The official publication of ACI Asia-Pacific www.aci-asiapac.aero
IT innovation Focus on: IT innovation In the spotlight: Hong Kong International Airport
Issue 1, 2019 www.aci-apa.com
Design & Build: Van Don & Chengdu Tianfu Plus: Retail/F&B enhancements & Industry news
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ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS MAGAZINE
CONTENTS
Asia-Pacific Airports Issue 1, 2019
6 View from the top
18 In demand
Regional director, Patti Chau, reflects on the important advocacy role of ACI and looks ahead to another busy and exciting year for the Asia-Pacific region.
8 Regional news A snapshot of some of the biggest news stories from across the region.
12 ACI news
Senior manager for external affairs, Vivian Fung, reports on the latest ACI news, views and developments from the busy Asia-Pacific region and across the world.
CEO, Fred Lam, talks to Joe Bates about Hong Kong International Airport’s plans to grow its cargo facilities and services, infrastructure development and coping with rising demand.
28 Focusing on the passenger
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Sarah Samuel, Amadeus’ head of airport IT for Asia-Pacific, argues that the adoption of a common vision on new passenger- enabling technology will help airports address the challenge of rising demand.
33 Beating the queues New SITA report confirms that journey smoothing technology makes people happy. www.aci-apa.com
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CONTENTS 34 Turning to technology
43 Buy and fly
Pragma’s Alex Avery takes us through the impact of digitalisation on airport retail and what this potentially means for the future of shopping and dining at the world’s gateways.
38 Always learning
Kevin Riordan, head of airports and checkpoint solutions at Smiths Detection, considers how artificial intelligence can help airport security.
40 Three is the magic number
Van Don International Airport, Vietnam’s impressive new gateway to Halong Bay, was one of three major new pieces of infrastructure to open on the same day in Quang Ninh province, writes Joe Bates.
Asia-Pacific Airports (APA) www.aci-apa.com Editor Joe Bates joe@aci-apa.com +44 (0)1276 476582 Design, Layout & Production Mark Draper mark@aci-apa.com +44 (0)208 707 2743
APA Issue 1, 2019
Published by Aviation Media Ltd PO BOX 448, Feltham, TW13 9EA, UK Managing Director Jonathan Lee jonathan@aci-apa.com +44 (0)208 707 2743 Advertising Manager Jonathan Lee jonathan@aci-apa.com +44 (0)208 707 2743
Joe Bates rounds-up some of the latest retail/F&B news, views and reviews from across the busy Asia- Pacific region.
46 Design & Build: Chengdu Tianfu
Chengdu’s $11 billion second airport is set to open early next decade and transform air travel to the region.
48 Industry news News, views and reviews from ACI’s regional and global World Business Partners.
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Asia-Pacific Airports (APA) is published four times a year for the members of ACI Asia-Pacific. The opinions and views expressed in APA are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an ACI policy or position. 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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VIEWPOINT
VIEW FROM THE TOP Regional director, Patti Chau, reflects on the important advocacy role of ACI and looks ahead to another busy and exciting year for the Asia-Pacific region.
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he year started early for ACI with the first big industry event of 2019, the inaugural Global Aviation Summit in Mumbai – organised by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in conjunction with ACI, IATA and CANSO – held in mid-January. The key context for discussion at the event was that the global demand for air services continues to grow rapidly. According to ACI World Airport Traffic Forecasts 2018-2040, India is expected to be the second fastest growing country with more than 50 million passengers per annum from 2017-2040 with 6.8% growth. ACI believes that the Indian government’s move to pursue further private investment in airport development will better enable the country to respond to the growing demand for air services. Speaking at the event, ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, said: “In order for India to cope with surging demand in air transport, a clear plan for building critical aviation infrastructure is required. With that in mind, it is good to see that the Indian government has moved to undertake a second phase of privatisation. “Existing airport infrastructure in the country, and in many mature markets APA Issue 1, 2019
worldwide, will not be able to handle the expected growth, so substantial investment is required, soon, to allow the aviation industry to meet growing demand. “ACI’s evidence-based Policy Brief on creating fertile grounds for private investment, confirms that airport privatisation has proven to be an important generator of value for the passenger in terms of providing for new and improved infrastructure.” Indeed, private investment in airports around the world has been crucial in improving the customer experience, and airports are placing a greater emphasis on this in business planning. India’s development of a clear plan for attracting private capital to build aviation infrastructure and its investments to improve the passenger experience are actions that will improve the competitiveness of the Indian transportation system at the global level. The Mumbai event also gave ACI the opportunity to hold a series of productive meetings with MoCA, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India, and airport
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WORKING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION One of the missions of ACI is to promote the collective interests of the world’s airports and the communities they serve, and to promote professional excellence in airport operations and management. As a result, ACI is actively involved in ICAO meetings to ensure that the interests of airports are represented and taken into account. In December, I had the privilege of speaking at the Second ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summit, which was held in Shenzhen, China. The subject matter is something that is close to ACI’s heart as the international aviation community is aware that the industry faces an anticipated shortage of skilled professionals in the near future. In order to address this important issue, ICAO launched the NGAP initiative to ensure that there are enough qualified and competent aviation professionals available in the future to operate, manage and maintain the international air transport system. In essence, the summits aims to unite the aviation community, education and labour sectors to address strategies and actions for engaging, educating and retaining the next generation of aviation professionals, and to establish partnerships for the implementation of these actions. I took the opportunity to share ACI’s views on the challenges the potential future skills shortage poses to airports and highlighted the need for greater employer branding to attract young professionals and more women to the aviation industry.
APEX IN SAFETY In pursuit of promoting best practices in safety, security and the environment, ACI has a suite of Airport Excellence (APEX) programmes. Launched in 2012, the APEX in Safety programme brings together the airport
community to provide assistance and advice to airports, and has drawn strong interest from the membership and international organisations, including ICAO, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, the European Commission and the World Bank. We are extremely proud to announce that ACI recently delivered the 100th Airport Excellence (APEX) in Safety Review in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The programme promotes best safety practices in airport operations, utilising the expertise and co-operation of the airport community. As a result, Abu Dhabi International Airport became the 100th airport to receive an international delegation of safety experts, generously made available by the programme’s ‘safety partners’, who conducted a full review with the airport. The 100 safety reviews were conducted with participation from 323 safety assessors from 94 Safety Partner airports around the world. I know I can count on your continued support, not only on APEX in Safety, but also APEX in Security and APEX in Environment.
DNA SEMINARS ACI’s Developing Nations Assistance (DNA) Assistance Programme with its objective of supporting member airports in developing countries, also continues to have an impact on the region. Indeed, last year saw the successful delivery of five DNA seminars in Asia-Pacific, the most recent of which was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in co-operation with Cambodia Airports. Looking forward, we will further raise the bar by scheduling six DNA seminars in 2019 on a variety of topics, the first of which will be on ‘Management of Aviation Security’ and take place in Hong Kong alongside the ACI Asia-Pacific/World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition. I wish everyone a very prosperous year ahead and I look forward to your continued support in 2019 so that together, we can become stronger as the voice of the AsiaPacific airports community.
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members to discuss topics such as Airport Service Quality (ASQ) and privatisation.
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SECTION NEWS TITLE YANGON READY FOR NEXT STEP IN ITS DEVELOPMENT Myanmar’s Yangon International Airport (YIA) is to be further upgraded to better equip it to accommodate more international traffic. Operator, Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited (YACL), has also revealed that it is stepping up its marketing efforts in a bid to develop the airport’s international route network. A total of six million passengers passed through YIA in 2018 (+2.5%), which is the busiest of Myanmar’s three (Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw) international airports. “We are confident that, in partnership with all the relevant stakeholders in the tourism industry, the community and the Myanmar government, 2019 tourist air passenger traffic will surpass that of 2018,” said YACL’s CEO, Ho Chee Tong. “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. YIA 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 tender from Myanmar’s Department of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
HYDERABAD AIRPORT CITY SECURES NEW ANCHOR TENANT Hyderabad-Rajiv Gandhi International Airport’s airport city plans have been boosted by Safran’s decision to build a 13,000sqm plant on its property which it will use to manufacture parts for aircraft engines. It will use the plant to manufacture parts for the LEAP turbofan engine produced by CFM International – a 50/50 joint company between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE. Safran has also signed an agreement to produce LEAP engine harnesses in a 4,000sqm facility to be delivered by GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ Limited (GHASL), a part of Hyderabad Airport City and a 100% subsidiary of airport operator GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL). APA Issue 1, 2019
GBS Raju, business chairman for airports for the GMR Group, said: “This agreement not only gives us an opportunity to develop the state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility for the company, but also a prospect to contribute to the Telangana State government’s aggressive efforts towards turning Hyderabad into India’s new aerospace and defence manufacturing destination.” GHIAL’s planned Hyderabad Airport City will include dedicated zones for business, health, education, fun, logistics and aerospace. Within these zones there will be a convention centre, commercial office space, business parks, a “big box retail and lifestyle experience destination centre” and a GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park for which Safran will be an anchor tenant.
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NEW BRAND FOR DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Dubai Airports has unveiled a new brand for Dubai International Airport (DXB) that it says signifies the company’s transition from airport operator to a consumer led firm “committed to making the world’s busiest international airport, the world’s best”. The brand launch event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports; and Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. According to Dubai Airports, the new brand embodies the unique values of its home city, demonstrating unmatched hospitality, a culture of vibrant imagination, openness to new ideas, and a mesmerising mosaic of exciting and inspiring experiences. Griffiths enthuses: “We are proud to launch the new DXB brand to reflect the fresh direction and truly transform DXB into the airport of the future, one that is led by a more customer-centric approach, that incorporates the hospitality, excitement, warmth and true spirit of Dubai. “The new brand represents the ways in which we connect the world, not only by physically facilitating access to over 220 destinations around the world, but by transporting our customers through their experience of different cultures, food, music and art. This is what DXB, Dubai and the UAE are all about, and what our new brand will represent moving forward.”
COMMERCIAL ENHANCEMENT AT CHONGQING JIANGBEI Changi Airports International (CAI) has established a new company to oversee the development of non-aeronautical operations at China’s Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. Its partner in the project, Chongqing Airport Group, will hold a 51% stake in the newly created Chongqing Airport Commercial Management Co Ltd. CAI, which holds a 49% interest in the new joint venture, is the international investment arm of Singapore Changi operator, Changi Airport Group (CAG). According to CAI, the agreement will cover enhancing the commercial landscape at the Chinese gateway by introducing “experiential concepts” that promote a sense of place, as well as new product categories and brands,
to meet the changing preferences of passengers and visitors to the airport. The new company will also manage Chongqing Jiangbei’s CIP facilities, car park, advertising in the terminals and Ground Transport Centre. CAI’s CEO, Lim Liang Song, says: “Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is a major aviation hub for airlines in Western China, and we are honoured to be able to play a part in defining its commercial experience. “The joint venture is affirmation of our good working relationship with the airport and its trust in our capabilities, which started in 2008 when they appointed CAI to consult on the commercial development of one of its terminal.” www.aci-apa.com
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NEWS
THE FUTURE IS GREEN ACI Asia-Pacific has once again recognised the ‘outstanding’ environmental achievements of nine airports in its annual Green Airports Recongition awards programme. Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport received the top ‘Platinum’ award in the Over 45 million passengers per annum category, followed by Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji (Gold) and Hong Kong (Silver). Taoyuan International Airport (Platinum) triumphed in the 10 to 45 million passengers per annum category, ahead of Sydney (Gold) and Hyderabad–Rajiv Gandhi (Silver). While Adelaide (Platinum), Al Bateen Executive Airport (Gold), and Nadi (Silver) were the winners in the Under 10 million passengers per annum category.
This year’s judging panel included Manchester Metropolitan University’s senior lecturer in environmental management, Christopher Paling, and environmental consultant, Dr Panagiotis Karamanos. Karamanos notes: “Given the dire predictions about climate change, it is truly encouraging that many airports in Asia-Pacific are undertaking innovative and effective initiatives.” ACI Asia-Pacific’s regional director, Patti Chau, says: “I would like to congratulate every airport that made the shortlist. Each participating airport is committed to continually improving their environmental performance and sharing the best green airport practice within our industry. “Our panel of judges had the difficult task of selecting from many outstanding submissions that have proposed innovative solutions.”
INVERCARGILL SET TO GET NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST DIGITAL ATC TOWER New Zealand’s first remotely operated digital air traffic control tower is a step closer to reality following the award of a contract to global technology provider, Frequentis, to develop a digital system for Invercargill Airport. It has been awarded the contract by air navigation services provider, Airways, which is pursuing digital tower technology as a national alternative to conventional towers to enhance aviation safety, improve weather resiliency and provide extended levels of service to New Zealand’s regions. “A digital tower at Invercargill Airport is the first step in our journey to modernise the way we provide air traffic services at airports,” says Airways general manager of air traffic services, Tim Boyle. “We’re excited about the safety and efficiency advantages the technology offers to the airport, airlines, and ultimately travellers.” Airways and Frequentis will work in partnership to deploy the digital system in Invercargill. It is due to go live in 2020 and will be operated at first by controllers based at the airfield, before later moving to a centralised hub providing services to a number of regional locations. Invercargill Airport’s general manager, Nigel Finnerty, enthuses: “As Southland’s gateway to the world, Invercargill Airport is a growing regional airport and we’re pleased to be leading the introduction of digital air traffic control into New Zealand. “Digital towers will help to future-proof our airport operations, ensuring we’re able to safely and efficiently meet the ongoing needs of all those who fly here.” APA Issue 1, 2019
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Regional update Senior manager for external affairs, Vivian Fung, reports on the latest ACI news, views and developments from the busy Asia-Pacific region and across the world.
ACI’S GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO GROW Airports continue to lead the way in the aviation industry’s efforts to reduce its impact on the environment, the latest figures from ACI revealing that 259 airports now use its Airport Carbon Accreditation programme to manage and reduce their carbon footprint. In January 2019, 53 airports across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific were carbon accredited with a magnificent six achieving carbon neutral status – Bengaluru Kempegowda, Delhi-Indira Gandhi, Hyderabad–Rajiv Gandhi and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji in India; Sunshine Coast in Australia; and Amman-Queen Alia in Jordan. The six, which have achieved Level 3+ ‘Neutrality’ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, currently account for 5.3% of air passenger traffic in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan’s Tokyo Narita, Kansai and Osaka Airports and Taoyuan International Airport in APA Issue 1, 2019
Chinese Taipei recently moved up to Level 3 ‘Optimisation’ by stepping up their activities from reducing their own carbon emissions and engaging other companies on the airport site to reduce their emissions. While Asia-Pacific airports to recently move up to Level 2 ‘Reduction’ include Noumea la Tontouta in New Caledonia and Salahah Airport in Oman. At the opposite end of the scale, AsiaPacific airports that were carbon accredited for the first time in 2018 included VINCI Airports operated Kobe Airport in Japan at Level 2 ‘Reduction’ and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in China and the four Airports Authority of India operated gateways of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport, Bhubaneswar Biji Patnail Airport, Varanasi Lal Bhadaur Shastri Airport and Trivandrum International Airport, which all achieved Level 1 ‘Mapping’ status.
September 2-5 ACI Customer Experience Global Summit Bali, Indonesia
October 30-31 The Trinity Forum Doha, Qatar
2019
2019
November 26-28 April 2-4 ACI Airport Exchange ACI Asia-Pacific/World Abu Dhabi, UAE Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition Hong Kong
ACI ASIA-PACIFIC BOARD PRESIDENT
Seow Hiang Lee* (Changi Airport Group Pte Ltd, Singapore)
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Emmanuel Menanteau* (Kansai Airports, Japan)
SECOND VICE PRESIDENTS
Kjeld Binger* (Airport International Group, Jordan) Fred Lam* (Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong)
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni* (Oman Airports Management Company, Oman)
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid** (GMR Airports Limited, India)
REGIONAL BOARD DIRECTORS
Badr Mohammed Al-Meer (Hamad International Airport, Qatar) HE Ali Salim Al Midfa (Sharjah Airport Authority, UAE) Gholam Hossein Bagherian (Iran Airports & Air Navigation Company, Iran) Il-Young Chung (Incheon International Airport Corporation, Korea) Geoff Culbert* (Sydney Airport, Australia)
Eric Delobel (Cambodia Airports, Cambodia)
Chang-Wan Son (Korea Airports Corporation, Korea)
Faiz Khan (Fiji Airports, Fiji)
Sasisubha Sukontasap* (Airports of Thailand Public Co Ltd, Thailand)
Xue Song Liu* (Beijing Capital International Airport Co Ltd, China) Guruprasad Mohapatra (Airports Authority of India, India) ACK Nair (Cochin International Airport Limited, India) Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, Malaysia) Futoshi Osada (Narita International Airport Corporation, Japan) Yun Qin (Shanghai Airport Authority, China)
Kejian Zhang (Guangdong Airport Authority, China)
REGIONAL BOARD DIRECTOR (WBP)
Greg Fordham (Airbiz Aviation Strategies Pty Ltd, Australia)
SPECIAL ADVISORS
Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah (Bahrain Airport Company, Bahrain) SGK Kishore (GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, Hyderabad, India) * WGB member **Regional Advisor on WGB
The ACI Asia-Pacific region represents 110 members operating 589 airports in 49 countries and territories in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. www.aci-apa.com
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EVENTS 2019 2019
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SECTION ACI ASIA-PACIFIC TITLE NEWS REGIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING IN ABU DHABI
The ‘Learning and Development’ (L&D) theme of the final 2018 meeting of the Regional Human Resources (HR) Committee helped draw a crowd of 40 participants from 15 airport members to Abu Dhabi in December. Held at the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS) and hosted by Abu Dhabi Airports, the three-day meeting involved two days of talks and learning and a day visiting Abu Dhabi International Airport and downtown Abu Dhabi. Specifically, in the first two days, participants took part in consultant-led group discussions, exercises and debates on ‘e-Learning’ and the ‘70-20-10’ HR principle. A group exercise focused on
WELCOME ABOARD ACI Asia-Pacific now represents 110 airport members, operating 589 airports in 49 countries/territories following the addition of Kazakhstan’s Almaty International Airport JSC and Astana International Airport. Kazakhstan is geographically the largest country in Central Asia and home to the APA Issue 1, 2019
improving the business value of learning and development (L&D) and encouraged participants to play different stakeholder roles, ranging from young graduates to the airport CFO, so that they could view L&D from another perspective. The group also exchanged best practices based on presentations by committee members from Abu Dhabi Airports, Cambodia Airports, Bahrain Airport and Oman Airports. On the third day, Abu Dhabi Airports arranged a visit to the Midfield Terminal Building in the morning and city tour in the afternoon to conclude the meeting. The next meeting will be held on April 1, 2019, in conjunction with the ACI Asia-Pacific/ World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition in Hong Kong. multi award-winning airline Air Astana, which counts Almaty as its base and Astana as its secondary hub. ACI Asia-Pacific is pleased to welcome the two airport operators to our association, and we look to further enhancing cooperation with the aviation community in Central Asia.
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NEW DRONE ADVISORY
ACI World has published an Advisory Bulletin to help airports address the risks posed by drone-related disruption to aircraft operations. ACI World believes that, while regulators and police will likely be the authority in addressing both enforcement and the preparation of anti-drone measures, all industry stakeholders must work with the relevant agencies to take action to protect the safety of aircraft operations. The recent disruption caused by the reported drone sightings at London Gatwick Airport – and recent temporary cessation of some operations at London Heathrow Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport following reported sightings of a drone – are the most widely-publicised of a series of incidents which have created debate about the best approach to preparing for, and dealing with, drone-related issues. ACI’s latest Advisory Bulletin proposes that airports lead the discussion and work closely with national authorities and local law enforcement agencies to develop a risk-based approach to dealing with the risks of drone incursions. This approach should take into account the impact on aircraft operations and available mitigation measures including anti-drone actions. “The recent drone-related disruption at airports in Europe, and their potential impact on airport safety and operations, have raised significant questions for airport operators around the world on their preparedness to handle situations like this,” says ACI World director general, Angela Gittens. “The highest authority for enforcement activities and initiating anti-drone measures will clearly be the relevant national authority, such as the Civil Aviation Authority in the case of the UK, and local law enforcement agencies. APA Issue 1, 2019
“It is incumbent on all industry stakeholders, however, to take action to protect the safety of aircraft operations in co-ordination with these agencies. Airport operators should be aware of national laws and regulations pertaining to drones, with an understanding that these may reside outside of civil aviation.” The Advisory Bulletin lays out actions that an airport could take to lead the discussion with governments, regulators and law enforcement agencies to strengthen anti-drone measures and mitigations; they include: • Co-ordinating with national authorities on the creation of bylaws governing the operation of drones in the vicinity of the airport • Identifying geographic boundaries of “No Drone Zones” (no fly zones for drones) on and in the vicinity of the airport, especially approach and take-off flight paths • Reviewing assessment of the security risks associated with the malicious use of drones as part of the airport Security Risk Assessment • Establishing means to suppress/neutralise unauthorised drones within the airport boundary especially adjacent to runways and flight paths, and agreeing which agency is responsible for areas outside the airport boundary or not on the airport operator; and • Establishing a Concept of Operations and Standard Operating Procedure for anti-drone measures based on advice from the national authorities. ACI World has requested that members share their experience and lessons learnt on anti-drone measures and drone related incidents so that relevant practices can be adopted across the industry.
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DNA SEMINAR IN CAMBODIA
The fifth and final DNA seminar of 2018 was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in early December in co-operation with Cambodia Airports. The three-day seminar on the topic of ‘Understanding ICAO Annex 14, was attended by 17 airport representatives from Cambodia, the Cook Islands, India, Malaysia and Myanmar. It covered a host of issues related to regulatory requirements, navigation aids and
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TRAFFIC GROWTH CONTINUES
Preliminary figures for 2018 show that passenger traffic in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East grew by +6.6% and +2.1% respectively during the calendar year. The year started off with robust passenger demands but growth trends began easing throughout the second half of 2018. In Asia-Pacific, most of the growth continued to be generated in China and India. Indeed, the two countries together contributed more than 60% of the upturn in traffic across the region. In the Middle East, passenger traffic growth showed a larger degree of volatility, trending downwards as demands softened. Beijing Capital cemented its status as the region’s biggest gateway, handling over 100 million passengers per annum for the first time in its history. Its total of 100,983,000 (+5.4%) means that only Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US welcomes more passengers.
For the year 2018, air freight in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East grew marginally at +2.4% and +0.1% respectively. Both regions experienced a slowdown in the second half of the year, as witnessed in December, when cargo volumes in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East declined by -2.5% and -0.9% respectively due to the weakened global economy and a reduction in exports and manufacturing activities. Uncertainties resulting from trade disputes and a slower global economy didn’t help in the final six months of 2018, although these negatives were countered by growth in the e-commerce and pharmaceutical sectors. The impact and uncertainties of the trade war between China and the US will continue to cast a shadow over the air freight demands in 2019.
emergency planning under the guidance of the instructor, Mohd Zubir Mohd Meerah, Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad’s senior manager for technical excellence, planning, development and compliance division. An airside visit to Phnom Penh International Airport also helped participants gain a understanding of the different aspects of airport operations.
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONG KONG
In demand ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS MAGAZINE
CEO, Fred Lam, talks to Joe Bates about Hong Kong International Airport’s plans to grow its cargo facilities and services, infrastructure development and coping with rising demand.
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ith a record 74.7 million passengers passing through Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in 2018, it is easy to forget that it is actually the world’s biggest cargo airport and has been for nearly a decade, handling in excess of five million tonnes of freight per annum. While last year’s total of 5.1 million tonnes was only 1.5% up on 2017, the total meant that the airport handled an incredible one million more tonnes in 2018 than it did in 2013. Or, put another way, HKIA’s freight figures have soared by 25% in five years. The world’s next biggest cargo airports in terms of cargo volumes are FedEx world hub Memphis International Airport (MEM), which handled 4.47 million tonnes in 2018, followed by Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Incheon (ICN) and Dubai (DXB) which accommodated over 4 million, 2.9 million and 2.64 million tonnes respectively last year. APA Issue 1, 2019
So, HKIA remains the biggest air cargo gateway on the planet by quite some margin, but operator, Airport Authority Hong (AAHK), is clearly not taking things for granted as two recent developments testify. In December, AAHK and the Alibaba Group confirmed their commitment to working together to jointly build a global smart logistics network to foster more inclusive trade. And earlier this year, HKIA and Brussels Airport announced the launch of an airport-to-airport pharma corridor to meet the needs of pharmaceutical shipments.
KEY CARGO DEVELOPMENTS
The Alibaba Group collaboration entails the creation of a premium logistics centre on a 5.3-hectare site at Kwo Lo Wan in the South Cargo Precinct of HKIA. Set to open in 2023, the complex will be built and operated by Cainiao Network – the logistics arm of the Alibaba Group – and, according to AAHK, will be future-
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONG KONG
proofed with high design specifications for large-scale, cutting-edge robotics and automation as well as temperaturecontrolled features. AAHK CEO, Fred Lam, confirms that the airport wants to establish “a world-class digital logistics centre in Asia” that serves the fast-growing global cross border e-commerce trade and strengthens Hong Kong’s international competitiveness. In response to why this is important for the airport, he says: “The centre is anticipated to become a smart hub in Asia, reinforcing the cargo leadership position of HKIA. “This also aligns with our overall cargo development strategy to capture opportunities arising from increased cross-border e-commerce and related businesses, as well as the growth in the logistics business related to temperature-controlled products such as pharmaceuticals.” Talking of pharmaceuticals, earlier this year HKIA and Brussels Airport announced the launch of an airport-to-airport pharma corridor to meet the growing demand for pharmaceutical shipments.
Both airports have attained IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) Certification by community approach, which guarantees that airport cargo service providers adhere to high standards in handling pharmaceutical shipments. AAHK’s general manager for aviation logistics, Alaina Shum, says: “We are pleased to collaborate with Brussels Airport, Europe’s key air cargo hub for handling pharmaceutical shipments, to establish this A2A pharma corridor. “It marks another milestone in our continuous endeavours to make Hong Kong a preferred pharmaceutical trans-shipment hub and to strengthen our status as the world’s busiest cargo airport. “Moreover, to ensure airport-wide seamless temperature-controlled handling, we are taking delivery of 19 additional cool dollies for common-use by the airlines, meaning that all airlines will always have the option to deploy cool dollies for their temperature-sensitive shipments. “We are also building apron shelters to protect the pharmaceutical shipments from direct weather elements.” www.aci-apa.com
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONG KONG
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
With traffic rising to almost 75 million passengers (+2.5%) and 5.1 million tonnes of cargo in 2018, and forecasts predicting that these figures will exceed 100 million passengers and nine million tonnes respectively by 2030, the need for HKIA to open a host of new facilities over the next decade just to cope with demand needs little explanation. By far and away the biggest project underway today is the $18.2 billion (HK$141.5bn) Three-Runway System (3RS) programme, which involves the construction of a third runway and associated taxiways, third runway passenger building and an apron on 650 hectares of reclaimed land; the expansion of the existing Terminal 2; a new Automated People Mover (APM) system; additional baggage handling system, and more. The third runway is scheduled to open in 2022, and when the whole system is operational in 2024 – ongoing works will force the original north runway to close for two years after the third runway opens – the airport will be capable of accommodating around 600,000 aircraft movements per annum. The new 280,000 square-metre, 57-gate terminal – located north of the existing Terminal 1 and connected to an expanded Terminal 2 by a 2,600-metre long Automated People Mover (APM) system – is scheduled to open in 2024. APA Issue 1, 2019
The airport’s existing Terminal 1 is also being upgraded and expanded over the next two to three years to ensure that its facilities are on a par with those in the new buildings. Indeed, when finished, the new more passenger-friendly T1 will have 48 additional check-in counters and two new baggage reclaim carousels, its own central courtyard with an outdoor garden, a host of new retail outlets and new self-service technologies such as self-boarding e-gates designed to create a smooth and hasslefree airport experience. AAHK actually describes the planned upgrade as a “refreshing revamp” that will transform the look, feel and ambiance of the terminal. A key part of project will be dividing the entire boarding area into 12 feature zones with different themes. These will include an ‘entertainment and technology’ zone showcasing digital games and movies; an interactive ‘kids-friendly’ zone where children can play; and a ‘leisure’ zone, which among other things will provide a host of comfortable seating areas and greenery where visitors can relax in a quiet environment. Lam says: “Other changes to T1 will include the revamp of the binnacles and cabins to make the entire terminal more luminous; the main F&B area at the East Hall will provide more cuisine choices and more seats in a more spacious environment; and over 100 toilets will undergo a make-over from this year.
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONG KONG “It will take us three to four years to finish everything, but when it’s done, the interior of T1 will look totally different and like a new terminal.” Terminal 1 will be connected to the North Satellite Concourse (NSC) by an eye catching new 200-metre long SkyBridge over the airfield, scheduled to open in early 2020. The lofty new addition will save up to 400 bus journeys a day between T1 and the NSC and provide passengers with a brand new experience when travelling between the two complexes. The air-conditioned footbridge will boast its own restaurant and bar and provide spectacular views of the airport. And at 28 metres above the ground, SkyBridge will be high enough for an A380 to pass under it. “SkyBridge will be a cool new addition to the airport that I believe will quickly become one of our most popular attractions,” promises Lam.
AIRPORT CITY
The airport received a huge boost in late 2018 when the Hong Kong government announced its vision to develop an Aerotropolis on its Lantau Island home in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address. In line with its vision of transforming HKIA from being a “city’s airport to an APA Issue 1, 2019
airport city”, in the last few years AAHK has undertaken a series of strategic projects which it is confident will further integrate the airport’s development with the broader regional economic activities, in particular those of Lantau Island. “Our Airport City strategy complements the government’s overall planning for Lantau, which will generate enormous synergy and further consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub and the major business centre in the GBA,” enthuses Lam. Projects that form the crucial parts of the AAHK’s Airport City strategy include SKYCITY, which is set to be the largest commercial development in Hong Kong and a new regional destination comprising entertainment, retail and dining facilities, as well as hotels and offices. Last year, AAHK acquired the rights to run AsiaWorld-Expo, where this year’s ACI Asia-Pacific/ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition takes place, and is studying the future development of it to create synergy for the overall airport development. Another key driver of AAHK’s airport city strategy is Alibaba’s premium logistics centre, which AAHK hopes will capture the opportunities arising from the exponential growth of e-commerce and consolidate the global cargo leadership of HKIA.
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“Our airport city is not just about shopping,” points out Lam. “It is also very much about cargo and other services as proven by the recent contract award to a subsidiary of Alibaba to build an e-commerce/logistics centre at the airport. “We feel that Lantau Island’s location next to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge crossing, which connects to other parts of the Greater Bay Area, means that our airport city can eventually extend beyond the airport island itself to the benefit of all of Hong Kong and the region.” He notes that the airport’s success has prompted the Hong Kong government to expand the town nearest to the airport site and to reclaim more land from the sea for residential and other developments, which could create more manpower and resources for HKIA. “The airport city will further enhance our status as a key driver of Hong Kong’s economy,” says Lam. “Yes, of course, the airport’s success is our priority, but when we develop HKIA we cannot do so without considering and taking into account the overall interests of Hong Kong as the two cannot be separated. If Hong Kong doesn’t do well, the airport doesn’t do well, and vice versa.
“So, from this perspective, we must have the higher goal of making sure we best use the airport and all the planned new facilities to drive Hong Kong’s overall growth.”
NEW TECHNOLOGY
Talking about some of the new passenger friendly and capacity enhancing technology we can expect to see introduced at HKIA over the next few years, Lam first reminds me that biometric initiatives such as e-gates are already beginning to transform the gate experience at the airport. The airport has recently installed 44 e-gates in Terminal 1, and other queue-busting technologies either recently installed or on the way include self check-in kiosks, self-bag drop counters and e-boarding gates. Biometric enabled ‘single token’ travel, which allows passengers to pass through the airport using facial recognition technology – effectively eliminating the need for passports and boarding passes – is the ultimate goal, reveals Lam. He says: “With end-to-end biometric deployment, passengers will be able to get rid of repetitive document checks and go through check-in and boarding procedures with minimal queuing time. www.aci-apa.com
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONG KONG “The airport will also be able to process a greater number of passengers than ever before, providing a seamless, stress-free experience for the millions of people we welcome each year.”
MULTI-MODAL CONNECTIVITY
With over 1,100 flights a day, rapid train links to downtown Hong Kong and beyond, over 90 daily ferry services to neighbouring Macau and Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) via its SkyPier, and hundreds of daily coach and bus connections to the city and surrounding territories across the boundary in Mainland China, HKIA is without doubt one of the world’s best-connected airports. SkyPier, HKIA’s ferry terminal, handles around 2.6 million transfer passengers a year travelling between HKIA and the GBA ports of Dongguan Humen; Guangzhou Lianhuashan; Guangzhou Nansha; Macau (Maritime Ferry Terminal and Taipa); Shenzhen (Fuyong and Shekou); Zhongshan; and Zhuhai Jiuzhou. And things just got better for passengers flying with home-based carriers Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express as they can now check-in for flights from Hong Kong International Airport at the passenger clearance building of the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). With the new bridge, the time required to travel from HKIA to Zhuhai has been significantly reduced from four hours to just 45 minutes. APA Issue 1, 2019
Located in the Arrivals hall of the passenger clearance building of the Hong Kong port of HZMB, the new check-in centre boasts check-in counters and smart check-in kiosks, which passengers can use to check their baggage and obtain boarding passes. This means that after checking in, passengers can either go direct to the airport or spend the day in Hong Kong without the hassle of carrying their luggage around with them. The upstream check-in services set up by AAHK at the Zhuhai Boundary Crossing Facilities started operations in October 2018, in tandem with the opening of the bridge, while the same service will be available at the Macau Boundary Crossing Facilities later this year. For passengers who prefer to check-in at HKIA, dedicated transportation services are also available for them to proceed from Zhuhai or Macau via Hong Kong port to the airport directly. “Leveraging HKIA’s advantageous geographical location as a gateway to the Mainland, we will continue to strengthen our multi-modal transportation services, striving to offer HKIA’s extensive connectivity to passengers travelling to and from cities throughout the GBA and beyond,” enthuses Lam. Next up is a new bonded bridge that will provide vehicle access between the HZMB and a planned new Intermodal Transfer Terminal opening at HKIA in 2022.
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AIRPORT REPORT: HONG KONG
The HK$3 billion new additions mean that passengers who have completed upstream check-in procedures in the Mainland and Macau and travel to HKIA via the HZMB will no longer need to undergo border clearance procedures at Hong Kong port as they would just need to take bonded transportation to the airside and head directly to their boarding gates. How significant are these developments (the HZMB, Hong Kong port and new Intermodal Transfer Terminal) to the future growth of HKIA? Lam says: “The development of the Greater Bay Area is one of the key strategic plans in China’s development blueprint, and the region will see great growth potential in the future. “With the new HZMB and HKIA’s new initiatives in place, it would be easier for more people to travel between GBA and the rest of the world, strengthening our multi-modal transport hub status in the region.”
COPING WITH GROWTH
With 90 million people alone living in neighbouring Guangdong Province in Southeast China and another 60 million in the Pearl River Delta area – the nation’s wealthiest and one of its fastest growing regions – there is simply no getting around the fact that growth will be on the cards for HKIA for the foreseeable future. APA Issue 1, 2019
Indeed, China’s vast population and huge growth potential means that rather that viewing airports such as Guangdong Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao’an and Zhuhai Junwan as rivals, Lam states that the long-term future for all of them might be best served on finding ways that they can work together to meet demand. “According to IATA Consulting, even after factoring in all the anticipated expansions in the handling capacity of the airports in the Pearl River Delta region, the combined supply of capacity will still fall short of the forecast demand by 52 million passenger trips in 2030,” muses Lam. “In Mainland China today, the propensity to travel is low compared to other parts of the world. This will change in time, but how will the system cope with it? “Most people on the Mainland can now afford to travel by air once a year, and just imagine what would happen if everyone wanted to fly once or twice a year like in Europe or the US? “So, rather than talk about rivals and worry about competition, we all actually have to find ways of better working together and possibly co-ordinating operations to cope better with the expansion of the Chinese market.” Sounds like Fred and his team are going to be very busy over the next few years.
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Focusing on the passenger Sarah Samuel, Amadeus’ head of airport IT for Asia-Pacific, argues that the adoption of a common vision on new passenger-enabling technology will help airports address the challenge of rising demand.
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irports across the Asia-Pacific region share a number of common capacity challenges, and if they are to meet them effectively, they must work collaboratively, towards a common vision. These challenges are, of course, not unique to the region as airports from San Francisco to Sofia and London to Lima all face rising passenger numbers and are developing different strategies to cope with rising demand. However, for airports in Asia-Pacific (APAC), the problem is especially acute as population rises across the region are fuelling growth and more people want to fly than ever before. Indeed, IATA predicts that India’s air passenger traffic alone will triple by 2036. While fluctuating demand during different parts of the day, week, month and, sometimes seasons, places additional strains on infrastructure. The one obvious solution to this problem is to raise the physical capacity of today’s airports or build new ones, and many countries across the region are doing just this. APA Issue 1, 2019
Mumbai and Sydney both have plans to construct second airports, for example, and Beijing’s new mega-hub, Daxing, will open its gates later this year. Investment in infrastructure is a longterm goal for the region; China for instance plans to build an additional 74 airports by 2020, increasing its physical capacity by almost 40%. But with passenger numbers on the rise, airports are faced with a separate, but related challenge. Advances in digital technology have unleashed a wave of disruption and innovation, changing the way we live and work. As a result, today’s passengers don’t want long queues at airports and inefficient processes. They want, and expect, quick and easy travel. Airports, often saddled with legacy IT, are left playing catch up.
THE SOLUTION
New Experience Travel Technologies (NEXTT) was set up in 2018 as a collaboration between ACI and IATA. The programme is largely a response to the exponential rise in global passenger numbers seen over the last decade and calls for the industry to work collaboratively to address the challenges of capacity constraints and rising passenger expectations. In particular, the programme highlights the need for airports to focus on how the latest in digital technology can create a seamless flow through the airport and help to integrate systems and services.
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The advantages of investment in digital technology will not be news to airports in APAC. Over the last few years we’ve seen a number of trials and implementations of the kind of technology advocated by NEXTT, such as biometrics and offairport check-in services. This is very encouraging, but there is a danger here that if individual airports develop their own siloed solutions in the short-term, a more long-term strategy will be set back. In the US, for instance, airports rolling out biometric solutions have to conform to standards set by US Customs & Border Protection (CBP). APAC could work towards a similar standard for these emerging technologies. While NEXTT is more of an initiative than a standard, it does offer a path towards standardisation for the industry. In this sense, all roads lead back to the passenger. In the same fashion as innovative tech companies, airports and their stakeholders should adopt a total focus on the needs of their passengers. Whether that be better integrating systems or services, or working towards standardisation, the passenger represents a common vision for the industry. Two of NEXTT’s concepts in particular, the ‘distributed airport’ and the ‘seamless, secure airport’ represent this passengercentric view.
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THE DISTRIBUTED AIRPORT
For almost all their history, airports have been forced to work within the confines of their own physical infrastructure for passenger processing. But with the rise of the internet, airports are now able to leverage greater flexibility when it comes to check-in. Passengers can check-in for flights online and print their boarding passes out at home. By facilitating this, airports are effectively outsourcing a part of passenger processing: improving capacity, helping to bring down costs and cutting down on queues. But with constantly changing passenger numbers placing constraints on infrastructure, airports are looking for new ways that technology can help raise capacity. One key aspect of the programme unveiled by NEXTT is the concept of the ‘distributed airport’. While the group acknowledges that the airport as a physical entity will always be a necessity, it points to the ways airports can leverage “off-airport activities” to distribute passenger processing outside the airport itself. Off Airport Check In Solutions (OACIS) is an innovative ground handler powered by Amadeus’ Airport Common Use Service (ACUS). The company’s pop-up check-in terminals can be deployed anywhere, relieving constraints on capacity. For instance, in 2016, Sydney Airport experienced a surge in passenger numbers when seasonal demand was compounded by the arrival of passengers from two separate cruise ships. The next year, Sydney Airport rolled out the OACIS solution outside the terminal, easing congestion. By embracing the concept of the distributed airport, airports across APAC can make off-airport a key part of their business model, significantly raising capacity and meeting rising passenger expectations.
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THE SEAMLESS AND SECURE AIRPORT
By distributing the check-in process outside the terminal, existing infrastructure can be transformed into a path from the airport’s entrance to the plane door. Ensuring this process is completely seamless, is biometric technology. Biometrics has the potential to transform the airport as we know it, delivering real and tangible benefits to the passenger. It also has the potential to improve airport security, reducing the likelihood of human error and processing information much faster and more efficiently than the human eye. We are seeing an increasing number of exciting developments and trials across the APAC region with a number of software providers offering solutions. In late 2017, Singapore’s Changi Airport implemented its Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) initiative for departing passengers, significantly reducing waiting times. Similarly, last year, Hong Kong International Airport unveiled its new e-Security gates to verify the documents of departing passengers. For now, these implementations handle only certain aspects of the airport process. Over the course of the next five years, we expect to see biometrics implemented at every stage of the passenger journey: check-in, immigration and boarding. The technology will reduce queues and eliminate the need for physical ID checks. Physical boarding passes and passports may themselves soon become a thing of the past. APA Issue 1, 2019
It must be stressed however, that to date, biometrics trials are siloed, with airports across the region working on their own solutions. This is not going to be sustainable. We need airports to have a common approach in order to offer travellers a seamless travel experience. The industry should find new ways to collaborate on this emerging technology A common biometrics platform, agnostic of the technology providers airports deploy, could be a solution. By adopting biometrics solutions, the passenger journey through the airport can be made completely seamless, free from friction points. Boarding a plane could become as easy as getting onto a bus.
THE COMMON VISION
The NEXTT programme offers a path towards a common vision, to address the shared challenge of increasing demand. Currently, in the APAC region, we are seeing a number of trials and implementations of the innovative technologies highlighted by the initiative. However, the long-term advantages of these technologies will be set back unless airports in APAC can work collaboratively towards standardisation. Technological disruption can be used by airports to their advantage here. By maintaining a total focus on the needs of passengers, airports in APAC and their partners can position themselves well for all the challenges, and opportunities, that lie ahead.
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New SITA report confirms that journey smoothing technology makes people happy.
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irline passengers are using automated technology for passport checks at double the rate recorded in 2017, according to the latest aviation IT research. Indeed, passengers are happier when technology smooths their way through passport checks and other aspects of their airport journey, reveals SITA’s 2019 Passenger IT Insights report. The report shows that 44% of passengers sailed through automated passport control, a jump from 21% in 2017. It notes that at passport control, a traditional pain point of the journey, passengers were 3.85% more satisfied when they used self-scanning gates to verify their ID, compared to those using agent-assisted controls. These technology users had a satisfaction rate of 8.36 out of 10. Matthys Serfontein, SITA’s president of air travel solutions, says “One of the standout findings of our report this year is that at every point in the journey, where passengers use technology, the rate of satisfaction is higher. “Airlines and airports can see the benefit of their technology investments in making it easy for passengers, every step of the way. Over the years, booking, check-in and bag drop have increasingly become automated, and passengers like it. “Interestingly, this year the report shows how introducing automated passport
controls, in collaboration with government and border agencies, also increases passenger satisfaction.” Automated gates used at boarding are another success for the industry and its passengers, according to SITA. It claims that not only do they speed up the processing of passengers but they support more efficient operations and faster turnarounds, the end result being 2.2% higher satisfaction levels for travellers opting for the self-service options. “Across the board we have found that passengers are keen to use the biometric self-service process and when given a choice, over 90% of travellers typically opt in,” adds Serfontein. “Actions speak louder than words, and it’s becoming very clear from our implementations that people like using biometrics for easy travel.” It seems that when it comes to verifying their identity, passengers are ready to use technology even more, and in a variety of ways. SITA reports that 59% are ‘very willing’ to use their mobiles for ID verification along the journey, with a further 33% open to the idea. While proving your identity using your mobile device is not an option widely available today, with nine out of ten passengers potentially welcoming this service, airlines and airports can be confident when moving to mobile services for ID identification. APA www.aci-apa.com
SEPCIAL REPORT: IT INNOVATION
Beating the queues
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Turning to technology Pragma’s Alex Avery takes us through the impact of digitalisation on airport retail and what this potentially means for the future of shopping and dining at the world’s gateways.
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echnology has transformed our relationship with retail. From convenience, to single-click through to experiential retailing led by augmented reality. At the same time, consumers are demanding more from their experience. They want to connect and engage with brands in a more meaningful way, seeking out discovery, authenticity, and sustainability. Future-focused operators understand the role that technology plays in responding to evolving consumer demands and changes in established behaviours, providing new channels of communication, engagement, transaction and fulfilment. What’s more, airports, airlines, retailers and brands recognise how, working digitalisation into strategies will support APA Issue 1, 2019
core non-aviation revenues. By 2020, millennials will be the dominant passenger group, accounting for 46% of business travel spending. Digital natives and early adopters, their tech expectations are high and new trends quickly become established norms, with innovations in unrelated market sectors setting the new benchmarks that all businesses need to aspire to.
THE RISE OF SMART SHOPPING
Digital innovation continues to drive the pace of change at a rapid rate. It impacts all aspects of the customer journey, from brand awareness, to product browsing, community engagement, purchasing and fulfilment. As with its high street counterpart, consumer patterns have shifted acutely,
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INNOVATION AND CONVENIENCE
Many of the key innovations within retail currently focus on maximising the speed and convenience of shopping through enhanced technology. This has been driven by consumers increasingly valuing ‘return on time’ – convenience, efficiency and simplicity. Often empowered by digitalisation, it can create an enhanced purchase journey; airport commercial needs to get smarter at developing ways that maximise the value of customers’ time in the terminal. With this in place, the spend will follow. Consider the fashion-forward, sustainable brand, Reformation, from the USA, selling clothing using eco-friendly materials and processes. Its stores are in showroom formats, combining sensory experience with cutting-edge technology. Products are selected individually from the shop floor with different colour ways and sizes then delivered to tech-enabled changing rooms, where additional products can be ordered with the use of a smart mirror, and check-out undertaken on the spot. Whilst the much-hyped Amazon Go convenience store is a further example of tech-enabled convenience, Alibaba’s Hema grocery stores are being rolled out at a far more dramatic pace, with 60 stores already in operation across the country. Product merchandising is driven by big data analytics from consumer purchases ensuring stock is matched to the unique dynamics of the local customer base. The Hema app allows customers to scan QR codes to obtain valuable product information concerning price, origin, supply chain, and suggest recipe ideas. The time pressured environment, longer walking distance through large format duty free stores, and lost airport sales due to queues at check-out, means such technology presents a great opportunity for global travel brands. Those operating multiple units around the world could also benefit from more effective customer tracking technology www.aci-apa.com
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super-charged by expectations of convenience and immediacy, placing increasing power in the customer’s hands. Quite literally, if we look at mobile shopping. Always on and in everyone’s pocket, mobile provides highly personal, proactive and contextual assistance, at every stage of the experience. It’s effective at delivering unique brand experiences, building and maintaining valuable long-term relationships with customers and providing an immediate and continual line of communication. Airports need to look at how they optimise the rich real-time data about individuals, products and spaces to create new ways to constantly improve the customer experience. Innovative retailers are already exploring how to leverage smartphones and wearable devices to activate dynamic digital signage and location-based offers. Air New Zealand is doing this brilliantly, allowing passengers to order barista-made coffee via a smartphone app as they enter their selected airline lounge. Mobile commerce offers airports the chance to build and extend relationships beyond the physical location, with smart shopping starting before passengers have arrived. It offers the significant benefit of increasing product awareness ahead of the journey, and therefore shifts purchasing behaviour from impulse to planned. A fully comprehensive and real-time communication of the product offer available at the airport is crucial to attracting on-airport spend, increasing pre-order and driving earlier engagement between the airport and the customer. This, in turn, builds in the opportunity of more time for additional impulse shopping once on site. A number of leading airports such as Heathrow, Frankfurt and Auckland have been investing in their online shopping platforms to allow customers a much more comprehensive browsing and shopping experience prior to arrival at the airport.
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and relationship management to facilitate customer identification across their portfolio. It also applies to brands delivering content through digital technology. This includes maximising digital assets like billboard screens and TVs to target the passenger audiences.
BLENDING CONCEPTS TO INNOVATE
Technology enhanced retail – combined with an emphasis on showrooming and customer experience – provides a platform for innovation by creating new approaches to formats, store size, logistics, and inventory management. The latest automotive stores by Tesla and Lexus Intersect, for instance, deliver a brand building exercise that focuses attention on craftsmanship, design, technology, and lifestyle, fusing the tangible product experience with seamlessly integrated digital platforms. Decathlon Connect is an example where the typical warehouse sports store format of c.4000sqm has been condensed to a 200sqm intensified experience. It combines try-andbuy, digital catalogue browsing, and click and collect, yet still offering access to the brand’s c.35,000 products through the digital store interface, whilst showcasing bestsellers, brand highlights and product innovation. By shrinking the format, the brand opens up the potential to operate out of smaller unit sizes typically offered at airports. It’s how showroom-only brands such as SneakerBoy in Australia and Bonobos in the US offer physical opportunities to touch and try the product, but then fulfil the order through online and home delivery. This presents an opportunity to reduce the space requirements that are so often a constraining feature of airport retail.
BRINGING F&B INTO THE TECH MIX
Consumer preferences for an enhanced experience extends beyond pure retail, to F&B too. Again, modern passengers are making decisions on values such as discovery, APA Issue 1, 2019
authenticity, as well as health. The opportunity for airports to optimise tech to attract this new generation of travellers is huge. Technology is facilitating personalised catering, with innovative brands such as London’s Vita Mojo allowing customers to choose their ingredients, select quantities, and tailor their order to the specifics of their diet. As with retail, the relationship to connect with hungry travellers extends beyond the airport. This ranges from mobile apps and social media to digitised in-store displays, as well as fun social media engagement to educational elements. Data also provides a platform for personalised and location-based marketing alongside offers tailored to their interests and loyalty programmes. We’re also seeing brands lead on the convenience factor, removing the need for time-poor passengers to spend time looking for food or drink. Instead, they can order everything on the app to be delivered to a location of choice, as with Deliveroo’s food delivery trial in Amsterdam Schiphol, or the Grab app that operates in a number of airports in the USA and Europe. Technology is shaping the future of airport retail. Pragma expects to see more exciting concepts emerge as travel retail catches up with the most innovative brands on the high-street. Increasing ecosystem interconnectivity and collaboration will offer a more holistic proposition, and travel retail will be able to deliver the convenience that today’s consumers demand in their everyday lives, keeping pace with the shifting global retail landscape. Ultimately, technology needs to put the customer at the heart of every touchpoint, to deliver a truly connected experience. This is how airport retail will stay relevant, engaged and connected to its audience.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alex Avery is managing director for airports, travel and commercial spaces at travel retail specialist, Pragma Consulting. Visit www.pragmauk.com for more information.
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Always learning Kevin Riordan, head of airports and checkpoint solutions at Smiths Detection, considers how artificial intelligence can help airport security.
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rtificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to permeate every aspect of daily life, from garnering film recommendations on Netflix, through to fraud detection and cognitive robotics, and airport security is no exception. Machine learning is key to support the development of self-teaching algorithms to allow airports to maximise the efficiency and safety of airport checkpoints. Security screening processes generate large volumes of data, which are primarily used to identify and prevent security breaches. The exponential growth in computing power, combined with the spread of data analytics and the sheer amount of available data, now make it possible to develop AI algorithms, which deliver truly meaningful insights and APA Issue 1, 2019
improvements for both the screening and operations.
AUTOMATIC OBJECT RECOGNITION
Smart, adaptable algorithms are now being developed for the automatic detection of an expanding list of dangerous, prohibited and contraband goods and substances. The application of deep learning algorithms for automated threat detection requires the availability of a considerable image database, categorised in threats and unsuspicious images. Deep learning algorithms scan this information to ‘learn’, which objects are potentially harmful and which are benign. These algorithms provide invaluable support for security operators, customs officers and other controlling authorities.
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This new form of detection reduces the burden on image analysts and increases efficiency and throughput. Delivering improved levels of both safety and security, the algorithms can identify potential threats and help combat the movement of unsafe, undeclared or illegal goods.
RISK ASSESSMENT
The concept of risk-based screening is designed to increase the operational efficiency of screening resources and processes as well as improve security levels. Advanced data analysis can help airports ensure their resources and measures are where they’re most needed, which ultimately makes for a smoother passenger experience. Deep learning algorithms can combine a comprehensive set of passenger information to create a risk profile. This includes travel data, passport data, visa and biometric information, and flight behaviour patterns, as well as critical data from government and security services on criminal records, ‘person of interest’ files, and other relevant intelligence sources. Artificial intelligence is able to efficiently pass through the data to identify key patterns and help inform the assessment.
With risk-based screening, integrated networked checkpoints could trigger personalised security measures in response to a change in threat levels.
BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION
Biometric identification is already being used at many airports around the world to create a secure and seamless passenger experience from check-in to boarding, and is now making its way to security checkpoints as well. This integration will be a key enabler to match passengers with their trays at divestment and allow for dynamic passenger differentiation during the screening process as part of a risk-based screening approach. AI techniques have significantly improved facial recognition accuracy levels to reach an all-time high, which in turn, has resulted in fewer manual interventions being necessary and processes becoming much quicker. At Smiths Detection, we believe that these rapid improvements in AI technology along with the clear benefits associated with its use will continue to push its integration into checkpoint security and every other part of an airport’s operations. www.aci-apa.com
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AIRPORT DESIGN
Three is the magic number Van Don International Airport, Vietnam’s impressive new gateway to Halong Bay, was one of three major new pieces of infrastructure to open on the same day in Quang Ninh province, writes Joe Bates.
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an Don International Airport has become Vietnam’s first privately developed, constructed and operated commercial gateway after opening for business in the final few hours of 2018. Located in Quang Ninh province, 220 kilometres from the capital Hanoi, the Sun Group developed airport will serve the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay. Its facilities include a passenger terminal initially equipped to handle up to 2.5 million passenger per annum, 42-metre high ATC tower and single 3.6-kilometre long runway capable of accommodating aircraft up to the size of the A350 and B787. The terminal’s bright orange roof above a blue and green building is designed to resemble the red sails of a boat out at sea, a common sight in nearby Halong Bay. Other design features of the terminal include the use of natural energy saving materials, a wooden roof system, its own APA Issue 1, 2019
hanging garden and a spacious front hall filled with natural light that boasts its own koi fish pond. Dutch consultancy and engineering firm, Netherlands Airport Consultants (NACO), assisted with the construction of the gateway, which is estimated to have cost around $310 million to build. “It is the most modern airport in Vietnam. It will have positive influences on the passengers’ experience here in the airport,” says Romy Berntsen, a project manager and architect from NACO. Talking about the concepts behind the airport’s design, NACO aviation division’s director of airport strategy and studies, and project director, Kris Pauwels, told Asia-Pacific Airports magazine: “As the new gateway to Quang Ninh province, the airport is designed to be the welcoming showpiece of the region. “Creating the welcoming atmosphere was the starting point of the design, both aesthetically and in functionality. The
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AIRPORT DESIGN
terminal will have integrated, state-of-theart IT systems to ensure smooth passenger flows. It will also have areas to relax, such as the outside gardens and lounges. In addition to the design, the welcoming atmosphere is also a focal point in the operations of the airport. “New navigational aids near and at the airport and the energy saving LED airfield ground lighting, a first for Vietnam, allow for instrument landing system operations.” As a new gateway for both domestic and international travellers coming to Halong Bay, the airport is expected to handle up to 500,000 passengers in its first year of operations. Pauwels adds: “This greenfield airport improves accessibility to the beautiful region of Quang Ninh province, which is famous for the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site Halong Bay. “The Sun Group’s vision on hospitality is clearly embedded in the airport, resulting in Vietnam’s most modern airport. NACO is proud to have been able to support Sun Group throughout the construction phase and the launch of operations at Van Don International Airport.” Plans are already in place to double the airport’s capacity to 5mppa and 51,000 tonnes of cargo annually by 2030 if tourism to Vietnam and the region continues to grow as expected.
The Sun Group is described as the country’s premier developer of tourism, leisure and entertainment-focused properties and projects. On the same day as the airport’s opening it also officially unveiled the new Halong-Van Don Highway and Halong International Cruise Port. The new four lane, 60km-long highway will reduce travel time from Van Don International Airport to Halong city to less than 50 minutes. A significant $43 million has been invested in Halong International Cruise Port, which is effectively the country’s first dedicated facility for accommodating international cruise ships. Located in Bai Chay ward, Halong City, the port can accommodate two cruise ships (up to 225,000 GRT each) at the same time and a total of 8,460 passengers, including crew. The port terminal, designed by Bill Bensley, one of the world’s most renowned and innovative architects, will be a new landmark for the city and Quang Ninh Province. The opening of all three major infrastructure projects is expected to play a pivotal role in helping the province reach its full tourism potential and create new opportunities for international trade and economic co-operation. www.aci-apa.com
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RETAIL/F&B NEWS
Buy and fly Joe Bates rounds-up some of the latest retail/F&B news, views and reviews from across the busy Asia-Pacific region.
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airns Airport has awarded global restaurateur HMSHost and Australian hospitality powerhouse, Red Rock Australia, concessions to operate a total of 13 new food and beverage outlets when the expansion of Terminal 2 (T2) is completed in 2020. The 13 outlets are in addition to the new Hudson’s Café & Bar successfully opened in the T2 check-in hall in late 2018. All seven current food and beverage outlets will be replaced and a further six will be added as part of the terminal expansion. The new outlets include an exciting mix of well-known international brands, the best of Australian domestic brands, proprietary concepts and local Cairns high-street concepts. HMSHost has secured eight concessions ranging from burger joint Hungry Jacks to Portuguese chicken outlet Oporto; the Vietnamese street food inspired Roll’d; and the “family favourite” schnitzel concept, Schnitz. While Red Rock’s five concessions include The Pier Bar; The Shack and Rattle m Hum, which is an airport version of the laid-back pub from the Cairns Esplanade.
The new F&B outlets will be delivered progressively during the T2 expansion project with the first new outlets – Hungry Jacks and Oporto – expected to be in place by mid-2019 and the two pub/casual dining outlets Rattle n Hum and The Pier Bar by the third quarter of 2019. “We set out to provide a diverse food and beverage line up at Cairns Airport that caters to the many customer segments we have going through the airport,” says CEO, Norris Carter. “We have high numbers of Asian and other international tourists, visitors from interstate and, of course, Cairns and greater Queensland locals. We wanted to give all of these groups the type of food they expect, and had been asking for, in our extensive consumer research. We believe there will now be something for everyone.” Elsewhere in Australia, Sydney Airport, well known for its retail innovation, has welcomed two new speciality stores to its shopping portfolio as part of the revamp of Terminal 2 Pier B – LEGO and Kaboom. Concessionaire, Lagardère Travel Retail, says that the former is the first LEGO store to open in the travel retail market in the Pacific region. www.aci-apa.com
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RETAIL/F&B NEWS The 50sqm LEGO store (pictured above) offers one of the world’s most iconic and successful brands to passengers travelling through T2, the busiest domestic passenger terminal in the Pacific region. “Being the first to bring such an iconic brand to travel retail is an exciting development for Lagardère Travel Retail and its sure to bring much excitement to the many passengers travelling through Sydney T2”, says Przemek Lesniak, CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail in the Pacific region. Kaboom, directly adjacent to the LEGO store, is Lagardère Travel Retail’s well known and loved toys concept. First opened at in Sydney T2 in 2004, Kaboom has now relocated to a new and larger 65sqm home within the Pier B retail precinct. Meanwhile, in Jordan, Dufry, in partnership with Airport International Group, has opened an Arrivals duty-free store at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA). Covering 700sqm, the new outlet offers over 5,000 items across the core categories of food, beverages, beauty, accessories and jewellery, among others. Its design incorporates large format digital screens, which Dufry believes will give customers a more engaging and immersive in-store experience. Andrea Belardini, Dufry’s divisional CEO for Eastern Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia, commented: “The completion of our Arrivals store marks a first step in the complete redevelopment of our retail execution here in Amman. APA Issue 1, 2019
“Work on our Departures store is now well underway and we will be introducing our New Generation Store concept to deliver a world-class airport shopping experience to our customers.” AIG CEO, Kjeld Binger, stated: “We are glad to partner with Dufry to expand our duty-free area at Queen Alia International Airport. Such collaborations emphasise our commitment to catering to the varied needs of passengers flying through the airport and providing them with an enjoyable travel experience, ultimately further strengthening QAIA’s standing as the Kingdom’s prime gateway to the world.” The store’s design celebrates the natural beauty and heritage of Jordan, according to The Design Solution, which provided support for the project. It notes that the white entrance to the store is shaped like the opening of a Bedouin tent while an elegant, duneshaped ridge canopy over it is designed to reflect the “mesmerising, flowing patterns of Jordan’s wind-shaped sand dunes and bring to mind the beauty of the country’s iconic desert locations, such as Wadi Rum”. Kevin Patience, design director at The Design Solution, says: “The design was principally inspired by the beautiful, shifting natural forms of Jordan’s desert dunes, interwoven with contemporary expressions of classic Arabic geometric patterns, blending the natural beauty and the cultural heritage of the region.”
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BUILD & DESIGN
Tianfu International Airport Chengdu’s $11 billion second airport is set to open early next decade and transform air travel to the region.
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ichuan province’s planned new Chengdu Tianfu International Airport is being designed by the China Southwest Architectural Design & Research Institute Corp Ltd (CSWADI) in partnership with ADP Ingénierie. Located 50 kilometres from downtown Chengdu and slated to open in the early 2020s, the airport will initially be equipped with two terminals and three runways capable of accommodating up to 40 million passengers and 700,000 tons of cargo per annum. However, with future expansion, the gateway is ultimately expected to have four terminals and six runways capable of handling up to 90 million passengers and two million tons of cargo annually. Its opening will mean that Chengdu becomes the third largest Chinese city to operate a two-airport system after Beijing and Shanghai. CSWADI and ADP Ingénierie – a whollyowned subsidiary of global airport operator, APA Issue 1, 2019
Groupe ADP – won the architectural competition to design the new airport in 2015 and have since developed and enhanced their design for the terminals. Designed to resemble flying sunbirds, a symbol of China’s cultural heritage, Tianfu’s initial two terminals will be located on the north east of the airport site and, at full build out, will be connected to the additional two passenger terminals by an automated people mover system. Upon opening, Terminal 1 will accommodate both international and domestic traffic while the adjacent Terminal 2 will exclusively handle domestic flights. Talking about the project, ADP Ingénierie’s regional managing director for Asia Pacific, Jean-Yves Coulot, said: “Based on the client’s requirements, our planners and architects put forward a concept where the two buildings are distinct while sharing the same architecture. One will primarily handle international flights while the other will handle domestic
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efficient and up to date facility, matching the most stringent international standards of the industry.” Chengdu Shuangliu handled close to its 50mppa design capacity in 2018 to maintain its status as China’s fourth busiest airport, but with demand expected to exceed 62 million by 2020, the new capacity enhancing infrastructure provided by Tianfu will ensure that the city doesn’t become a victim of its own success. Tianfu will also have some of the best multi-modal ground connections in China courtesy of a new high speed rail link between Chengdu and Kunming, inter-city express trains, urban light rail and new roadways. Sichuan Airlines broke ground on the first 340,000sqm first phase of its Tianfu base in September 2018. The planned $950 million complex will eventually boast offices, crew headquarters, an MRO facility; cargo warehousing and inflight catering kitchens. It will be joined in Tianfu by Air China, which recently started construction of its new 330,000sqm base at Chengdu Tianfu and has revealed plans to base 180 aircraft APA in Chengdu by 2025.
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BUILD & DESIGN
traffic, giving a clear understanding of their respective functions. “The piers and processors are slightly angled in order to propose an airside corridor connecting them as they share this idea of two terminals hand in hand. “The space in between them allowed us to build a compact ground transportation centre, commercial areas, hotels, and parking facilities that will help create a lively hub for the airport city and a comfortable connection between air travel and ground transportation where passengers can move freely, walking from one place to another without crossing any traffic. “We wanted to build something on a human scale to maximise efficiency, keep walking distances to a minimum and enhance the passenger experience.” He goes on: “CSWADI and ADP Ingénierie have specifically worked on sustainable design and airport green energy-saving, with the objective of obtaining the highest environmental certification in China. “While always trying to echo the local aesthetic references and heritage in our design, we feel that it is equally important to bring to our client an extremely
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INDUSTRY NEWS
The waiting game Want to enjoy an easy, relaxed airport experience? It’s all about waiting, writes Christian Carstens, marketing manager at Veovo, BlipTrack. Waiting in line seems to be one of life’s inevitabilities, but what if there was a way to make airport queues move faster and keep the experience more pleasant for those in line? It all comes down to understanding why queuing is so painful, and then doing something about it. No matter how carefully you have planned your business trip or vacation, from arriving early to check in, to paying that little extra for priority boarding, you can’t do anything about bottlenecks, delayed flights or other hold-ups. Long lines are nothing new, of course, but over the last twenty years, things have grown much more pressurised. With more security checks worldwide following 9-11, growth in passenger and flight numbers each year, and limited space to expand their existing infrastructure, modern airports frequently have to contend with lengthy queues of tired, frustrated people. Airports need to make sure there’s enough staff at various checkpoints, gauge the flow and number of people through the processes and concessions, preferably in real time, and deal with unforeseen events, like delays or serious weather conditions. And they need to keep passengers informed about waiting times, as the simple APA Issue 1, 2019
fact is that waiting in line with little to no information and no clear understanding of what’s going on can make people frustrated, angry and stressed. Indeed, with a lack of accurate information, people don’t know how long they can be expected to wait, and frustration levels immediately rise. Add in today’s expectations of speedy services based on living in an era of instant news, same-day deliveries, and 24-hour service centres, and impatience comes into the mix. People are less patient and tend to complain sooner and more frequently than ever before. Fortunately, research has shown two very interesting conclusions. Firstly, by providing some form of distraction, airports can help reduce boredom. Secondly, by providing accurate, up-to-date wait-time information, they help travellers feel more in control, thanks to clear expectations.
BETTER SOLUTIONS
One of the major stumbling blocks to providing accurate wait-time information is how to gather it accurately. By relying on CCTV cameras and a live monitor to try and accurately gauge where bottlenecks could happen, or where staff are needed to help speed things up, airports are working reactively.
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ADOPTING THE TECH
Fortunately for today’s traveller, a SITA survey shows that to date, 42% of airports have invested in queue monitoring technology to give them a clear view of wait times at various pinch points. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) in the US, for example, has implemented a BlipTrack solution to help travellers get a realistic view of TSA and immigration queue times and the result has been a dramatic decline in passenger complaints.
“Much of our interest in the public display of wait times was to dispel perception from reality. As the adage goes, ask five people what their actual wait time was, and you’ll get five different answers. Following deployment, complaints are now rare, as the passenger immediately understands the present situation and adapts,” says Brian Cobb, vice president of customer experience at CVG. Not only has CVG reduced wait-time complaints, but they’ve also been able to use the collected data to recommend TSA staffing adjustments, resulting in a reduction in processing times by one-third. Auckland International Airport has taken the benefits of the technology a step further by collaborating with road authorities. There, besides wait-time information at pinch-point processes, travellers now also get travel time information on the road to and from the airport. Several other airports have followed suit, and have almost universally experienced a reduction in queue times, as well as complaints. The next time you travel by air, take the time to look around and see whether the airport you are in has invested in wait time displays to make your journey smoother, more efficient, and stress-free.
RAPISCAN SECURES MAJOR AUSTRALIAN DEAL OSI Systems, Inc has announced that its Rapiscan RTT110 CT inspection system has been selected by the Australian government to identify contraband biosecurity materials entering the country inside passenger baggage, mail and cargo. The Australian government is expected to implement the company’s detection technology as part of its security initiative to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of biosecurity operations both prior to and at the border. “Since its initial introduction to the market, the RTT 110 has been successful in detecting explosives, weapons, and contraband at airports around the world,” said OSI Systems’ chairman and CEO, Deepak Chopra. “This is the first time that the system will be used for biosecurity detection, and we are incredibly excited to demonstrate the versatility and efficiency of this unique solution as part of a comprehensive security infrastructure.” Australia’s Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud, notes: “Biosecurity screening provides critical protection for Australia’s $60 billion agricultural industries and the health of our communities, environment, and the national economy. “New technology like the RTT 110 from Rapiscan will be an integral part of preserving our unique ecosystem and creating a more seamless experience at the border.” www.aci-apa.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
Bottlenecks are only dealt with once they happen, rather than before they happen. At the same time, they can’t give reliable information about wait times. New technology, however, is taking the guesswork out of airport operations. And all it takes is some strategically placed sensors and the ever-present mobile device. In contrast to the traditional cameras and human monitors used to gather data, mobile device-detecting sensors allow for real-time, seamless measurement of people flow. When using these methods, management can see, at a glance, where bottlenecks could occur, allowing them to quickly allocate staff to areas where they are needed.
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WBP PROFILES
FLEET COMING TO HONG KONG Vanderlande has signed a landmark innovation partnership agreement with Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) to further develop and apply its future-proof baggage logistics solution – FLEET – in the real-world environment of one of the world’s busiest airports. The joint innovation partnership will focus on applying the latest autonomous vehicle technology in the baggage handling process at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) with regards to improving quality, efficiency and flexibility. HKIA will benefit from being able to see at close hand how autonomous vehicles can help to further improve the efficiency of the baggage handling process, enhance ergonomic working conditions for ground staff and future-proof its baggage handling operations. AAHK’s deputy director for service delivery, Steven Yiu, says: “We are delighted to join forces on this programme that helps to realise our aspiration in being a leader in technology and innovation among international airports.” Vanderlande’s executive vice president for airports and member of the board, Andrew Manship, says: “Ultimately, our aim is to enhance the passenger experience, while improving efficiency and we have full confidence in FLEET’s capacity to deliver impressive results at one of the fastestgrowing airports in the world.” Rotterdam The Hague Airport (pictured above) became one of the first airports in the world to experience Vanderlande’s FLEET baggage handling solution, which uses intelligent autonomous vehicles to transport individual items of luggage instead of traditional belts and conveyors. APA Issue 1, 2019
ELENIUM AUTOMATION Location: Tullamarine, Victoria, Australia Contact: Rico Barandun, head of strategy E: rico.barandun@elenium.com W: www.elenium.com Elenium is focused on developing and producing the world’s most efficient and effective automation systems for airports and airlines. Our suite of Check-in Kiosks, Automated Bag Drop and Self Boarding Gates have been designed to significantly increase the flow of passengers through the airport. Our bag drop can process a passenger’s luggage in as little as three seconds. Our goal is to make the airline passenger experience seamless using technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, computer vision and natural human interfacing while providing products that are simple to use and understand. RAPISCAN SYSTEMS Location: Singapore Contact: Jeremy Norton, vice president, sales, Asia-Pacific E: jnorton@osi-systems.com W: www.rapiscansystems.com Rapiscan Systems is a leading global provider of security inspection solutions, with more than 100,000 products installed in over 170 countries. Rapiscan Systems has an extensive portfolio of baggage and parcel inspection, cargo and vehicle inspection, hold baggage screening, people screening, trace detection, radiation detection, tray return system and enhanced security solutions, which are supported by a global service network. The company’s state-of-the-art products, solutions and services operate in the world’s most demanding security environments, including at airports, border crossings, railway stations, seaports, government and APA military installations.