Airport World, Issue 6, 2018/19

Issue theme: Design & Build Airport report: Dubai’s airport system Review: The Trinity Forum ;OL THNHaPUL VM [OL (PYWVY[Z *V\UJPS 0U[LYUH[PVUHS

Plus: NEXTT, People matters & ACI’s WBPs

In the spotlight: Design & Build December 2018 - January 2019 Volume 23 Issue 6 www.aci.aero

OPINION ;OL THNHaPUL VM [OL (PYWVY[Z *V\UJPS 0U[LYUH[PVUHS

Airport World Editor Joe Bates +44 (0)1276 476582 joe@airport-world.com Design, Layout & Production Mark Draper +44 (0)208 707 2743 mark@airport-world.com Sales Director Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@airport-world.com Advertising Manager Andrew Hazell +44 (0)208 384 0206 andrewh@airport-world.com Subscriptions subscriptions@aviationmedia.aero Managing Director Jonathan Lee +44 (0)208 707 2743 jonathan@aviationmedia.aero

Published by Aviation Media Ltd PO BOX 448, Feltham, TW13 9EA, UK

Website www.airport-world.com

Airport World is published six times a year for the members of ACI. The opinions and views expressed in Airport World are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an ACI policy or position.

ISSN: 1360-4341 The content of this publication is copyright of Aviation Media Ltd and should not be copied or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

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Building for the future Editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the opening of Istanbul’s new mega hub in this ‘Design & Build’ themed 2018 year-end issue of Airport World.

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he recent first phase opening of Istanbul Airport, Turkey’s new €10.2 billion gateway to the world, signals the dawn of a new era for aviation in the country and arguably the world as it will undoubtedly become one of the biggest hubs on the planet.

Officially opened on the 95th anniversary of the formation of the Republic of Turkey, the new airport will eventually boast several terminals and six runways capable of handling up to 200 million passengers per annum.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is reported as describing the new gateway as the “pride of our country and an example to the world”, which he hopes will benefit Turkey, the region and the world.

“We did not build Istanbul Airport for our country. It is a great service we are offering the region and the world,” he told all those in attendance.

The airport, a triumph of the public-private partnership (PPP) business model, has been built and will be operated by IGA for at least the next 25 years under the terms of a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) concession agreement with the Turkish government.

Turkish companies Cengiz, Mapa, Limak, Kolin and Kaylon all have a 20% stake in IGA, which was founded to build and operate the airport.

Had I been able to make it to Istanbul for the new airport’s October 29 inauguration, it would have been the fourth major airport I have personally seen opened over the last 20 years after Olso in 1998 and Incheon and Athens in 2001.

Its opening, and all the potential that it brings, means the beginning of the end for Istanbul Atatürk, which is set to close for commercial operations on December 31, 2018, after serving as the city’s main

international gateway and hub for Turkish Airlines for over 60 years.

Luckily its operator, TAV Airports, is a global company with an enviable portfolio of airports at home in Turkey (Ankara, Izmir, Bodrum and Antalya) and overseas in Croatia, Macedonia, Georgia, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, and has been readying itself for this eventuality since IGA won the tender for the new airport in 2013.

We covered the planned opening of Istanbul Airport earlier this year with an exclusive interview with Kadri Samsunlu, CEO of IGA Airport Operation, so the gateway doesn’t actually come under the microscope in this ‘Design & Build’ final 2018 issue of Airport World.

Instead, we turn our attentions on Vietnam’s planned new Long Thanh International Airport; the need for all inclusive airport design; Asia’s big build; and the creation of a forest inside Vancouver International Airport’s expanded Pier D! Our CEO interview is with Dubai Airports’ Paul Griffiths, who discusses everything from soaring traffic at Dubai International and the incredible development plans for Dubai World Central to his love for music and playing the organ in Westminster Abbey!

Elsewhere in the magazine you can learn more about ACI/IATA’s New Experience Travel Technologies (NEXTT) initiative; and review some of the highlights of The Trinity Forum in Shanghai.

As always, we hear words of wisdom from ACI World director general, Angela Gittens; cover human resources issues in our regular People matters column; report on the latest ACI news; and find out what’s been keeping some of ACI’s World Business Partners busy in the second half of 2018.

That’s all from us for 2018, folks! I look forward to 2019 and once again bringing you all the news, views and developments from this AW great and exciting industry of ours.

AIRPORT WORLD/DECEMBER 2018-JANUARY 2019

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CONTENTS

Issue theme: Design & Build Airport report: Dubai’s airport system Review: The Trinity Forum ;OL THNHaPUL VM [OL (PYWVY[Z *V\UJPS 0U[LYUH[PVUHS

Plus: NEXTT, People matters & ACI’s WBPs

In the spotlight: Design & Build December 2018 - January 2019 Volume 23 Issue 6 www.aci.aero

Issue 6 Volume 23

In this issue 3 Opinion Editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the opening of Istanbul’s new mega hub in is this ‘Design & Build’ themed 2018 year-end issue of Airport World.

8 Exciting times Airport retail and F&B innovation was top of the agenda at the recent Trinity Forum in Shanghai. Airport World looks back at some of the highlights.

12 World in motion Hicham Ayoun reports on the appointment of Martin Eurnekian as the new chair of the ACI World Governing Board and the unveiling of the organisation’s long-term vision for airport security.

15 View from the top Director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the key role of ACI World ahead of what promises to be another busy and influential year for the voice of the world’s airports.

16 Green light for growth Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths, talks to Joe Bates about the growth and development of Dubai’s airport system and some of the opportunities and challenges going forward.

22 All inclusive It is important to practice inclusion and diversity in the design process as it positively impacts on the terminal design and improves the level of customer service, writes Jacobs’ Keith Hui.

AIRPORT WORLD/DECEMBER 2018-JANUARY 2019

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CONTENTS

Director General Angela Gittens (Montreal, Canada) Chair Martin Eurnekián (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Vice Chair Vacant Immediate Past Chair Fredrick J Piccolo (Sarasota, USA) Treasurer Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium) ACI WORLD GOVERNING BOARD DIRECTORS Africa (2) Saleh Dunoma (Lagos, Nigeria) 1 Vacancy Asia-Pacific (9) Aimen Al-Hosni (Muscat, Oman) Kjeld Binger (Amman, Jordan) Fred Lam (Hong Kong) Seow Hiang Lee (Singapore) Xue Song Liu, (Beijing, China) Emmanuel Menanteau (Osaka, Japan) PS Nair (Delhi, India) Sasisubha Sukontasap (Bangkok, Thailand) 1 Vacancy

25 Wood you believe it!

Vancouver International Airport’s expanded International Pier D will boast its own forest of towering Western Hemlock trees, writes Joe Bates.

26 The shape of things to come Vietnam’s planned new Long Thanh International Airport promises to be one of the most modern, innovative and exciting gateways in Asia-Pacific, writes Heerim’s Byungkoo Lee.

30 Born in the USA Joe Bates takes a closer look at a handful of airport development projects making headlines in the US in the final quarter of 2018.

32 Asia’s big build Asia-Pacific is the hottest place on the planet for airport development projects, writes Joe Bates.

38 NEXTT on the agenda ACI World’s security, facilitation and IT director, Nina Brooks, tells us more about how the New Experience in Travel Technologies (NEXTT) initiative can help shape the future of air travel.

40 WBP news The latest global news from ACI’s World Business Partners.

42 People matters Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey provide their thoughts on wayfaring.

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Europe (7) Daniel Burkard (Moscow, Russia) Elena Mayoral Corcuera (Madrid, Spain) Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium) Michael Kerkloh (Munich, Germany) Stefan Schulte (Frankfurt, Germany) Sani Şener (Istanbul, Turkey) 1 Vacancy Latin America & Caribbean (3) Ezequiel Barrenechea (Lima, Peru) Martin Eurnekián (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Andrew O’Brian (Quito, Ecuador) North America (7) Lew Bleiweis (Asheville, USA) Joyce Carter (Halifax, Canda) Howard Eng (Toronto, Canada) Deborah Flint (Los Angeles, USA) Joseph Lopano (Tampa, USA) Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA) Tom Ruth (Edmonton, Canada) Regional Advisers to the World Governing Board (10) Zouhair Mohamed El Aoufir (Rabat, Morocco) Diego Arrosa (Montevideo, Uruguay) Pascal Komla (Lomé, Togo) Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid (Delhi, India) Hector Navarrete Muñoz (Merida, Mexico) Yiannis Paraschis (Athens, Greece) Augustin de Romanet (Paris, France) Brian Ryks (Minneapolis-St Paul, USA) William Vanecek (Buffalo, USA) 1 Vacancy World Business Partner Observer Sarah Branquinho (Dufry Group) Correct as of January 2019

EVENTS: THE TRINITY FORUM

Exciting times Airport retail and F&B innovation was top of the agenda at the recent Trinity Forum in Shanghai. Airport World looks back at some of the highlights.

A

CI World’s last big event of 2018, The Trinity Forum, attracted over 500 delegates to Shanghai to address the theme of ‘The changing airport and travel retail commercial eco-system’.

The annual event brings together airports, concessionaires and brands to improve the understanding between these three crucial sectors and help the industry confront challenges, and seize opportunities, in the airport retail business for the benefit of the travelling consumer.

And, as usual, it didn’t disappoint with ACI World director general, Angela Gittens; Shanghai Airport Authority’s chairman of the board of directors, Yun Qin; Groupe ADP’s customer division director, Mathieu Daubert; and Sydney Airport’s general manager for retail, Glyn Williams, just a few of the impressive line-up of speakers to take the stage in the opening sessions of the event held at the grand Jing An Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai.

Moodie Davitt Report founder and chairman, Martin Moodie, got proceedings underway with a heartfelt tribute to the late King Power International Group chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, before going on to talk about the growing importance of China to travel retail, calling it the “epicentre” of the sector.

He also touched on the challenges and opportunities facing travel retail, stating that if the industry is able to adapt to the changing eco-system and can convert footfall into sales, the future looks bright.

“Mankind will continue to travel in ever greater numbers, and if our industry can aspire to deliver its unique combination of great

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brands, great food in great amphitheatres with great experiences, then the future is positive,” Moodie enthused.

He was followed by ACI World’s Gittens who reminded delegates about the important role airports play in boosting the global economy and how retail/F&B revenues account for a significant chunk of airport income.

“Airports are vital economic generators for the local, regional and national communities that they serve, so it is critical that they make the most of retail and commercial innovation,” she remarked.

“This is the reason why The Trinity Forum is such an important event for airports as they seek to improve both their commercial offering as a source of non-aeronautical revenue and provide an exceptional passenger experience.

“We have found through our research that there is a positive link between overall passenger satisfaction and non-aeronautical revenue. On average, when satisfaction increases by 1%, nonaeronautical revenue increases by 1.5%.

“In addition, for most airports, prioritising customer service results in the greatest positive impact on non-aeronautical revenue – it can potentially deliver an even greater return on investment than can be achieved through traffic increases or expansion of commercial space.

“The retail industry is experiencing a dramatic shift, moving from the traditional retail store experience to the digital retail experience. Airports compete with city retailers and online stores.

With the rapid digitisation of the retail business, airports must seize

EVENTS: THE TRINITY FORUM

every business opportunity to adapt to changing customer needs and the external environment.”

She added “Our ACI Airport Economics Report 2018 shows that airports’ non-aeronautical revenues account for 40% of total revenues. This revenue stream is much more diverse than aeronautical revenue and constitutes a vital component of an airport’s income statement.

“Its resulting bottom line is essential for the overall economic sustainability of airports, since aeronautical revenues generated from aviation activities are not sufficient to cover the full costs of providing and operating airport infrastructure.”

Next up was Shanghai Airport Authority’s Qin who noted that there are big plans to develop and grow the city’s Hongqiao and Pudong gateways, particularly in terms of their retail offerings and customer service levels.

The first keynote address of the conference was delivered by Charles Chen, president of the China Duty Free Group, who focused on

AIRPORT WORLD/DECEMBER 2018-JANUARY 2019

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EVENTS: THE TRINITY FORUM

the key factors affecting the Chinese market, and the ways that the industry can adapt to better serve Chinese travellers in the future.

In terms of outbound passengers, said Chen, Chinese citizens travel more and spend more than any other nation and this pattern looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.

He noted that as China grows, the very nature of the Chinese traveller is changing, with the passenger dynamic becoming increasingly sophisticated and diverse. So much so, in fact, that he believed it was now impossible to simply split them into three different groups – the middle classes, Millennials and Generation Z. Chen stated that the new breed of Chinese travellers is increasingly looking for innovative new experiences and brands.

The next airport speaker on stage was Groupe ADP’s Daubert, who noted that today’s traveller was more health conscious, educated and aware than ever before and, as a result, were more interested in experiences and less convinced about the ‘bargains’ offered by duty free.

He revealed that Groupe ADP’s response has been to focus more on service, personalisation and experience than price. The strategy, he said, has seen it move away from the traditional approach to the layout and design of airport duty free offerings to one focused on Paris’s famous department stores.

And there is more to come at Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports as Daubert outlined plans to create 40,000sqm of new commercial space at the gateways over the next two years.

Sydney Airport’s Williams suggested that future innovation for airport duty free might be to take travel retail, and travel retail products, outside of the airport. He remarked: “Why be limited to three bottles of alcohol when, potentially, it’s possible to sell customers a case and have it shipped to them at home?”

Others making their mark on the first day included the always entertaining executive vice president of Dubai Duty Free, Colm

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McLoughlin; Tito’s Homemade Vodka managing director, John McDonnell; and Harrods International director, Raj Assanand.

Airport highlights of a whirlwind second day included Budapest Airport’s head of retail and advertising, Dr Patrick Bohl, discussing the gateway’s BARTA (brand, airline, technology, airport) campaign in a panel session titled ‘Towards a new retail and consumer experience’.

Auckland International Airport’s omnichannel manager, Jayne Wear, explained more about her airport’s ‘cross channel and connected experience’ approach to retail to appeal to the next generation of travellers.

While ACI World’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) associate director, Dimitri Coll, told the audience more about the organisation’s annual customer satisfaction survey and the commercial performance insights it provides that can help airports boost their retail and F&B revenues.

Day two also featured two big panel debates, ‘Destination 2030 – where are the next steps on the travel retail journey?’ and ‘Reimagining the airport commercial offer’.

Airport representatives taking part in the second panel included Manchester Airport Group’s executive vice president for business development and lounges, Beth Brewster; Greater Toronto Airport Authority’s vice president for customer service and terminal services, Scott Collier; and Central Japan International Airport’s president and CEO, Masanao Tomozoe.

Tomozoe shared his company’s vision of the future, which he revealed would be focused on championing excellent customer service and a people first approach. The goal, he said, was on creating engaging experiences – in retail and beyond – and creating ‘sense of place’.

“We have been doing lots of crazy things to attract as many people as possible,” laughed Tomozoe, as he shared photos of activations AW featuring characters such as Pikachu and Hello Kitty.

ACI WORLDHEAD NEWS RUNNING

World in motion Hicham Ayoun reports on the appointment of Martin Eurnekian as the new chair of the ACI World Governing Board and the unveiling of the organisation’s long-term vision for airport security.

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CI World has announced the appointment of Martin Eurnekian as the new chair of the ACI World Governing Board.

Eurnekian – the CEO of Corporación América Airports and president of Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 – has just ended his two-year term as president of the ACI Latin America-Caribbean Region.

He is a prominent and successful figure in the industry and an active member of ACI Latin America-Caribbean for more than a decade, so brings enormous field and leadership experience to his role as chair.

Eurnekian has been vice-chair of the ACI World Governing Board since January 1, 2018, and succeeds Bongani Maseko, former CEO and executive director of Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), who had served as chair since that date.

ACI World Governing Board members thank Maseko for his dedicated service to ACI, including service on the Board of Directors of ACI Africa. His leadership has been most productive and appreciated.

Eurnekian has more than 17 years’ experience in managing diverse businesses in seven different countries, primarily in Latin America as well as in Europe.

“I am honoured to be named as the chair of the ACI World Governing Board,” he enthuses. “It is a critical time for the aviation industry, and especially airports, as we come together to meet the growing global demand for air services and deliver the social and economic benefits this growth will bring to the communities we serve.

“I look forward to working with the Board, our members, partners, and stakeholders to continue to advocate for the interests of airports around the world as we pursue sustainable growth over the long-term.”

The global community of airports is invited to join ACI in congratulating Martin Eurnekian for this new chapter of his career.

ACI World sets out new long-term vision for airport security Security remains one of the top ACI policy priorities. In 2018, we continued to take a very active role in assessing airport operational issues and working with our members to improve processes.

This includes informing regulatory authorities of the impact of new security rules while helping to shape those rules and ensuring that changes in security are communicated to airport authorities.

In November, ACI outlined its long-term vision for aviation security at ICAO’s Second High-level Conference on Aviation Security. The vision focuses on more innovative procedures, greater efficiency, and a better passenger experience.

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During the event, ACI presented three papers in front of senior government officials and invited representatives of international and regional organisations formulating recommendations on key aviation security priorities, namely: • Vision for Aviation Security at Airports • Joint Approach to Border and Aviation Security Threats at Airports • ACI’s Contributions and Updates to the Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP).

The Vision for Aviation Security at Airports was produced in partnership with IATA and promotes the efforts that the aviation industry is making to identify themes, innovations and developments that will affect airport security in the long-term.

The paper identifies new and emerging themes in airport security, including off-airport handling of passengers and bags to minimise required processes at airports, walk-through, seamless, stand-off security from kerb to gate for passengers, and whole-of-airport security to secure the overall airport infrastructure from a range of current and evolving threats.

In addition to detailing its ongoing contribution towards the Global Aviation Security Plan, ACI committed to take a leading role on the Smart Security programme following years of fruitful partnership on the programme with IATA. The programme has delivered positive change in the effectiveness, efficiency and customer experience of primary passenger screening checkpoints. The three papers are available on ICAO’s website, under the Meetings and Events section.

ACI WORLD NEWS

ACI events

2019

2019

2019

2019

2019

March 12-14

September 15-17

June 25-27

October 12-18

April 2-4

ACI Airport Economics & Finance Conference and Exhibition London, UK

ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition Tampa, USA

ACI Europe General Assembly, Congress & Exhibition Limassol, Cyprus

ACI Africa Regional Assembly, Conference & Exhibition Accra, Ghana

ACI Asia-Pacific/ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition Hong Kong

ACI offices ACI World Angela Gittens Director General PO Box 302 800 Rue du Square Victoria Montreal, Quebec H4Z 1G8 Canada Tel: +1 514 373 1200 Fax: +1 514 373 1201 aci@aci.aero www.aci.aero

ACI Asia-Pacific Patti Chau Regional Director Hong Kong SAR, China Tel: +852 2180 9449 Fax: +852 2180 9462 info@aci-asiapac.aero www.aci-asiapac.aero

ACI Africa Ali Tounsi Secretary General Casablanca, Morocco Tel: +212 660 156 916 atounsi@aci-africa.aero www.aci-africa.aero

ACI Latin America-Caribbean Javier Martinez Botacio Director General Panama City, Panama Tel: +507 830 5657/58 jmartinez@aci-lac.aero www.aci-lac.aero

ACI Europe Olivier Jankovec Director General Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (2) 552 0978 Fax: +32 (2) 502 5637 danielle.michel@aci-europe.org www.aci-europe.org

ACI North America Kevin Burke President & CEO Washington DC, USA Tel: +1 202 293 8500 Fax: +1 202 331 1362 postmaster@aci-na.org www.aci-na.org

ACI serves 641 members operating 1,953 airports in 176 countries. ACI is a non-profit organisation whose prime purpose is to advance the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations. In 2017 airports worldwide welcomed 8.2 billion arriving and departing passengers and handled 118.6 million metric tonnes of cargo and 95.7 million aircraft movements.

AIRPORT WORLD/DECEMBER 2018-JANUARY 2019

AW

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ACI VIEWPOINT

View from the top Director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the key role of ACI World ahead of what promises to be another busy and influential year for the voice of the world’s airports.

F

ollowing a very eventful year, we are excited to kick-off 2019 with enthusiasm and determination as we relish the opportunities that lie ahead of us.

We had a successful year and were gratified to be acknowledged and supported by many of our industry partners and international counterparts. As the only global voice of airports, we will continue to focus our efforts on our members’ priorities as we remain committed to ensuring that the collective interests of the world’s airports are heard at the international level.

Airports are valuable assets for the communities they serve, helping them to develop their full economic potential and ensure stable growth, bolstering long-term business development and employment.

As stewards of this community resource, airport operators need an organisation that can help them add value to their business.

Clearly, demand for the ACI World’s expertise, products and services continues to increase, and this has placed the bar higher. We will continue to provide the platforms for pursuing a constructive and co-operative relationship with members of our community, governments and regulators worldwide.

On critical industry issues – economic regulations and infrastructure financing, capacity building, disruptive technology – ACI will continue to represent airports’ views and strengthen their ability to shape the future of our industry, backing up individual airport actions.

To this end, during the first two quarters of the year, we will hold two of our most important ACI events: the 11th edition of the Airport Economics and Finance Conference in London, United Kingdom, and the ACI Asia-Pacific/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA) in Hong Kong.

At the Airport Economics and Finance Conference, we will explore solutions for the most pressing current and emerging issues in the field, with the theme ‘Paradigm shifts in infrastructure development and the airport business’.

We will also continue our successful pre-conference collaboration with the World Bank. They will open with the 5th Annual ACI-World Bank Aviation Symposium on March 12 to explore the risks and opportunities of global lenders and investors in the airport industry. Participants can expect valuable analyses of global and regional economic forces that airport executives and investors need to understand.

Turning to WAGA, the theme is ‘What’s next for aviation? The future starts now’. We have invited distinguished experts to join us as speakers for sessions exploring solutions to our key challenges.

The event will be hosted by Hong Kong International Airport from April 2-4, 2019, at the Asia World Expo, in Hong Kong. It will bring together more than 800 airport chief executives and industry leaders from all over the world to address global challenges, share information and create networking opportunities.

For both events, registrations are now open and sponsorship opportunities are available. As industry leaders, we strongly believe that it is mutually beneficial to foster an open dialogue between airports, civil aviation authorities and investors to better meet the needs of airports and our communities and local businesses.

Our events serve to showcase the dedication and commitment of our members and staff and reflect ACI’s ability to respond to a changing environment as we strive to continue to foster a safe, secure, and sustainable airport system.

These discussions will help set a strong foundation for our industry for the next years. We are expecting to see as many of you as possible at these very important events. On behalf of ACI World, I wish you all my best for the new year.

AW

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AIRPORT REPORT: DUBAI’S AIRPORT SYSTEM

Green light for growth

Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths, talks to Joe Bates about the growth and development of Dubai’s airport system and some of the opportunities and challenges going forward.

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hen Paul Griffiths became CEO of Dubai Airports in late 2007, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority president and CEO and chairman of the Emirates Group, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, asked only one thing of him, to never constrain the growth of the aviation sector in the Emirate.

He appreciated the clarity of the message and it is clearly something that he has never forgotten as it remains his motivation today as Dubai embarks on the next stage of its aviation journey.

Back in 2007, the UAE’s biggest airport, Dubai International (DXB), was handling around 34.3 million passengers yearly and thinking about the opportunities that could be created by the opening of a second gateway.

Eleven years on and DXB is not only bigger and better than before with new facilities such as Terminal 3 and Concourse D, but it has become the undisputed busiest international airport in the world handling in excess of 88 million passengers per annum.

While Dubai’s second gateway, Dubai World Central (DWC) opened in 2010, continues to grow, welcoming a record 904,940 passengers (+6.4%) and 972,000 tonnes of cargo (+8.3%) in 2017.

The bottom line is Dubai now has a two-airport system capable of handling well over 100 million passengers per annum.

And the scary thing for rival airports is that with DWC’s master plan based around the creation of a 240mppa plus gateway and Griffiths believing that DXB has plenty of more growth in it, as impressive as Dubai’s airport system is today, it is nowhere near its full potential.

“The potential here is huge and as long as we can keep ahead of demand in terms of our ability to handle more traffic, in other words never let capacity constraints hold us back, there’s no reason why our passenger numbers cannot go on rising for years to come,” enthuses Griffiths.

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Dubai International Airport For now and the coming decade at least, Dubai International will remain the jewel in the crown of Dubai Airports, which in the last seven years alone has invested $7.8 billion on upgrading its facilities to ensure that it keeps pace with rising demand.

Terminal 1’s $1.2 billion Concourse D, the final major piece of infrastructure to be built at DXB as part of its Strategic Plan 2020 programme, opened in 2016 and overnight raised the airport’s capacity from 75mppa to 90mppa.

With passenger numbers at DXB rising by an average of 9% per annum for the past five years, its addition was very much needed. It has also given Dubai Airports a little breathing space to consider what to do next at the airport ahead of unveiling its new master plan to 2030.

Concourse D is currently home to the 60 international airlines that operate into DXB’s Terminal 1 and handles around 17 million passengers annually.

With Dubai Airports harbouring such big plans for DWC, and no plans for new infrastructure at DXB on the drawing board, it could be the last major addition to the gateway’s facilities as the airport operator concentrates more on how technology and improved passenger processing can raise the airport’s capacity.

Indeed, earlier in 2018 Dubai Airports unveiled its DXB Plus programme, which aims to raise the airport’s capacity to around 118mppa by 2023 through the continual investment in systems, processes and technology improvements.

DXB’s recently introduced Automated Border Control (ABC) SmartGates – which when combined with a sophisticated sensor system that allows operations staff to monitor congestion have

AIRPORT REPORT: DUBAI’S AIRPORT SYSTEM

We are only here because of our airline customers, so if we are not making them happy by the things we do, there’s a problem with the way we are doing business delivered a 28% reduction in average queue times – is just one example how Dubai Airports has been quick to embrace pioneering new technology.

“The big focus is to make passenger processing more efficient by replacing a lot of the legacy technology and processes that really shouldn’t exist in today’s modern world,” says Griffiths.

As an example of what he means, he says that companies such as Amazon, Uber and eBay “have reinvented the entire end-to-end process by taking out the bureaucracy, paperwork and the steps in the middle”, and believes that airports are in a prime position to do the same.

He is a firm supporter of the biometric single token travel concept, which he believes will be a real game changer for the industry, if adopted worldwide, as it would ensure passengers could seamlessly pass through airports without the need for any physical documentation.

If the DXB Plus programme achieves its goal, and there’s absolutely no reason to doubt that it won’t, Dubai will have an airport system capable of accommodating 144mppa, which should be sufficient to meet demand until at least 2030.

Griffiths also refuses to rule out the addition of new terminals and concourses at DXB in the future if demand dictates it.

“We are a business that is focused on growth, service quality and sustainability, and that means planning many years ahead, so I

cannot say that Concourse D will be the last piece of infrastructure at DXB, but for now we are very much focused on technological advancements,” he states.

Dubai World Central DWC opened to cargo operations in 2010 and passenger services in October 2013. Today, its single, recently expanded passenger terminal is home to ten airlines operating 21 weekly flights to six international destinations.

Its passenger airlines include Aeroflot, flydubai, Gulf Air, Jazeera Airways, TUI Airlines Nederland, Rotana Jet and Wizz Air. In addition, DWC is served by 20 scheduled cargo carriers offering freight connections to 45 different destinations around the globe.

Griffiths says that these numbers will rise as DXB begins to fill up and more services move 63 kilometres south to DWC, creating some transfer traffic between the gateways, which doesn’t really happen today.

The newly expanded terminal at DWC now boasts 104 check-in desks, 24 boarding gates and bigger check-in, immigration, baggage reclaim and security areas that ensure that the gateway is equipped to handle up to 26.5 million passengers per annum.

Not much smaller than London Gatwick was when Griffiths left it for Dubai in 2007.

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AIRPORT REPORT: DUBAI’S AIRPORT SYSTEM

But this is just the beginning for DWC as with phased development it will ultimately be capable of handling an incredible 240 million passengers and 16 million tonnes of cargo per annum and sit at the heart of an airport city project that includes five other mega developments – Dubai Logistics City (DLC), Commercial City, Residential City, Aviation City and Golf City – over a 140 square kilometre area.

A huge $32 billion has been set aside for the airport’s development, which is expected to be centred around the creation of 12 different nodes or mini-terminals each capable of handling around 20 million passengers per annum.

However, Griffiths notes that Dubai Airports continues to modify and update DWC’s master plan, meaning that these plans will almost certainly change over time.

“Like in any long-term project, the master plan is always evolving and our thinking on the design continues to develop with new opportunities to create a more efficient interface between ground and air,” says Griffiths.

“The march of technology and processes also gives us the opportunity to re-think some of our infrastructure solutions.

Everything is still very much in the melting pot as, what we don’t want to do, is build an airport facility that is out of date the moment it comes into service.”

His airline background – Griffiths has actually spent more time working for the airlines in his career than airports having previously worked for Virgin Atlantic and Dragonair – also ensures that he is in regular dialogue with the airlines serving Dubai, and not just home carriers Emirates and flydubai, about Dubai Airports’ plans to develop DWC and, indeed, DXB. “We are only here because of our airline customers, so if we are not making them happy by the things we do, there’s a problem

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with the way we are doing business,” comments Griffiths, who notes that he spends a lot of time building relationships with the airlines.

“I think it’s invaluable to have been on the airline side of the fence as I understand their challenges, and this has helped us create a master plan that suits their requirements rather than just the needs of the airport operator,” he adds.

Future priorities Griffiths says that the company’s focus now is very much on how it can increase the throughout at DXB to 120mppa and how it can develop Dubai as a two-airport system.

“By 2023 we will be capable of handling around 146 million passengers per annum across two airports in relatively close proximity to each other, so managing growth remains the major priority,” reveals Griffiths.

“Creating a level of service quality that is second to none, is an equal first priority. We also need to ensure that we operate an airport system that allows DXB and DWC to work in harmony with each other and be flexible enough to make the best use of our infrastructure.”

And it is clear that the two-airport system will be around for many years to come as it will take decades to fully develop DWC, and even then, both airports could still operate in tandem, only with the roles reversed and DXB supporting DWC and not the other way around as it is today.

“We are doing all we can to extend the life of DXB, so perhaps the best way to look at the long-term future is to say that we have started an extensive transition to the new airport and that the second phase development of DWC will give us the option to consider whether we close DXB or keep it operating,” says Griffiths.

AIRPORT REPORT: DUBAI’S AIRPORT SYSTEM

The energy of the place and the focus on growth and service quality also fosters innovation that few other places on earth enjoy Major highlights

Sound of music

Not surprisingly Griffiths states that the 2008 opening of Terminal 3, which basically doubled the size of the airport overnight, and Concourse D in 2016 as two of his major highlights of the last 11 years.

He also remembers the openings being doubly sweet for Dubai as the facilities were inaugurated without any of the “teething troubles” that dogged the opening of other high-profile terminals around the world.

Other highlights, he says, include the opening of Concourse A, the 2010 opening of Dubai World Central and DXB becoming the world’s busiest international airport in 2014. A title, incidentally, that it looks set to hold on to for the foreseeable future.

“It didn’t escape my notice that we overtook Heathrow to become the world’s busiest international airport,” notes UK-born Griffiths, who believes and hopes that it has showed Britain that it needs to “get its aviation act together” or risk losing traffic and trade to other countries that aren’t standing still when it comes to building new infrastructure.

Asked whether he is still enjoying his job, he enthusiastically replies: “What’s not to enjoy? I think there are two things that keep this job fresh and vital. The first is that every day is different, and the second is that no day ever goes as planned, so there are always surprises in store.

“The energy of the place [Dubai Airports and Dubai] and the focus on growth and service quality also fosters innovation that few other places on earth enjoy. I am also quite enjoying not having to deal with some of the heavy-handed bureaucracy that exists in some of today’s more mature aviation markets.”

Did you know that Griffiths’ first love is music and that he only chose a career in the aviation industry after his dad told him to give up on his childhood dream of becoming a full-time cathedral organist? When he told me many years ago that he played the church organ, I made a note myself to write something about it along the lines of the weird and wonderful hobbies of airport CEOs, however, I never realised just how good he was at it.

In fact, Griffiths is so good at it he has already played a number of organ recitals in the UK, including one in front of an audience of 2,500 people at Westminster Abbey.

And next year, in his words, he is going on a ‘Rolling Stones type international tour’ where he will play at three venues in the UK before heading for the US, Australia and New Zealand and playing at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2020.

“My dad told me that playing the organ was a great hobby but a terrible profession, which I didn’t really appreciate at the time, but he was probably right about my career,” laughs Griffins.

“However, I never gave up my love of music, and did all my exams, entered a few competitions and eventually got on the recital circuit, which has allowed me to combine my love for aviation and music by running the world’s busiest international airport and playing the organ in some amazing venues in my spare time.”

With no end in sight to the upward trajectory in traffic, this success story is set to run and run, and the fact that Dubai’s airports are more than well equipped for future growth will be music to the ears of Dubai’s aviation leaders.

AW

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All inclusive It is important to practice inclusion and diversity in the design process as it positively impacts on the terminal design and improves the level of customer service, writes Jacobs’ Keith Hui.

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recently had the opportunity to revisit an airport terminal I worked on 20 years ago. I had not returned since its construction and my last memory of the project was walking through the site and conducting a construction review recording my notes on a mini cassette recorder.

As I sat down, absorbed in a nostalgic moment, I gazed at the aircraft pushing back and reflected back to the time and place when I worked on the design. The architectural firm I was working for believed that the best ideas could come from anyone in the room, and that it was our responsibility as design leaders to engage the entire team and bring out the best ideas for discussion.

The philosophy was actively reinforced and I remembered the flow of ideas from the room and the discussions about them that followed.

It requires discipline and consistent effort in the pursuit of that ideal.

Although experience was nearly two decades ago, it’s interesting to recall within the current context of ‘inclusion and diversity’ that has become a popular focus in the business world and in the airport industry today.

‘Inclusion and diversity’ as a topic has been actively discussed for quite some time, and is being adopted into the mission of many Fortune 500 companies, including my current employer. Its

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application is broad, guiding organisation’s in aspects from recruitment to project execution and in environments ranging from the business workplace to community organisations.

Diversity can be generally defined as the recognition of human differences that span multiple categories which include race, gender, cultural and ethnic background and more. The definition of inclusion is an effort, through any means, that results in an emotional state of inclusivity and a desire for individuals to contribute for the betterment of a specific goal.

As airport designers, it is important to practice inclusion and diversity in the design process as it positively impacts the terminal design and improves the level of customer service.

Airport terminals are the cross-roads of the world It is hard to think of another public building that comes close to an airport in terms of the wide range of people travelling through and its facilities.

In the early days of aviation, airports may have seen only the very wealthy pass through. However, as air travel has progressed and become more accessible, the spectrum of the travelling public has widened to represent a greater cross section of the population.

SPECIAL REPORT: DESIGN & BUILD Today’s passengers come from all walks of life and from diverse backgrounds. As airport planners and designers, we need to identify and respond to needs that come from a diverse travelling public in order to provide the best of passenger experience and customer service.

We need to understand how we can make their journeys more convenient, stress free, enjoyable, easy to navigate and that provide amenities that are valued.

As the airport user group of today is more complex than it has been in the past, we must enhance our design in order to better capture the knowledge that will help us design better facilities, tailored to the needs and desires of passengers.

And we need to begin by understanding that the assumptions we often make in the traditional design process has its boundaries.

Assumptions are limiting In early phases of design, we often identify key passenger profiles and personify them as a means for us to imagine the journey through the eyes of different passenger types.

As we envisage their path and track each of their journeys through the airport, we make assumptions about their experience and the challenges they might face along the way. We identify their challenges and specific needs based on our own experiences with the types of passengers we have identified.

In rare cases, we may actually bear similarity to a specific passenger type, but in most cases, we do not and therefore we can never truly understand how it is to experience life as that person.

A good example of this would be designing facilities for international passengers. Thinking back to a past project for the design of a new airport immigration facility in the US, I recall a discussion involving a new processing procedure that was nontraditional in layout.

While the operators of the space were sceptical that it would be universally understood and would only lead to confusion, the designers argued the opposite, likening it to a grocery store self check-out, and therefore intuitive. But would this be true if I were a passenger coming from a foreign country where this technology and process didn’t exist?

Adding the additional challenges that a non-English speaker would face, this design would likely be a daunting experience for international travellers.

Assumptions are limiting and many of us don’t know what the airport experience is like for many people. Do any of us truly understand what it is like for the elderly, the foreigner with little knowledge of the local language or the visually impaired going through an airport?

As design professionals we are further biased because we are experts in this field and understand how airports operate. This, ultimately, impairs our ability to empathise with travellers and truly understand their experience at an airport from their perspective.

Seek diversity in the design process In order to design terminals that are more suited to a diverse traveller population, designers should invite and include more diversity into the review and critique of design alternatives.

Inviting comments and opinions from an audience of greater diversity can provide ideas that would help direct the development of the design towards a better passenger experience.

Carefully selecting a diverse group to ‘test run’ the passenger journey will reveal insight that will positively impact the final design from a customer service standpoint. We should reach beyond the project team and tap into the greater resources of the organisations we all work within to find the diversity of people that could help make our new airport designs a success.

With virtual reality technology, we also have the ability to immerse our audience directly into a virtual construct of a new terminal design that hasn’t been built yet. In this way, they can provide better experiential feedback compared to just drawings alone.

As an example of the benefits of diversity in concept review, I recall a project where our team presented their study of an airport terminal to an audience that included the firm’s healthcare specialists. This careful joining of market sectors was able to spark synergy and cross pollination of ideas.

As I walked through our concept study and took in queries, I quickly realised how limited we were, as aviation professionals and frequent flyers, in our ability to assess the arrivals wayfinding experience for the general public. As non-aviation professionals the audience were able to point out difficulties in understanding the exact path through the process – as healthcare specialists they were acutely aware of the traveller’s every step and turning point.

I later learned that intuitive wayfinding in healthcare facilities is vitally important as it could impact the patient’s anxiety and perception of care provided at the facility. This rings true at airports as well; the healthcare specialists may have a better ability to empathise with the travelling public.

Airport customer surveys aimed at diverse passengers are further proof that there are needs and expectations from travellers that we would never realise unless we asked them.

For example, when conducting research to find out what international passengers wanted to find included in the design of a planned new terminal, the customer service department of one airport discovered that Chinese travellers were disappointed that they could not find any hot water dispensers.

From my own travels in China, I remember seeing vending stations inside airports that included hot water dispensers used by travellers to make tea in their own thermoses and also for pouring into cup noodles during long flight delays.

Surveys such as these tell us that different cultures can have very different expectations when it comes to airport amenities and customer service levels.

Whether it is through diversifying our design team/review panel or conducting surveys to find out what different passenger groups want, we need to seek diversity and enrich the design process by becoming more sensitive to the varying needs of a multicultural and diverse travelling population.

This way, we can overcome the limitations of our assumptions and create better designs that elevate customer service levels at airports. AW

About the author Keith Hui, AIA NCARB, is a senior aviation architect at Jacobs, working on projects worldwide as part of the company’s aviation team. He can be contacted at Keith.Hui@jacobs.com

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Wood you believe it!

Vancouver International Airport’s expanded International Pier D will boast its own forest of towering Western Hemlock trees, writes Joe Bates.

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ith its Totem poles, a giant jade canoe and its own aquarium, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is already one of the world’s best loved gateways for its unique sense of place, and its ambience designed to encapsulate British Columbia’s land, sea and sky is about to become even more pronounced with the creation of its very own forest inside Pier D. The forest will form the centrepiece of the ongoing expansion of Pier D, which is being expanded and reconfigured to ensure that the airport is equipped to handle up to 35 million passengers per annum.

Described as a “coastal island forest open to the sky”, it will comprise three local trees set on a landscaped island (mythical island) open to the natural elements, so rain and snow will fall on them just as it would in a normal forest, only airport visitors don’t have to get cold and wet to enjoy the experience!

YVR notes that the design team has recreated a natural environment for the trees to ensure there will be enough direct sunlight, irrigation, misting and physical space for them to thrive and grow to their natural potential as they would in any British Columbia (BC) forest.

The development of Pier D is the biggest expansion programme at the airport since 1996 and also one of the most innovative, which YVR is confident will add to the terminal experience by reflecting the natural landscape of British Columbia’s coastline.

“YVR has had unprecedented growth in recent years and is now one of North America’s fastest-growing international airports,” remarks YVR’s vice president of engineering, Don Ehrenholz.

“The capital construction projects, both underway and planned, are being designed to enhance the passenger experience and improve

YVR’s competitive position as a world-class connecting hub. We will also continue to provide our passengers with innovative thematic installations like mythical island that showcase the best of British Columbia.”

Kasian’s Michael McDonald, project director for the design team behind the forest, said: “The mythical island is quintessentially British Columbia, a memorable experience intended to connect passengers to the story of the Pacific North West where every element of the design is a chapter.

“Soaring 17-metre high wood columns support a very large roof opening, an oculus, that will capture the outdoors and bring critical sunlight for three Western Hemlocks set within a dramatic glass oval at the heart of the new expansion.”

The new portion of Pier D will follow YVR’s Thematic Master Plan objectives to reflect the natural landscape and iconic communities of British Columbia.

As such, it will tell the story of the BC coastline and a mythical coastal island that celebrates and showcases the West Coast of BC, the surrounding landscape of Vancouver and the natural mountains and waterfalls of this region.

The airport reveals that visitors can expect a quiet terminal that will feature art – including First Nations and digital artworks – and a host of restaurants and bars that “reflect the best the province has to offer”, and plenty of seats at the gates.

Due to open in 2020, most crucially, the expanded international pier will allow for the addition of eight gates capable of handling widebody aircraft, including the A380.

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The shape of things to come Vietnam’s planned new Long Thanh International Airport promises to be one of the most modern, innovative and exciting gateways in Asia-Pacific, writes Heerim’s Byungkoo Lee.

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ietnam’s much-awaited new international airport is set to be built in Long Thành, Dong Nai Province, around 40 kilometres east of Ho Chi Minh City.

Slated to open in 2025, the $16.3 billion airport will initially have a capacity of 25 million passengers per annum to ensure that the country’s economic capital is able to meet rapidly rising demand.

However, with passenger numbers in Ho Chi Minh City currently rising by 20% annually and demand expected to exceed 50mppa by 2024, this is only the beginning for Long Thanh International, which will eventually be equipped to accommodate 120 million passengers.

Indeed, its three-phase master plan outlines plans for a super hub with four runways and four passenger terminals capable of handling up to 120 million passengers by full build out in 2050.

The city’s existing Tan Son Nhat (TSN) International Airport comfortably handled 36 million passengers in 2017 and will continue to be upgraded and expanded to meet the soaring air travel demand.

But its location at the centre of a densely populated area of Ho Chi Minh City effectively rules out any significant new additions to its infrastructure and means that the government must look for capacity enhancing options elsewhere.

Luckily, the need for a new international airport was identified by the Vietnamese government a decade ago, and in 2011 it approved a master plan for Long Thanh International Airport.

Accordingly, the preparatory steps including land acquisition and funding programmes were initiated from 2012 and, in 2015, the Pre-Feasibility Study Report for Long Thanh International Airport was

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approved by the National Assembly as the basis for implementation of the feasibility study for Phase 1 of the project.

Design competition With things finally moving ahead, a design competition for the new airport’s passenger terminal was held in 2016 and nine global design firms submitted entries, all of which were publicly displayed across Vietnam to allow the citizens of Hanoi, Da Nang and Dong Nai cities/provinces as well as Ho Chi Minh City to view them and pick their favourite.

During this process, the design scheme by South Korean company, Heerim Architects & Planners (Heerim), received widespread acclaim and was also evaluated and praised by experts in several design reviews.

As a result, its design was eventually chosen for the new terminal at Long Thanh International Airport.

Airport experience Heerim Architects & Planners is well-known as the designer of Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport, which has been named the Best Airport in the World in a host of different categories in ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer satisfaction survey almost since the day it opened.

Our participation in Long Thanh International Airport will ensure innovative design solutions tailored to the effective delivery of the project.

I am very familiar with the project having led Heerim’s team during the design competition and am happy to share more information about the concepts behind the new airport and its timescale for development.

SPECIAL REPORT: DESIGN & BUILD

Lotus petals

Meeters and greeters

The design of Long Thanh International Airport’s passenger terminal was inspired by the elegance of full-blossomed lotus petals, delicately embodied to complete the curvilinear shape of the terminal.

We wanted to embrace the unique characteristics of Vietnamese culture in our design and chose the lotus flower as it is viewed as a source of inspiration because it signifies strength.

The passenger terminal will occupy a total floor area of 400,000 square-metres spread over four floors that include separate Arrivals and Departures levels and a dedicated floor for baggage make-up.

It will have 34 boarding gates that include four capable of handling aircraft up to the size of B747-800 and the A380.

While a ground transportation centre and short-term parking will be conveniently located in front of the terminal to ensure quick and easy connections for passengers and visitors.

One of the unique characteristics of the airport experience in Vietnam, as can be witnessed today at TSN International Airport, is the large number of meeters and greeters, travellers and well-wishers who intermingle with passengers in the terminal.

This uniqueness is a part of the community-minded culture of Vietnam where people gather and share warm greetings and farewells with their family and friends. Therefore, it was essential to design the terminal with large spacious areas within and outside in an effort to embrace this cultural tradition.

While the current TSN International Airport restricts the access of greeters/well-wishers into the terminal due to limited space, the new Long Thanh International Airport is proactively considering allowing the access of visitors into the terminal.

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Bigger and better The terminal’s check-in area will comprise six check-in islands – three on each side – located inside a Great Hall, a vast space across four floor levels (Level 1 to Level 4) that is designed to delicately weave together the arriving and departing experiences of the terminal.

Themed to feature ‘a harmonious balance between technology and nature’, LED lights and natural features accentuate the Great Hall as a place of relaxation and interaction as well as the key landmark feature of the Long Thanh international Airport.

The Departures immigration area can be viewed from any direction, illuminated directly beneath the lotus-inspired skylights that exude a bright and cosy atmosphere. The scenic landscape of the Great Hall in the background should also ensure a pleasant boarding experience for travellers.

different floor finishes will be used to functionally demarcate the difference between waiting and walking areas within the lounge.

Calming colours and subtle, indirect lighting, will be a feature of the terminal’s Arrivals corridors to help ensure a warm and comforting welcome for travel weary passengers. Rhythmic advertising displays and billboards along the corridor will, however, provide a dynamic element.

Two separate immigration areas – boasting soothing wood finishes on curvaceous ceilings and immigration counters – are designed to be easily accessible and navigable in order to facilitate swift passenger journeys through the immigration process.

LED video walls displaying information about Vietnam, its culture and history as well as revenue generating advertising will provide a key feature of the baggage reclaim area.

Next step IT and green features As you would expect of the airport of tomorrow, the terminal will be equipped with state-of-the-art ICT technology to ensure a quick, easy and convenient airport experience for passengers.

This will almost certainly include self-check-in and bag drop systems, automated passport control kiosks and other systems that put passengers more in control of their own journeys.

The terminal is also set to be one of the greenest in the region courtesy of a diverse range of sustainable initiatives such as double layered roofing for natural ventilation and the use of solar energy that will guarantee that it is energy efficient with a low carbon footprint.

Nature and innovation The terminal’s central concession area will be nature-friendly and offer a diverse range of facilities and activities to passengers.

Its interior will be aesthetically crafted with bamboo-inspired sculptures, natural water features and multi-level decks promoting a cultural and comfortable shopping environment for all travellers.

The daylight-filled boarding lounge with geometric skylights is expected to offer a warm and relaxing ambience for passengers, while

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A Japanese-French-Vietnamese Joint Venture (JV) is currently conducting a feasibility study for the Vietnamese government for the Phase 1 development of Long Thanh International Airport.

Groupe ADP subsidiary, ADP Ingénierie – the French part of the JV – has announced that it is working to a 14-month timeframe to “allow for final inspections and approvals of the project to be carried out by the Vietnamese National Assembly by the autumn of 2019”.

Heerim, as the appointed sub-consultant of the joint venture, is scheduled to complete its basic design of the passenger terminal by the end of July, 2019.

Ho Chi Minh City will operate a two-airport system when Long Thanh opens for business in 2025, the new gateway effectively becoming its new hub handling most international flights and 20% of domestic services, allowing TSN International Airport to primarily AW serve domestic air traffic.

About the author Byugnkoo Lee is the executive vice president of Heerim, leading the firmwide aviation design practice.

SPECIAL REPORT: DESIGN & BUILD

Born in the USA

Joe Bates takes a closer look at a handful of airport development projects making headlines in the US in the final quarter of 2018.

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kanska USA and LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) are celebrating the completion of the new eastern concourse at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, the first major milestone in the $5.1 billion transformation of the terminal into a world class facility.

Designed as a common-use facility to facilitate operational efficiency, the new Skanska built concourse features the first 11 of 35 new gates at Terminal B, spacious seating areas with charging stations throughout, soaring ceilings up to 55 feet in height and other architectural elements inspired by New York’s vibrancy and verticality.

“We take great pride in being a part of the development and construction of the new LaGuardia, which is as much about creating a world-class passenger experience as it is providing a model for responsible and sustainable infrastructure for years to come,” said Skanska USA president and CEO, Richard Kennedy.”

“The top-to-bottom rebuilding of one of the nation’s busiest airports, all while continuing to operate it around-the-clock, is one of most complex projects Skanska has ever led.”

The redevelopment of Terminal B by LGP – comprising Skanska, Vantage Airport Group, Meridiam and JLC Infrastructure – is the largest public-private partnership project in US aviation infrastructure history.

As part of the construction, Skanska’s inclusion of minority and women-owned (MWBE) businesses on the project represents the largest use of such firms to date on a single project in New York State history.

Overall, the redevelopment of LaGuardia is anticipated to create a combined $10 billion in economic activity and $2.5 billion in wages over the life of the project.

“We are excited to have worked with our partners and so many sub-contractors to make the opening of the eastern concourse of Terminal B a reality,” noted Magnus Eriksson, executive vice president of Skanska and chair of the board of LaGuardia Gateway Partners.

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“This collaborative effort, using innovative construction and design techniques is something that we are proud to bring to LaGuardia, and our project continues to have one of the largest Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) participation goals in the New York State.”

New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, called the opening a significant milestone in the transformation of LaGuardia Airport into a modern, global gateway that is worthy of the State of New York.

The next milestone for the new terminal is expected in 2020, when 100% of Terminal B passengers – nearly 15 million annually – will check in, pass through security screening and explore concessions in the new 820,000 square foot head house, under construction now.

When complete, the new Terminal B will include 1.3 million square feet of new space, as well as dual pedestrian bridges spanning active taxi lanes, a first in the world.

Elsewhere in the US, in November, the Hensel Phelps | Fentress Architects Progressive Design-Build Team was awarded the contract for the new $327 million expansion of the Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility at Nashville International Airport (BNA).

The project is the final part of the gateway’s multi-phase BNA Vision programme and will lead to the creation of a centralised marketplace between the Terminal Lobby’s new security screening checkpoint and international flights to “optimise service and the amenities available to international and domestic passengers”.

The Terminal Lobby renovation will have a new wave roof canopy extending from the terminal garage to the International Arrivals Facility, ultimately providing coverage for roadway and kerbside access to the terminal and the new pedestrian walkway bridge.

The pedestrian bridge connects the central core with the garage plaza, administration building, and future hotel promoting efficient passenger traffic flow.

SPECIAL REPORT: DESIGN & BUILD

A new, expanded and consolidated security screening checkpoint will include additional lanes to minimise wait times and expedite the security screening process. Other major elements include new concessions, airline club space and gates serving international flights.

Kirk Hazen, Hensel Phelps’ vice president/district manager, says: “We understand that every great landmark starts with a vision, and it’s our job to bring the BNA Vision to life with a comprehensive team approach that begins with innovative planning and extends throughout the entire life of the project.

“We approach every project ‘The Hensel Phelps Way,’ inspiring trust and confidence in everything we do. From the gate where passengers arrive, to the belt where their bags are delivered, our team works to make construction invisible, allowing Nashville visitors a positive first impression to the city.”

Hensel Phelps Construction Company and Fentress Architects have also formed a design-build collaboration to work on the much-needed interim gates facility at Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC).

According to the airport, the expansion will enhance flight scheduling flexibility, decrease delays, allow SJC to meet desired passenger service levels and support current operations and planned growth.

Connected to the Fentress-designed Terminal B on the south end, the budgeted $58 million facility will include five gates with passenger boarding bridges, a sixth gate position to be ground loaded, a 15,000-square-foot, 550-person hold room, and additional concession space.

Terminal B, completed in 2010 by the same team as part of SJC’s Terminal Area Improvement Program, was the first LEED Silver certified terminal in the United States.

Meanwhile construction of the new Salt Lake City International Airport has reached the halfway mark, with the Utah gateway’s planned $1.8 billion new terminal and South Concourse on schedule to open in 2020 as planned.

According to project architect HOK, the terminal will provide a new “uplifting travel experience” for passengers and a more flexible and operationally efficient facility for hub carrier Delta Air Lines to support the region’s growth.

It says that the design of the terminal will celebrate Utah’s natural beauty and reputation as an outdoor recreation hub as well as being built to last and withstand earthquakes.

Floor-to-ceiling glass is expected to provide expansive views of the airfield and iconic mountains in a move designed to create “an uplifting, cheerful ambiance”.

Finally, the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, and Holllywood actor, Danny Trejo, were among the guests of honour at November’s opening of the new-look Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The half-billion dollar, kerb-to-gate redevelopment showcases a new check-in area featuring all-new self-service ticket kiosks, an efficient nine-lane security checkpoint, new area for baggage claim, and what LAX operator, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), describes as an exciting new dining and retail destinations with state-of-the-art design.

Completion of the Terminal 1 redevelopment comes as part of LAWA’s multi-billion dollar Capital Improvement Program, considered the largest public works programme in history for the City of Los Angeles.

The Terminal 1 renovation is part of an overall LAX modernisation programme, which includes an Automated People Mover – an elevated train expected to be completed by 2023 – and is expected ultimately to create more than 121,000 construction-related jobs “Los Angeles is a city of dreamers and doers, and the reimagined Terminal 1 reflects the creativity at the heart of our great city,” said Mayor Garcetti.

“Working together with Southwest Airlines and our partners, what we have created is more than a terminal that connects passengers to flights – it’s a destination in its own right.”

The four-year, $516.7 million project created 3,475 construction jobs and completely refreshed the aging terminal, which was initially constructed in the early 1980s in advance of the 1984 Olympic Games.

The new and expanded Terminal 1 features a host of new dining and retail options that include local brands Urth Caffé, Cassell’s Hamburgers and Trejo’s Tacos courtesy of T1’s commercial manager, URW Airports.

“The new Terminal 1 reflects Los Angeles World Airports’ commitment to creating exceptional facilities and experiences for our guests,” enthused LAWA CEO, Deborah Flint. “The T1 modernisation has been a phenomenal effort by all partners at LAWA, Southwest, and URW Airports, and the results raise the bar for what guests can expect when they come to LAX.” The same project team is also working on the construction of Terminal 1.5, a connecting structure between Terminals 1 and 2 that will further expand baggage claim areas and offer Southwest customers connectivity to the new LAX automated people mover.

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Asia’s big build Asia-Pacific is the hottest place on the planet for airport development projects, writes Joe Bates.

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CI’s Asia-Pacific region remains the hottest ticket in town for infrastructure development with a number of new airports being built while existing gateways continue to add new facilities.

In fact, as ACI Asia-Pacific regional director, Patti Chau, revealed earlier this year, the region is the busiest place on earth for airport development projects with its gateways being responsible 48.5% of $500 billion global spend on upgrading existing airports and 57% of the $267 billion being invested on new airports.

China alone is set to raise its number of commercial airports from 229 today to 260 by 2020 and 400 by 2035 as part of its ‘Belt and Road’ initiative and India has set aside $2 billion for airport development over the next 15 years as it looks to make air travel affordable for its people and grow air links across the region.

Major new airports on the horizon include Vietnam’s $16.3 billion Long Thanh International Airport – see page 26 for more details – and New Manila Airport in The Philippines, which has a price-tag of $14 billion and is expected to open in 2025.

This article provides a snapshot of the latest development news from China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Singapore.

China China’s big build includes the construction of the $13.8 billion Beijing Daxing International Airport, which is set to be completed in 2019, and the opening of new state-of-the-art terminals at Yantai, Changsha-Huanghua, Hangzhou Xiaoshan and Xi’an Xianyang airports.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) recently announced that Beijing’s eagerly awaited new gateway, Daxing International Airport, will open on October 1, 2019.

Indeed, press reports in China quote CAAC’s head of administration, Feng Zhenglin, as saying that all the engineering projects associated with Beijing Daxing – including the construction of new road links – will be completed by the end of June 2019.

Located in Beijing’s Daxing district 60 kilometres south of Tiananmen Square, the new airport will eventually have seven runways and the capacity to handle over 100mppa, making it one of the largest airports in the world.

However, upon opening, Beijing Daxing will be equipped to handle 45mppa courtesy of four runways and a 700,000sqm terminal, which will have a three-mile long façade.

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The first planned expansion phase will raise that capacity to 72 million passengers per annum by 2025, and eventually over 100mppa to complement today’s existing Beijing Capital International Airport, which handled 95.8 million passengers in 2017.

In August, Hong Kong-based architectural, urban planning and interior design firm Lead8, was named as the lead designer for the commercial offerings in the new terminal.

Its project brief calls for the purposeful design of a new generation of workspaces, with integrated retail, dining and entertainment offerings. As a result, Lead8 insists that it has adopted “a creative and inspiring approach in handling of the spaces, while working in collaboration with the operators”.

It adds that the design will also accommodate “interactive” pet hotels, childcare facilities and hybrid online retail and dining as well as showroom for brands and companies for product launch and weekend activities.

Simon Chua, co-founder and CEO of Lead8, said: “The new airport is a preview of the shape of the cities of the future. Our future workspaces are influenced by the changing lifestyles of a new generation, as work, entertainment and the hospitality industry come together to create new opportunities.

“We hope this project will inspire future airport developments as there is a growing demand for quality workspaces with integrated natural environments, especially in Beijing.”

The terminal itself and an 80,000sqm Ground Transportation Centre have been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. A cavernous Central Atrium and six curved piers measuring up to 411 metres are key elements of the design of the terminal, which Zaha Hadid notes have been designed to be “extremely user-focused, efficient and adaptable for growth.”

China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines will be the main carriers at the airport, which will be a key component of a planned new “air transport-related economic zone”.

SPECIAL REPORT: DESIGN & BUILD And L&B has joined forces with the East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI) and the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Architectural Design & Research (ZIAD) to design the new terminal at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, currently China’s 10th busiest airport handling in excess of 31 million passengers per annum.

Myanmar

Elsewhere in China, Aedas spearheads the team that has been awarded the design and construction contract for Yantai International Airport Terminal’s new Terminal 2.

Its partners on the project include the China South West Architectural Design and Research Institute (CSWADI) and the New Era Airport Design Institute.

Scheduled to open in 2021, the new 167,000-square-metre building will be located south of existing Terminal 1 and is expected to be serving 23 million passengers annually by 2030.

And with a planned expansion to over 200,000 square metres, its capacity will rise to 34 million passengers per annum by 2040.

According to Aedas, the sweeping roof form of the terminal – which is the key project of the Phase 2 expansion of the airport – was inspired

by Yantai’s majestic Kunyu Mountain.

It notes: “Undulating skylights will bring light deep into the terminal’s Departures check-in and processing Halls. The concourses are arranged to form a long coastline, with generous bays for aircraft parking and circulation. Skylights over the concourses will guide passengers intuitively towards the departure gates.”

The expansion project for Yantai International Airport is vital to allow the region to meet rapidly increasing demand for air travel generated by the growing Yantai and Shandong economies.

Meanwhile, Landrum & Brown (L&B) is involved in the design of new terminals at Changsha Huanghua (CSX), Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) and Xi’an Xianyang (XIY) international airports.

In Hunan Province it has once again teamed up with CSWADI and the China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group (CREEGC) to design the planned new 500,000sqm Terminal 3 at Changsha Huanghua International Airport.

Designs by an L&B led team are also being used for the new 700,000sqm East Terminal and 400,000sqm Ground Transport Centre (GTC) at China’s eighth busiest gateway, Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, where it is being supported by the North West Design Institute, Chinese Architectural Design Institute and other specialists.

Myanmar’s Yangon International Airport (RGN) is to be further upgraded to better equip it to accommodate more traffic.

Operator, Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited (YACL), has also revealed that it is stepping up its marketing efforts in a bid to develop its international route network.

The announcements come despite the airport admitting that it is likely to close 2018 with the slowest growth rate in traffic for five years, +2.5% as it handled around six million passengers during the calendar year as opposed to the average 8.6% upturn of previous years.

“As the investor and operator of Myanmar’s main international airport, we have a responsibility to enhance infrastructure while striving to deliver a high level of safety, security and service,” says YACL’s CEO, Ho Chee Tong.

“Yangon is the gateway to Myanmar and it is important that we deliver an outstanding experience for tourists and business travellers.”

YACL took over YIA’s operation and management in October 2015 under a public-private partnership (PPP) tender from Myanmar’s Department of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The agreement is for 30 years of operation, with an option to renew for a further 20 years (10+10).

Recent new additions to the airport’s infrastructure include an Airport Operations Control Center (AOCC); revamped Apron A to allow eight positions for A320 and B737 aircraft or 10 positions for turboprops; two taxiways; 30 new check-in counters at T1; five new baggage claim belts; new lounges; and F&B outlets.

And over the next two to three years the airport plans to enhance its infrastructure with another parking apron capable of handling up to 13 Code C aircraft (Boeing 737); a new rapid exit taxiway; the construction of maintenance hangars and a new Fire-Rescue Station; and reconstruction of the old Terminal 2 to include technological upgrades.

Ho Chee Tong says: “We are committed to the continual development of Yangon International Airport. Beyond launching more routes and taking steps to improve our facilities and operations, we also plan to work with global airlines and tourism boards, too.

Today, YIA is served by 31 carriers – the latest new arrival being China’s Sichuan Airlines – which between them operate services to 29 international and 28 domestic destinations.

“We are committed to the continual development of YIA. Beyond launching more routes and taking steps to improve our facilities and operations, we plan to work with global airlines and tourism boards to drive growth for Myanmar’s leading airport,” he adds.

India Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has been chosen to design Terminal 1 and the ATC tower at Mumbai’s new international airport, which will be operated by the GVK-led Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL).

According to NMIAL, ZHA was selected after winning a challenging and intensive 12-week fast track design competition involving some of the world’s best international architecture firms.

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SPECIAL REPORT: DESIGN & BUILD

Commenting on the decision, Dr GVK Reddy, founder and chairman of GVK and chairman of NMIAL, said: “Our vision is to establish another landmark airport that would exceed the benchmarks that we have set at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport since the opening of Terminal 2.

“We are committed towards bringing the best global practices from the industry to design, engineer and build this most awaited airport project in India, and hence we decided to go with ZHA, a firm known for its path breaking and remarkable architecture. It also has the expertise of delivering a world class airport design through a highly professional team.”

GVK, through subsidiary Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL), holds a controlling 74% stake in NMIAL, which has signed a 30-year deal to operate the new airport.

Nepal Work has begun on the terminal buildings at Nepal’s planned new Pokhara International Airport, which is set to replace the city’s existing gateway in 2021.

Pokhara, located in western Nepal, is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations and the new airport – which will have separate domestic and international terminals – is expected to provide a major boost to tourism.

Nepali Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rabindra Adhikari, laid the foundation stone marking the start of construction of the terminal buildings, which are expected to be completed within a year.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the new airport will have a 10,000sqm international terminal and a 4,000sqm domestic terminal and initially be capable of handling up to one million passengers per annum.

Financed by a $215 million loan from the EXIM Bank of China and being constructed by China CAMC Engineering, Pokhara International Airport will be located three kilometres from the city’s existing gateway and also serve as an alternative gateway to Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport in the event of an emergency.

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Local papers quote Adhikari as stating that work on the airport’s 2.5-kilometre long runway capable of handling aircraft such as B737s, A320s and B757-200s would begin in August/September 2018.

“The works are moving ahead smoothly as per the set timetable, and the airport will be brought into operation by July 2021,” Adhikari is quoted as stating.

It is one of the three new international airports being built in Nepal, whose only international gateway today is in the capital city of Kathmandu.

Singapore Seletar Airport’s new S$80 million passenger terminal has received its Temporary Occupation Permit and is on track to open for business at the end of 2018.

The 10,000sqm terminal is designed to handle up to 700,000 passengers per annum and is six times the size of the facility it will replace.

According to operator, Changi Airport Group (CAG), the new terminal’s departure area will have four check-in counters, six immigration lanes, two security screening stations and a “spacious” gate holdroom capable of accommodating 200 passengers.

It says that check-in, immigration and security screening counters are positioned in an “intuitive straight route through the departure hall”, enabling quick and stress-free boarding process for passengers.

CAG adds that the terminal’s interiors are designed to create a relaxed and comfortable feeling for passengers, and that it will have dedicated areas for passengers travelling on business charter flights and private jets.

When the new terminal becomes operational, Firefly – currently operating 20 daily turboprop flights to and from Subang, Ipoh and Kuantan at Singapore Changi – will switch its operations to Seletar.

The move, says CAG, ensures the “optimisation of resources within Singapore’s entire aviation system, as aircraft movements at Changi continue to increase”.

Khoh Su Lim, associate general manager of Seletar Airport, says: “We look forward to providing passengers with a fresh experience, in terms of comfort and convenience, when the new terminal starts operations around the end of the year.”

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PASSENGER FACILITATION

Self-boarding gates at Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport ensure biometric kerb to gate journeys for LATAM Airline passengers. Image courtesy of Vision-Box.

NEXTT on the agenda

ACI World’s security, facilitation and IT director, Nina Brooks, tells us more about how the New Experience Travel Technologies (NEXTT) initiative can help shape the future of air travel.

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viation is on a journey towards a healthy and sustainable future. Air travel is as popular as ever, and the recent release of ACI World’s Annual World Airport Traffic Report reveals that all regions around the world experienced growth and collectively saw a 7.5% increase in passenger numbers compared to the year prior.

This growth trajectory shows no sign of slowing down, and new forms of transport are beginning to take shape, which is increasing the pressure on this century old industry to innovate and create.

But like all successful journeys, an intended heading is necessary at the onset. ACI and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have partnered to help set the course of this journey through industry collaboration and have created the New Experience Travel Technologies (NEXTT) initiative.

Anyone who is passionate about creating a future vision of air transport is invited to engage in this journey and offer their insight and expertise.

The intent of this article is to provide a better understanding of the current framework and ideas that have been driving NEXTT over the last year and a half.

NEXTT defined in today’s digital world Holistically, NEXTT isn’t a project and won’t create a product to be deployed to the masses. It also isn’t a standard on its own or even a recommended practice to follow promising success. It is,

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however, an initiative that allows us to challenge the ways in which we operate today and to create a new journey framework meeting the demands of tomorrow.

An initiative, by definition, is an introductory step or leading action, and in this case, it is leading us to acknowledge that the digital age is transforming our industry and will have a major impact on our future.

It is with this understanding that the NEXTT conversation has started to form around three emerging themes – off-airport activities; advanced processing; and interactive decision-making.

Each of these themes has taken on a unique form across the world of aviation and is creating promising results offering a glimpse into the future. Though these topics give us a great place to start, NEXTT is exploring much more and is embracing new and emerging technologies.

Digital transformation seeks to find a seamless flow through the airport by integrating systems and services, including those provided by partners such as the airlines, security, customs, concessions, ground handlers and air navigation service providers.

Today’s technologies can enable airports to do something that was unimaginable just a few years ago – deliver personalised and individual service to millions of passengers.

Consumer demands for great experiences enabled by digitalisation are forcing businesses in all sectors to re-evaluate their strategies and approach digital transformation in a new way, and aviation is no different.

PASSENGER FACILITATION

Emerging themes of NEXTT As mentioned, NEXTT has seen three themes that continually drive discussion about reimagining the travel journey. The first, off-airport activities, is bringing the travel journey to the passenger by taking the physical airport campus and its accompanying processes into the communities and in some instances, the homes of passengers.

Airports and airlines find value by addressing terminal capacity concerns and bringing added convenience and satisfaction to their mutual customer.

The second theme, advanced processing, is automating often hidden but critically important tasks of an airport operation. Examples include autonomous vehicles and robotics on the airfield, and automated passenger identity management.

Each of these helps maintain a safe space for all stakeholders to benefit from an efficient operation.

The last theme is interactive decision-making and the ability for airport and airlines to be proactive instead of reactive. This vital process is linking everything together with trusted, real-time data throughout the journey.

The use of predictive modelling and artificial intelligence will enable swifter real-time decisions using a wider array of data than could be performed by any human.

Next for NEXTT: How to engage There are already many projects and initiatives underway at ACI, IATA and, more broadly, in the industry that are piloting or implementing these concepts.

NEXTT brings together these findings into a single vision, ensuring that we are all steering in the same direction and can share innovations and findings between all aspects of the business, whether dealing with passengers, baggage, cargo or the aircraft itself.

The desire to innovate within aviation is apparent and can be quickly measured by the level of interest in NEXTT across industry and non-industry experts. Over a thousand participants have joined our last three webinars that have provided a useful platform to further expand on the emerging themes and foster useful discussion.

These webinars are part of an ongoing series and can be streamed on-demand or viewed live on their publication date.

Additionally, workshops and innovation boot camps have all formed around the NEXTT desire to build the journey of the future.

Join the conversation by showcasing how you are embracing the future by leveraging technology. NEXTT is actively seeking case studies and industry trials that are testing new ways to imagine the air transport experience. Let’s answer this question together, what does AW the future hold for air travel?

Join the discussion!

Twitter: #NEXTTjourney LinkedIn: Search for the ‘New Experience Travel Technologies’ group

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WBP NEWS

The hospitality business Founder and CEO of the Plaza Premium Group, Song Hoi-see, reflects on his company’s 20th anniversary and expanding business portfolio.

What gave you the idea to start your own independent pay-to-use airport lounge business?

The idea came from a personal need not being met. Twenty years ago lounges were only available to business and first-class passengers and, as an economy class traveller, I couldn’t use them. The idea actually sprung into my mind when I found myself sitting on the ground looking for an outlet to charge my laptop!

You started in 1998 with airport lounges in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. How many do you operate today?

Plaza Premium Group currently operates in over 160 locations across 42 airports. In terms of business developments in 2018, we opened lounges in Rome, Jakarta, Melbourne and Ahmedabad as well as our new Plaza Premium First concept in Hong Kong. The opening of a second location at Toronto Pearson will be followed by more openings across China, Europe and the US in 2019, which will include Helsinki and Denver airports.

How are you using new technology and ‘big data’ to raise the airport hospitality bar?

In this digital age, many companies in the aviation industry are using ‘big data’ to take customer service and customer interaction to the next level, and we are no exception. For us, it’s all about the ‘personalisation’ of our services. Everyone has different travel needs and it is important for us to identify and anticipate what travellers want.

While human interaction will never be replaced, it is important to invest in technology that will generate insight to improve customer engagement. One way we are collecting data to improve our service to passengers is through our travel reward programme, Arrture, which is free of charge to join. Gaining a better understanding of traveller’s experiential touchpoints, we develop an algorithm to anticipate their preferences based on their past behaviour and this allows us to tailor our products and services to ensure a better airport experience.

Is the company’s future inextricably linked with the giant on your doorstep, mainland China?

China has always been a key market for Plaza Premium Group and will continue to be so as it becomes one of the world’s largest aviation markets. We have been managing lounges in collaboration with partner airlines in China for years and have just opened China’s first Aerotel, our airport hotel concept, in Guangzhou. Apart from Aerotel, we have signed business agreements with a number of key airport hubs in China which include Shenzhen Bao’an, Qingdao Liuting, Beijing Capital and Zhengzhou Xinzheng.

How has your business evolved over the last 20 years?

There are two ways to business expansion and, as the pioneer of airport hospitality services, it is crucial for us to expand both laterally and horizontally. Since launching our first airport lounge in Hong

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Kong, we have developed and expanded the business model to include an Arrival and Plaza Premium First lounge – for travellers looking for a more refined experience – in Hong Kong, to building, managing and operating third party airline lounges for SkyTeam and Star Alliance and corporate lounges for AMEX and other clients.

Expanding horizontally requires understanding travellers ‘pain points’ and their behaviour in order to contribute to enhancing the airport eco-system. Developing Aerotel, the world’s first airport transit hotel chain; Allways, our VIP meet and greet service; Wellness salons; and our airport dining concepts (Root98, Terrace and TGM) are all services that have developed to suit evolving travel needs.

My vision has never changed, 20 years ago I wanted to make lounge access possible for the majority of people and each brand came to life by identifying traveller’s pain points and inefficiency gaps at airports. As the pioneer of global airport hospitality provider, it is crucial to bridge these inefficiency gaps and to work towards creating a seamless airport experience.

RUNNING WBP NEWS HEAD

The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners

Big and clever

Hamad International Airport (HIA) has announced the successful completion of the first major phase of its Smart Airport programme, which will enable Qatar Airways to process more than 25% of its passengers using self-service check-in and bag-drop facilities.

In partnership with SITA and CCM, the Doha located gateway has successfully commissioned 62 next-generation self-service check-in kiosks and 12 self-service bag drops that boast future biometric technology capability.

The kiosks are spread across the departures check-in hall and enable passengers to check-in, print boarding passes and bag tags; tag their bags; and drop them at the bag drop before proceeding to border control.

A mobile Automated Visa Document Check, which is the first of its kind in any major airport worldwide, has also been implemented which enables ground services agents to check a passenger’s visa documentation before continuing their journey.

HIA’s chief operating officer, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, remarked: “In line with our vision and strategic plan, we continue to invest in customer-centric innovative technology to provide a fast, seamless and enjoyable travel experience and be the airport of choice for our discerning customers.”

Texas HQ for Ferrovial’s US operation Ferrovial Airports, one of the world’s leading private airport investors and operators, has announced the opening of its US-based headquarters in Austin, Texas. The new office will allow Ferrovial to focus on its activity in the airport industry in North America and establish a strong local presence.

Ferrovial Airports has been part of the aviation industry since 1998 and has more than 20 years’ experience in investing, developing and operating 34 airports around the world.

It is currently the largest shareholder at Heathrow Airport, and has a 50% stake in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports in the UK. In addition, Ferrovial Airports leads Great Hall Partners, a partnership for the remodelling and commercial operation of the Great Hall in Denver International Airport’s Jeppesen Terminal.

The Denver deal includes a 34-year contract to manage and maintain the commercial operation of the Great Hall upon completion of the renovation. The Great Hall project broke ground in July 2018 and is slated for completion in late 2021.

“The US is a strategic growth market for Ferrovial Airports as we expect public private partnerships (P3s) to arise in the coming years,” says Jorge Gil, CEO for Ferrovial Airports.

“Establishing a US headquarters in Austin demonstrates our long-term commitment to the North American market.”

ICM Airport Technics Australia Location: Botany, NSW, Australia Contact: Tim Kotlar, general manager sales E: tim.kotlar@icm.aero W: www.icm.aero ICM Airport Technics is a global company that specialises in the provision of self-service baggage solutions for airports and airlines. Since 2009, ICM has led the way with the most comprehensive range of self-service bag drop products to suit a large range of client needs and budgets. Having processed more than 60 million bags worldwide, ICM is the established global leader in providing airports with either retro-fitted or replacement type Auto Bag Drop (ABD) units. As the name suggests, ICM’s mission is to continually develop innovation that creates movement. ICM operates globally with offices in Australia, France, Singapore, Japan, UK and the USA.

ProDIGIQ Location: Calabasas, CA, USA Contact: Samir Chada, director, business development E: samir.chada@prodigiq.com W: www.prodigiq.com Headquartered in California, with additional locations in the Netherlands, Mauritius and Mexico, ProDIGIQ is a technology company focusing on innovative products and services for airports. Our expertise is in operations management, safety management, lease management, maintenance management, flight information display, flight tracking, and mobile technology. With a pending patent, ProDIGIQ offers innovative products including Notice of Violation System, Operations Management System, Safety Management System, Lease Management System, Computerized Maintenance Management System, FIDS/BIDS/GIDS, Flight Tracker, and Mobile Apps/Websites.

Morten Beyer & Agnew Location: Arlington, VA, USA Contact: Anne Correa, director, airline and airport services E: acorrea@mba.aero W: www.mba.aero Morten Beyer & Agnew (MBA) helps leaders in all facets of the aviation industry solve some of their toughest problems and capture their greatest opportunities. MBA provides a wide range of valuation services for tangible and intangible assets. Recognised as a premier aviation consulting firm, MBA’s team brings over 150 years of combined industry experience to public and private clients.

MBA’s services include route development, traffic forecasting, market studies and airport valuations.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

PEOPLE

matters Lost in transit Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey provide their thoughts on wayfaring.

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avigating your way through an airport can be an anxiety provoking experience. It’s an activity often undertaken under less than ideal conditions – when we are tired, we have arrived late at night somewhere and the airport is deserted, or we have to rush to get another connection.

Even the most experienced of travellers, in the most well organised, well-established airports, can find it a challenge. Madrid Barajas, Paris CDG and Luton have all left members of our team confused in some way, resulting in difficulty in finding the way out, reaching our intended departure gate, and even missing a connection. That may tell more about us than the airports, but it shows that the problem remains a real one.

How can airports help us with questions such as “Where exactly am I?”; “What direction am I facing (so I don’t start walking the wrong way)?” or “How long will it take to get through security, so I don’t miss my connection?”

Wayfaring has been a challenge for centuries. The Romans in Britain solved the problem by inventing the milestone, a stone column placed at regular intervals along the long straight roads from London. In Ireland, informal conversation was the traditional folklore solution. “Go up the Dublin road to the pub at the crossroads and turn right.

When you are about half a mile up the road, just past the turning on the right turn left. If you cross over a bridge then you have gone too far!”

Signs are a more recent innovation.

Airport signs should be provided at key decision points, where the traveller has to make a choice. If symbols are

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used, they should be universally understood. Arrows should clearly point in the right direction and continue to the final destination and not mysteriously disappear midway through the route. There should be a primary path through the airport which is intrinsically obvious.

Best practice means good design.

An example of designing with the passenger in mind is Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Clear, unobstructed lines of sight, angled service desks which encourage people to move the right way, wellstructured paths, landmarks to provide orientation cues and clear signage all help nudge passengers in the right direction.

But even these steps aren’t always enough as airports get bigger and the variety of passengers increases. Placing shopping malls along the route may be good for the retailer but can be a source of disorientation and confusion for someone who just want to get to gate B98.

Airport concierge services which help people to their destination are increasing in popularity. And expect to see more mobile phone ‘airport map apps’ which guide people through the airport.

In the meantime, everyone who works in an airport can play a big part in helping passengers find their way. If you see someone who appears lost or disoriented, ask them if they need assistance. The human touch makes a difference.

We wish you happy orienting in 2019. Get to the airport early, follow the signs, and don’t get too distracted by the shopping!

AIRPORT WORLD/DECEMBER 2018-JANUARY 2019

Airports Company South Africa has appointed Bongiwe Mbomvu as acting CEO while it searches for a replacement for Bongani Maseko, who left the company at the end of November. ACSA noted that Maseko’s leadership had been vital to significant achievements such as the development of Durban’s King Shaka International Airport and infrastructure expansion at other airports.

US airport CEOs Rochelle Cameron (Philadelphia), Deborah Flint (Los Angeles World Airports) and Ricky Smith (Baltimore/Washington) have been elected to the Board of Directors of the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC).

Cameron said: “I am thrilled to be part of the important work AMAC is doing for minorities and women.”

Mark VanLoh is the new CEO of Jacksonville Aviation Authority. The Florida airport operator owns and manages Jacksonville International Airport and three general aviation gateways. VanLoh most recently served as president and CEO of Tulsa Airport Authority but is probably best for his 12 year stint as head of the Kansas City Aviation Department. He has replaced the retiring Steve Grossman.

London Luton Airport (LLA) has promoted planning and investment director, Alberto Martin, to the position of CEO with immediate effect. He replaces Nick Barton who has become the new chief executive of Birmingham Airport.

Australia’s Sunshine Coast Airport has named Andrew Brodie as its new CEO, replacing veteran Peter Pallot, who retired at the end of 2018.

Aberdeen International Airport in the UK has confirmed the appointment of Steve Szalay as its new managing director. A graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Szalay has held a number of senior executive roles within the aviation sector including positions with UK airline Jet2.com and global ground handling company, dnata.

Rob Holden is the new chairman of London City Airport and will lead the Board and oversee the gateway as it continues its £500 million development programme. He replaces Sir Terry Morgan who left to become chairman of HS2.

About the authors Dr Richard Plenty is managing director of This Is… and runs the ACI World Airport Human Resources programme. Terri Morrissey is chairperson of This Is… and CEO of the Psychological Society of Ireland.

Contact them through info@thisis.eu

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