture, and advanced manufacturing.

An almost breathless first morning ended with a discussion about innovative commercial land development at and around airports, and how this can enhance the prosperity for the communities, cities and regions that surround them.

Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance’s always engaging CEO, Shannon James, got the session underway by bringing delegates up to speed with the progress of a number of commercial developments across the 22 counties and 15 jurisdictions that surround the world’s busiest international airport.

“Regional master planning is behind our success, the original plan devised in 2016 setting the tone for the idea of a win for one is a win for all mentality,” enthused James. “It outlined the aspirations for our coalition area and gave us a collective vision as opposed to independent visions where we competed amongst ourselves.”

He noted that the Alliance’s partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission – a regional planning and transit agency for Metro Atlanta covering 10 counties – had also proved pivotal to its success and helped it gain access to grants. This includes federal funding from the US Department of Transportation to extend the Atlanta BeltLine south around the airport.

David Storer, director of business and commercial development at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), had an equally exciting story to tell, particularly in terms of some of the pioneering manufacturing initiatives connected to its state backed Neighborhood 91 campus and how it is harnessing a mixture of geothermal, solar power and natural gas energy sources across the airport site to keep costs down and incentive commercial activity.

DEN, of course, is blessed with land and capable of accommodating multiple commercial developments, although the airport’s senior vice president for real estate development, Ken Cope, started off by talking about innovation in terms of processes and procedures.

He commented: “When I first arrived we were issuing RFPs and RFQs that were 150 page documents you had to be either a brain surgeon to understand or have been working in the public sector for 15 to 20 years to figure out how to respond to them!

“We now have a rolling RFO process that says in layman’s terms that any developer or interested user can come to us at any time with their ideas. We wanted to ensure that we are receptive to good ideas from the private market. It has also opened up opportunities for smaller and disadvantaged businesses, particularly those that were excluded by the costs involved in submitting a bid.”

Giving a more international perspective on things was Amsterdam Airport City director, Patrick Verhulst, who explained how the organisation worked with 60 different business partners in the Amsterdam aerotropolis. He noted that over 700 foreign companies are now established on its greenfield sites, over 30% of which have US investors.

The mix of facilities on the site today ranges from offices – including company headquarters – and cargo and logistics buildings to production and experience centres, but with space now beginning to run out, Verhulst admitted that future growth would have to be smart.

Also on the panel were Basil Bins, deputy director of Miami International Airport (MIA), and John Brookby, vice president for commercial development at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

One of the traditional highlights of the conference followed, the ‘Chief Information Officer Panel Discussion’, which this year featured airport IT experts in the shape of Maurice Jenkins, Miami Dade Aviation Department’s chief innovation officer; Mike Youngs, DFW’s vice president of information technology services; Chris Crist, ATL’s chief technology officer; Marcus Session, vice president of information technology at Tampa International Airport (TPA); and Juan Lucerno, DEN’s senior vice president for business technology.

Introducing the panel, moderator Samuel Ingalls, noted that it was only 66 years between the Wright brother’s first flight in 1903 and the first Boeing 747 flight in 1969, so it was possible that someone could have witnessed that historic first flight and then later flown across the Atlantic in a Jumbo Jet!

Responding to the question about how ATL is using innovation and new technology to better support the business and enhance operational efficiency, Crist said that his airport in partnership with Delta had been a pioneer in the use of facial technology and now wanted to make it available for all airlines.

He stated that the airport was also looking at facial recognition biometrics to improve access control for staff, while ATL’s end goal remained that one day all passengers will be able to walk through the airport without having to stop.

While MIA’s Jenkins pondered: “It’s 2024 everyone and we’re still conducting business like it’s the 1960s and 70s. We still have to have a boarding pass and you still have to carry your passport. Why?”

Jenkins explained that MIA was looking at technology that would boost efficiency and benefit both passengers and staff across the airport campus. This, he noted, includes autonomous vehicles – one of which is an autonomous lawnmower that can cut several miles of grass in under a hour despite 100oF temperatures that would be hugely demanding on a member of staff – and biometrics.

According to DEN’s Lucerno, the “cool, sexy, technology” at his airport included everything from digital wayfinding to the brand new West Security Checkpoint. He said his job was to ensure that the airport had the right infrastructure “to enable and support the innovation that is coming”.

He added that the airport has two data centres, and that it was currently reviewing its data centre structure and strategy to discover ways that it could be scaled up if required to ensure that the network covers DEN’s huge 53 square mile site and beyond.

DFW’s Youngs told delegates that the airport was enhancing its key infrastructure to cope with rapid passenger growth, which is now set to hit 100mppa by 2027/2028, and new technology will play an increasingly important role in allowing the Texas gateway to meet demand.

Also on the panel, and making valuable contributions to the discussion were ESRI’s global transport director, Terry Bills; and Mott Macdonald principal project manager for aviation & south division, Levent Akdag.

A busy Day One ended with panels called ‘Airport Infrastructure 2.0 – Transforming Airport Infrastructure To Deliver A World Class Experience and Support Sustainable Long-Term Growth’, and ‘The Airport Revenue Business – Innovation in Non-Aeronautical Revenue Development moderated by Alliiance principal, Eric Peterson, and Airport Experience News’ vice president and publisher, Melissa Montes, respectively.

Speaking on the airport infrastructure panel, Louisville Regional Airport Authority’s vice president of operations and customer engagement, Megan Atkins Thoben, explained that enhancing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport's facilities and upping its game on sustainability was in line with the city’s wishes, the new competitive

spirit of the gateway, the right thing to do, and matched the airport’s new ‘The best of all time” catchphrase.

DEN’s chief construction and infrastructure officer, Jim Starling, noted that “sustainability was embedded into everything we do”; and Philadelphia International Airport’s chief development officer, Api Appulingam, told delegates that upon arriving in Philadelphia she changed the organisational structure so that the sustainability manager reported directly to her and she would update the executive team on different initiatives.

Later, when asked about the biggest roadblocks they have faced in their sustainability journeys, Appulingam admitted that she might have been too ambitious from the outset at PHL as the airport didn’t have the strategic plan, support of consultants or management buy-in at the time.

The other panellists in the session were Michelle Brantley, owner of Hummingbird Advisory & Consulting; Mark Rodrigues, vice president for aviation, at Transoft Solutions; and Renée Azerbegi, national sustainability market leader for architecture, building engineering group, at Mead & Hunt.

Addressing innovation in the non-aeronautical revenue development focused final session of the day, San Antonio International Airport’s chief customer experience office, Karen Ellis, said that communicating with travellers about what to expect at an airport before they set foot in the terminal was a good strategy to potentially ease stress levels, make the airport experience more enjoyable, and ultimately boost commercial revenues.

DEN’s senior vice president for concessions, Pamela DeChant, stressed the importance of building flexibility into concessions programmes to take into account evolving retail/F&B needs, and a customer base that often changes throughout the day depending on flights. While AeroParker’s vice president, Alan Daring, revealed a number of ways that airports could boost their non-aeronautical revenues by expanding their digital car parking offerings.

Forrest Swonsen, associate vice president of airport systems and services at TransCore, and Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority’s interim commercial officer, Aurora Ritter, were also involved in the debate.

The second and final day of the conference began with a plenary session about human resources and essentially the type of training, knowledge and leadership skills needed by today’s airport management teams.

Expertly moderated by Andy Gobeil, director of ATL’s office of communications and public affairs, all five of the participants in the session called ‘A New Altitude: Brainstorming Future Competencies of Airport Executive Teams’ had gained International Airport Professional

(IAP) designation in ACI/ICAO’s joint Airport Management Professional Accrediation Program (AMPAP).

They included Susan Warner Dooley, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s aviation chief commercial officer; Oluwasola Olaitan Awe, acting general manager for administration for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria; Stepahnie Morgan, chief of staff/development officer for Jackson Municipal Airport Authority; and Tracey Wright, an ORAT programme manager at Jacobs.

The event then split into two different sessions for much of the last day with Stream A featuring panel discussions on ‘Next Airports – Smart Digital, Connected’; ‘Enhanced Customer Experience’; and ‘Towards the Future – New Technology and Opportunies’.

While Stream B had panels on ‘Smart Airport Design and Development’; ‘A Sustainable Reset for Airports’; and ‘Constructing Airports: What Are The New Challenges’.

In the first of the Stream B sessions, ‘Smart Airport Design and Development’, Alliiance’s Eric Peterson moderated a panel that comprised DEN’s senior vice president of planning and design, Bill Poole; Portland International Airport’s terminal core redevelopment project manager, George Seaman; Kansas City Aviation Department’s deputy director of planning and engineering, Jade Liska; and Salt Lake City International Airport’s director of communication and marketing, Nancy Volmer, who together with artist Gordon Huether basically talked about the incredible array of artwork at the airport (Please see page 20 of this issue).

Portland’s Seaman reminded delegates about the need to factor earthquake resistent elements in to the design of all new facilities at PDX, and Liska enthused that Kansas City International Airport’s impressive new terminal has transformed operations and traveller perceptions of the Missouri gateway.

The sustainable development of the world’s airports was next on the agenda with a diverse group of panelists made up of Mead & Hunt’s Jeff VanVoorhis; Aurrigo’s Tenille Houston; Introba’s Marilyn Specht; Schiphol Area Development Company’s Pieter can der Horst; and DEN’s senior vice president for sustainability, Scott Morrissey.

The conference, for me anyway, ended with the Stream A IT session called ‘Towards the Future – New Technology and Opportunities; in which the host airport’s senior vice president for airport operations, Sarah Marquez, explained how research and innovation with partners from both within and outside the industry will help DEN reach and exceed its 100mppa target in the next few years.

The power of technology

Honeywell Building Automation’s Alex Cowen considers how strategically utilising modern technological solutions can streamline airport operations.

With global passenger traffic on the rise and demand for air travel reaching new heights in some countries, it is imperative that the aviation industry continues to innovate to keep up with demand and sustainably streamline airport operations where possible.

As part of this process, the latest energy efficient technologies will replace outdated and inefficient systems to help ensure that airport operations run as smoothly as possible, especially during the traditionally busy peak periods like the summer holidays.

Using technology and innovative solutions to help mitigate disruptions

Given the sharp, and continually increasing number of passengers –during peak periods especially – the air travel industry needs continued innovation and technological solutions to help keep up with the demand, whilst simultaneously enhancing efficiency.

In environments such as airports and passenger terminals, efficiency of turnaround times can often be the make or break between on-time departures and delays.

Turning towards digitisation and software-based solutions, installing the latest technologies – which are designed to replace outdated systems – is a crucial step in helping airports streamline operations and better manage energy use – an important factor given airlines have committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Software based systems can optimise a range of processes, from streamlining baggage handling to security checks and even boarding procedures, all of which contribute rapidly to passenger delays.

The implementation of modern digital solutions helps to make it possible for more informed decisions to be made, leading to a more efficient airport and therefore a better travelling experience for customers.

Adopting technological solutions that can help reduce delays, such as gate turnaround technology, is vital in today’s fast-paced aviation landscape, if airports want to improve their overall efficiency, minimise aircraft turnaround times and enhance travel experience for all passengers.

Ready to use solutions are already available to achieve this, but it is important that businesses look to these software-based products available to them sooner rather than later, to avoid another summer of travel disruptions.

One example of a product which airports should be considering is the recently launched, range of intelligent airport solutions from Honeywell, including Honeywell NAVITAS, which helps airports digitise, visualise, and automate fuel-consuming aircraft operations like final landings and take-offs.

The implementation of these solutions not only optimises gate operations and improves situational awareness for pilots and airside operations teams but can help improve turnaround times as well that can effectively reduce the amount of time airplanes are consuming fuel whilst sitting on the tarmac.

It’s clear that creating the best airport of the future requires a strong operational backbone that prioritises passenger safety as well as improving the airport experience for all, alongside focusing on efficiency to adapt to an airport’s daily needs. Using technological solutions helps to support airport operations whilst promoting a high level of safety, security and an approved travel experience for all.

Considering these solutions are designed to meet the challenges that impede efficiency and safety, such as maintenance and management of gate downtime and capacity optimisation, like airport congestion, it is essential that airport managers integrate technological solutions that prioritise efficiency to streamline operations from arrivals to departures.

As such, making gate processes more efficient and passenger friendly is an important step for airports to take if they want to ensure seamless journeys for travellers and prioritise sustainability across the whole airport.

Strategically implementing modern technology for further efficiency

Although implementing the latest technological solutions are crucial to improving efficient operations, the time these installations are scheduled for implementation and maintenance is equally as important.

Installing these technological solutions at airports during busy periods can be challenging as airports are constantly running –24/7, 365 days a year. Finding the downtime can often be the hardest, but most crucial first step. Initially, the implementation process will disrupt daily operations which is likely to result in longer wait times for passengers – something which can cause airlines and airports money and reputational damage.

Additionally, staff may face difficulties adapting to new systems amid busy periods, potentially causing errors or inefficiencies. For example, in the summer of last year – a busy period for all – a number of major UK airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow, updated their passport e-gate systems.

Whilst this update was necessary, it was carried out during a busy bank holiday travelling period, regrettably causing delays

which left some passengers waiting for extended periods of time, missing connections or causing further delays throughout the airport.

During these busy periods, airports need to prioritise passenger flow and timely departures, meaning it is difficult to allocate sufficient time to smooth technological integration – especially if an error occurs.

By proactively installing or updating technological solutions during quieter periods, or ahead of time, airport operational managers can substantially reduce the likelihood of delays and minimise disruptions, helping create a seamless experience for passengers where possible.

Looking ahead to a seamless future with reduced delays

Streamlining airport operations through the utilisation of modern technological solutions is a strategic approach to help sustainably enhance operational efficiency and minimise disruptions where achievable.

By implementing advanced airside solutions, such as those that enhance gate turnaround, aid traffic control with clearance service, and provide accurate positional information of aircraft, airports can renew outdated processes whilst simultaneously better managing energy use – therefore helping to create a more energy efficient building.

It’s also important for airports to remember that upgrading and implementing technological solutions during quieter periods is essential as it allows airports the time to test and fine-tune solutions, making sure they are operating as expected and therefore helping to minimise delays during busy periods.

Overall, by investing in modern technological solutions and installing them during opportune times, operations managers in airports will place themselves in the best position to streamline processes during all periods, ultimately helping to improve the customers flying experience and limiting delays where possible.

About the author

Alex Cowen, is general manager for global airports at Honeywell Building Automation.

Going green

We shine the spotlight on the latest sustainability efforts of Munich, LaGuardia and Washington DC’s airports and a handful of the award winning projects in ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East’s Green Recognition 2024 programme.

Munich Airport trialling new sustainable energy system

An innovative system for sustainable energy generation from both wind and solar power is currently in use at Munich Airport.

The system utilises a container with photovoltaic panels and wind rotors from FlowGen, a company that specialises in green energy system solutions.

In co-operation with Munich Airport, the mobile energy container is being used to charge electric vehicles in a trial project that is expected to last 12 months.

The energy container is located in a parking lot used by car rental companies on the east side of the airport. There, newly delivered rental cars will be charged using energy generated by three small wind turbines and photovoltaic panels.

On a windy and sunny day, the test container can produce around 200 kilowatt hours of energy, which is enough to charge four to six electric cars. During the course of the project, a wide range of data will be collected and analysed as the renewable energy is generated.

The unique system combines the small wind turbine developed by FlowGen with solar and battery storage technologies and can be customised using intelligent energy management software.

FlowGen’s container solution can be installed in a short period of time and easily dismantled and reassembled at new locations. In addition to use at airports and for charging electric vehicles, it offers a wide range of applications in areas such as agriculture, construction, and the manufacturing industry.

Utilising AI in the recycling process at LaGuardia

Living sustainably can be as big as a building massive solar carport, or as small as tossing a banana peel in a composting bin, writes the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Ruchi Patel

Along with its marquee eco-friendly projects, the Port Authority has been working alongside its operating partners everywhere from the World

Trade Center to LaGuardia Airport to turn trash into nutrient-rich treasure and move closer to the agency’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Composting involves discarding leftovers such as fruit peels, food and paper products into a special bin. The materials decompose easily to enrich soil for gardening and farming, while cutting down on landfilling and its associated emissions.

Several unique initiatives are underway to encourage composting and recycling among the millions of travellers who move through the agency’s facilities.

At LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, for example, passengers can throw their leftover bites and packaging into categorised bins with the help of Oscar. The AI tool scans passengers’ trash through a camera and directs them to the appropriate bin in front of them.

“With recycling rules varying from state to state, often times our guests are unsure which items they should recycle,” said Justin Bland, the manager of environmental compliance and sustainability of terminal operator LaGuardia Gateway Partners. “Oscar AI takes the guess work out of it for our guests. This reduces stress for guests and of course helps the terminal recycle more waste.”

MWAA’s issues inaugural ESG Impact Report

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has released its inaugural Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Impact Report, which highlights a number of significant achievements in 2023.

The 58-page report – which replaces the Corporate Social Responsibility report from previous years – reveals how MWAA recycled over four tons of electronics, 31 tons of paper and 440 pounds of toner.

In addition, MWAA installed 12 mobile liquid collection stations at security checkpoints to reduce the weight of municipal solid waste and disposal costs; promoted sustainable mobility which resulted in over 4,000 Capital Bikeshare riders at Reagan National Airport and over one

million riders at the Dulles International Airport Metro station on the Silver Line; and broke ground on a 100-megawatt solar facility at Dulles that is slated for completion in 2026.

Queenstown Airport’s biodiversity project Queenstown Airport has received international recognition for its support of a local wetland restoration project.

The New Zealand gateway has received a Platinum Award in ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s ‘Green Airports Recognition’ programme for its collaboration with the Wakatipu Reforestation Trust and the Shotover Primary School to restore the Shotover Wetland.

The airport has committed to long-term financial assistance and help with planting sessions, community engagement, and education days. Its involvement has accelerated the project, with a target to fully restore the wetland within 10 years.

The Green Airports Recognition judging panel assessed Queenstown Airport against other airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East handling up to eight million passengers a year.

Airport chief executive, Glen Sowry, says working through the ACI Green Airports Recognition process was a fantastic opportunity to benchmark Queenstown Airport’s efforts.

“Since the introduction of our Sustainability Strategy five years ago, we’ve seen a 65% reduction in total greenhouse gases from our operations.

“We know we’ve made some good progress, and we’re really proud of that, but we have great ambition in this space, and we know there’s a lot more we can do to champion sustainability and biodiversity in this region. Queenstown Airport is deeply conscious of the need to protect what makes this special place unique.”

Sara Irvine, Queenstown Airport’s general manager sustainability and corporate affairs, notes that wetlands are a crucial, but often neglected, part of the region’s ecosystem, filtering toxins from water as it runs off land into rivers. Wetland plants also sequester carbon from the atmosphere and provide habitat for wildlife.

“In the past 150 years, more than 90% of New Zealand’s wetlands have been destroyed. This makes the protection of remaining wetlands urgent,” she says.

“The Shotover Wetland, east of the confluence of the Shotover and Kawarau rivers, is deemed regionally significant and is very close to the airport and the homes of many of our staff and customers. It’s exciting to be part of its restoration.”

Creation of a seaweed bed environment at KIX

Kansai Airports’ ‘Creating a rich seaweed bed and blue carbon’ project at Kansai International Airport (KIX) has also received a Platinum Award in the Green Airports Recognition 2024 programme organised by ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East.

As an offshore airport, KIX has been actively working to create a seaweed bed environment that provides a habitat for marine life, in harmony with the marine environment, since the development plan of the airport.

The gently sloping rubble mound seawalls used for most of the seawalls allow light to reach a wide area, making it easy for seaweed to grow. Its efforts to plant seaweed and preserving it by continuously monitoring the status have resulted in the creation of a rich seaweed bed environment, leading to the diversity of the marine ecosystem.

Indeed, the project contributes to the conservation of biodiversity at the airport and to the reduction of CO2 emissions through the seaweed beds.

KIX CEO, Yoshiyuki Yamaya (pictured above) was in Riyadh to receive the airport’s Green Airports Recognition award at the ACI Asia Pacific & Middle East’s Regional Assembly in Saudi Arabia.

Kansai Airports notes that it “will continue to promote companywide efforts to reduce its environmental impact and contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society through the operation of airports, which are public infrastructure.”

Hong Kong’s award-winning marine project

Hong Kong International Airport’s ‘Marine Ecology and Fisheries Enhancement Strategy’ project was another to win the highest Platinum Award in the ACI Green Airports Recognition 2024 programme, achieving success in the category for airports handling over 35 million passengers per annum.

Peter Lee, Airport Authority Hong Kong’s general manager for sustainability, enthuses: “We are honoured to receive this award, which commends our voluntary and continuous efforts to explore and enhance local marine biodiversity and fisheries resources around HKIA and North Lantau waters.

“The efforts, namely eco-enhancement of seawall designs, deployment of artificial reefs and shellfish reefs, and fish restocking, were first investigated by experts, with pilot tests following on intended to determine the viability and real-world value of promising enhancements.

“With positive biodiversity impacts identified, we are in the process of scaling up these initiatives around the airport, and importantly, these nature-based efforts will serve as a useful reference for future implementation by others across broader Hong Kong waters."

Open for business

We round-up some of the latest ACI World Business Partner stories from across the globe.

Stantec to play key role in Newark AirTrain replacement project

Stantec has been selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to lead preliminary and final design work for key elements of the planned $2 billion Newark AirTrain replacement.

When complete, the new AirTrain will promote increased adoption of public transportation to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and provide a stronger connection to two of New Jersey’s largest cities, Newark and Elizabeth.

Stantec will lead the design of a new Maintenance and Control Facility, pedestrian connectors between the new AirTrain and existing Terminals B and C, and, finally, the decommissioning of the existing AirTrain.

The AirTrain Newark Replacement Program is critical to the operation at EWR. The system carries an average of 33,000 passengers per day or approximately 12 million passengers per year. It provides

access to Newark Liberty International Airport Station and provides customers and employees with the ability to transfer between terminals, parking lots, and rental car facilities.

The current AirTrain Newark, which has reached the end of its useful life, will be replaced with a new system to meet increasing passenger demands.

“Our transit design solutions will balance an efficient and welcoming rider experience with sustainable, durable facilities that are adaptable to EWR’s evolving needs,” said Ken Anderson, vice president and civic sector leader at Stantec.

Stantec’s scope will include structural design, building design, architecture, utilities, roadways, and maintenance and protection of traffic.

Zurich Airport to trial advanced CT X-ray scanners

Smiths Detection is partnering with Zurich Airport to trial its HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX Model S carry-on baggage X-ray scanners and the smart automatic tray return system, iLane A20 ATRS, at two security lanes at the Swiss airport.

The 3D images produced by Smiths Detection’s HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX will allow some of Zurich’s 2.7 million monthly passengers to leave their liquids and electronics in their carry-on luggage as they pass through security, resulting in a more convenient and streamlined security screening experience.

The gateway is to test the CT equipment in various configurations over a six month period in order to optimise the layout of the new security lanes, with the intention of eventually equipping all 26 lanes with this cutting-edge technology.

Busy start to the year for Airbiz

Airbiz has worked with Edmonton International Airport (YEG) to create a comprehensive new 25 year Master Plan for the Canadian gateway.

Airbiz guided and supported the development of the YEG Master Plan 2048 document, from internal communications to data analysis, document graphics and narrative developments.

It notes that the YEG team wanted a flexible blueprint guided by the core planning principles of sustainable airport growth, innovative infrastructure, resiliency in airport business, and collaboration with local communities.

A central component of sustainable airport growth in the YEG Master Plan 2048 is decarbonisation as the airport is one of the founding members of the Net-Zero Challenge by the Government of Canada.

Elsewhere, Airbiz senior planner, Tristan Noël, was recently in Marseille to attend the opening of the airport’s long-anticipated new Terminal 1 ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.

Airbiz provided terminal and airside planning advice to Foster + Partners, Rougerie +Tangram, and WSP France throughout the entire project, from concept design through to the opening of the new 22,000sqm facility.

Genetec helping to enhance efficiency and security at Heathrow

Heathrow Airport’s multi-year investment in Genetec solutions is enabling the UK hub to continuously innovate and transform operations, according to the global technology company.

It claims that their joint efforts ensure that the airport has a unified view across large-scale airport operations that allow it to secure people and assets, increasing efficiency and enhancing the passenger experience while ensuring data privacy and cybersecurity compliance.

Heathrow initially deployed Genetec Security Center to bring all of its IP security systems onto one unified platform. However, what began as a 2,000-camera deployment in 2016 has since more than quadrupled in size, incorporating everything from video and access control to LIDAR, analytics, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), and more.

Today, Genetec solutions are used to go far beyond security. For example, Genetec solutions are used to monitor over 150km (93 miles) of baggage belts and facilitate the daily entry and exit of over 150,000 vehicles.

And the Genetec Security Center now supports 90 different stakeholder groups working across 110 distinct control rooms, all of whom have different needs and access rights.

Customised dashboards enable individual teams and third parties, such as police, government agencies, airlines, and retailers, to focus on their specific tasks.

“While our software is configured to their requirements at the time, once in the field, new requirements emerge, and we have to adjust to their reality,” says Simon Barnes, Genetec’s director of business development.

AIRPORT DIRECT TRAVEL (T/A REZCOMM)

Membership Region: Europe Type of Business: IT & Communications W: www.airportdirecttravel.com

Airport Direct Travel (ADT) is an airport-centric business that provides IT solutions and services to the airport Industry. As an enterprise organisation with offices in Europe, USA and Australia, ADT focuses on generating income for its airport clients by leveraging their experience and industry leading technology 'AirportREZ' to deliver greater parking and ancillary revenues.

DELAWARE NORTH COMPANIES TRAVEL HOSPITALITY SERVICES

Membership Region: North America

Type of Business: Retail & Commercial W: www.delawarenorth.com

Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services is one of the world's leading airport food service and retail providers. With contracts at 20 major US airports, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services manages 300 restaurants and retail stores, and serves more than 350 million customers each year.

GRESHAM SMITH

Membership Region: North America

Type of Business: Planning & Construction W: www.greshamsmith.com

Gresham, Smith and Partners specialises in the planning, design, and construction management of all land side facilities for airports including terminals, concourses, parking structures, and access road systems. The firm offers all technical disciplines to address the integrated planning and design needs of landside development at airports, including making the best use of airport properties not needed directly for aviation related activity.

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Partner and grow

Errol McGlothan explans why strategic partnerships are cornerstone to the success of lounge operator, Airport Dimensions.

In today's fast-paced aviation sector, partnerships are becoming increasingly important in creating new opportunities and delivering progress.

For Airport Dimensions, these alliances are not just simple business deals, they are at the heart of our approach to innovation and improving airport experiences.

Collaborating with best-in-class partners is helping us deliver quality outcomes across our operations and helping us adapt to variations in demands or tastes across the world.

Pushing the boundaries of experiences

At the heart of our strategy is the goal to transform airport passenger experiences, making their journeys as inspiring and rewarding as time spent at their chosen destinations.

We are using different kinds of collaboration across our business to develop and deliver solutions that enhance airport revenues, create distinctive experiences and align with our brand propositions, or those of the partners we are working with to deliver branded experiences for their customers.

This is driving us to push back boundaries and create new possibilities, whether this is in the wellness space, the gaming arena, modernising dining or redefining airport retail – all offerings that we know are in demand amongst passengers.

Partnering for excellence

In developing our business, we seek out delivery partners who share both our commitment to excellence and passion for innovation. For example, our collaboration with SSP and Travel Food Services to create the recently opened Kyra Lounge experience at Hong Kong International Airport exemplifies how pooling expertise can help us create propositions perfectly positioned for market success.

Attributes of a great partner

At the core of our partnership approach is a desire to work with organisations that share our values, as this makes for the most efficient and aligned working relationship.

In practice, this creates the potential for multidimensional thinking by bringing together leaders with deep expertise. Cultural fit, underpinned by consistent performance and solid financial returns, is the foundation for any successful partnership.

A holistic understanding of market audiences is also key, we have a wide portfolio of different brands, each of which cater to a different audience demographic with their own diverse needs.

For instance, our lounges in the UK need an F&B partner who can deliver a range of experiences from the truly premium to more mainstream market and value conscious.

In APAC, it is important that we work with F&B partners who have an intrinsic understanding of quality, authentic local cuisine.

Driving digital transformation

We’ve partnered with hospitality platform Servy to implement Connecta at Los Angeles International Airport as a turn-key solution to help it track and analyse traveller behaviours, and then engage them with real-time loyalty and marketing incentives driving incremental revenue to airports and their concession partners.

We are excited to offer this next gen digital marketplace programme first at LAX and believe in its potential to be adopted widely at other airports in our quest to deliver innovative ways to bring together the physical and digital experience at the airport to meet traveller needs in our lounges and beyond.

Qualities of successful partnerships

We believe that successful partnerships are shaped by three key attributes: shared ambition, complementary capabilities and a commitment to success.

We know that partnerships must be so much more than business deals to be successful. But they do not come together without a clear recognition of strengths on both sides, a clear vision of what success looks like and a great deal of hard work behind the scenes.

Then there is the challenge of proving to customers that a partnership will deliver on its promises of combined strengths, which is where a strong track record like the one Airport Dimensions has been building with partners around the world really helps.

By aligning with like-minded organisations and leveraging complementary strengths, we can achieve breakthroughs and continue to raise the bar in airport experiences to benefit passengers, operators and our respective businesses.

This is why we are committed to developing partnerships as a key strand of our growth strategy.

Abouttheauthor

Errol McGlothan is the President of EMEA & APAC at Airport Dimensions

PEOPLE matters

Customer facilitation

Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey reflect on the importance of designing for a diverse range of travellers.

Afew years ago, one of the authors (Terri) badly sprained both of her ankles, luckily not at the same time, but within the same year. The experience of having to wear a specially designed boot and trying to walk with crutches gave her an insight into what it must be like to travel with a permanent disability.

She needed to build in more time to negotiate her way around and it turned out to be more expensive as she had to take taxis. Taking trips and finding her way through airports involved much planning ahead.

“Walking in the passenger’s shoes” quite literally, made us realise the importance of designing for people with mobility issues and disabilities in general.

Many airports now are much more conscious of people with disabilities. They are aware that not all disabilities are as visible as mobility challenges. With increasing numbers of people wanting to travel, airports find they are having to design their services for a broader spectrum of passengers than in the past

Building awareness of the issues involved in dealing with disability is essential. There are many types of disability – and cultural differences around the world in how disabilities are perceived.

There are also many touchpoints – check in, baggage, security, retail, passport control, boarding – and usually these involve people not directly employed by the airport. Those airports that aspire to reach the highest standards of passenger facilitation have to make an effort to reach all those in passenger-facing roles.

To help in raising standards, ACI and IATA have developed programmes and produced handbooks and training manuals on this subject. Some airports such as London Gatwick (LGW), with its sensory room for relaxation, and Vancouver (YVR) with its programme for people

with autism, are excellent examples of the conscious design that is required to cater for diverse passengers.

Such considered thought is enabling thousands of people, who might have been excluded from travel in the past, to take part now in an activity the majority have taken for granted.

Daa (Dublin Airport Authority) provides a further example. It has produced an excellent booklet, A Short Guide, in consultation with Age Action, which is especially designed for older travellers. In fact, it is not just helpful for older adults, but it can be used by anyone trying to navigate their way through the airport, especially during particularly busy periods.

It lays out in simple terms how to find gates, where to look for check in areas, how to get specialist assistance, and also where restrooms and other facilities are located in the airport. It is an excellent example of how to simplify what could otherwise be a complex and mystifying airport experience. It also has a special section ‘Important Flyer’ where people with autism and other ‘invisible’ disabilities can be identified by wearing wristbands or lanyards.

Empathetic consideration for passengers with disabilities need not only be regulation bound, but a matter for everyday operations. Creative and innovative thinking needs to be encouraged. Listening carefully, suspending judgement and dealing with each person as an individual are key.

‘What matters to people’ is more important than ‘what’s the matter with them’. Thinking along these lines can raise the travelling experience for all passengers and help manage throughput in a caring way. With forethought, design and training, airports need not be sources of distress to an already anxious traveller.

Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani is the new managing director of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB). Izani is a former Board Member of Malaysia Airports which he served on for nine years, from 2011 to 2019.

Francois Berisot is Budapest Airport’s new CEO, succeeding the long serving Kam Jamdu. Berisot moves from a similar position at Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade, which is part of VINCI Airports' global network of gateways.

Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has announced a new leadership team under president and CEO, Doug Kreulen. The new team includes senior vice president, chief administrative officer, John Cooper; vice president for airport planning, strategic planning, Syed Mehdi; and vice president for airport capital development, Puneet Vedi

Baroness Liz Sugg is the new chair the Council for the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA). CISHA was formed following extensive stakeholder consultation and has been designed to maximise the efficiency and transparency of Heathrow’s community engagement, including scrutinising its sustainability progress and establishing stronger links between the UK hub's five existing community forums.

Erick Dahl is the new airport director of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport and Tyler Miller is the new chief operating officer of Blue Grass Airport (LEX) in Lexington, Kentucky.

Finally, two tourism-based appointments. Brisbane Airport CEO, Gert-Jan de Graaff, has been appointed to the Board of Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ). The experienced airport boss has worked across four continents over a quarter of a century. Meanwhile in Ireland, Cork Airport’s managing director, Niall MacCarthy, has been elected as the new chairperson of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC).

About the authors

Terri Morrissey and Dr Richard Plenty run ACI’s Human Resources training. They received a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association in June 2022 for their leadership in advancing global psychology. Contact them at info@thisis.eu

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