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7 of the Most Exciting Airport Projects to Know about in 2019

June 25, 2019June 21, 2019 by James Gill, posted in Airports, Facilities, Infrastructure, Locations, Technology

People do not typically look forward to spending time at airports. However, as technology makes them more convenient and new projects make them more comfortable, this could change. Over the course of 2019, several new airport projects are slated to open that could attract travelers with their unique designs and features.

These projects represent the unique potential of airports to become destinations in their own right, or at least temporary destinations where travelers will be happy to spend time between flights. Doing so often translates into more flights and higher profits. Some of the most exciting airport projects of 2019 include:

1. Singapore Changi Airport

The new Jewel Changi Airport complex opened its doors in April. This expansion has garnered a lot of attention in the last year as it serves as a central hub for the airport’s three terminals. The architect Moshe Safdie designed the structure, which features massive glass panels encasing a circular building spanning more than 1.4 million square feet.

A highlight of the structure is the Rain Vortex, which has earned recognition as the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. Lush greenery around the water feature help make travelers forget they are in an airport. This luscious design plays with the Singapore moniker “city in a garden.”

2. Beijing Daxing International Airport

One of the most ambitious airport projects to date, Beijing Daxing International Airport aims to become the busiest airport in the entire world when finally completed. Certainly, the airport will have one of the largest passenger terminals ever completed, with space for 100 million passengers each year. It will also feature seven runways.

Furthermore, the design leaves space open for easy growth in the years to come. Both China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines will depart to and from the new airport. A high-speed rail network and motorway will help speed connections.

3. Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport

Located in Israel, Ramon International Airport represents the unique design aesthetic of Amir Mann-Ami Shinar Architects and Moshe Tzur Architects. The low-to-the-ground, glass-paneled building has a futuristic look that is supposed to remind travelers of the transportation developments to come.

The airport is about 20 kilometers from Eilat and covers more than 1,250 acres with capacity for 2 million passengers each year. The structure has room for growth and will one day likely accommodate about 4.25 million passengers annually. While the structure looks futuristic, it also blends well into its desert surroundings and features a design that helps protect against the major temperature fluctuations that occur there.

4. Istanbul Airport

While this airport actually opened toward the end of 2018, it has only recently begun hosting significant flight volumes after a planned staged opening. The design of the airport won first prize at the 2016 World Architecture Festival in Berlin and features an elegant, tulip-shaped control tower.

The entire airport was completed in fewer than four years, which is an impressive feat in itself. Plus, the airport will continue to grow in the near future, with an eventual goal of transporting 200,000 or more passengers each day. The airport purportedly features a green design, although this claim has been disputed.

5. LaGuardia Airport

On the domestic front, one of the busiest airports is finally getting a much-needed facelift. LaGuardia is getting a complete revamp and reconstruction of all terminals and taxiways to help better accommodate the large number of passengers served by the airport.

The project will add more gates and create more space in general by getting rid of the low ceilings and narrow corridors. Furthermore, the airport has now adopted a unified terminal structure to eliminate the confusing passageways between different flight areas. The overall improvements also include new parking facilities, as well as a link directly to the New York City Metro system.

6. Carlisle Lake District Airport

Located in England, this new regional airport will make it much easier for tourists and British national to visit the lake district. This part of the United Kingdom is a major draw for nature enthusiasts with its rugged scenery. What makes this airport’s opening so exciting, in addition to the fact that it provides easier access to a region once more difficult to visit, is that business will finally start.

The airport has been the source of much controversy due to delays in opening that were attributed to issues with staff training. However, summer flights can now be booked, so the opening seems to be set in stone. Scottish airline Loganair will operate the routes, which include London, Belfast, and Dublin.

7. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Another domestic airport in dire need of updates, Louis Armstrong in New Orleans has finally opened to the public after multiple delays. The new, modern terminal cost more than $1 billion, but it provides solid infrastructure and a significantly improved passenger experience.

This update comes at a key time in the history of the airport, which is experiencing a period of growth due to new international flights, including a direct route to London. A modern airport could help attract more tourism from overseas for the city and potentially make New Orleans an important hub for transfer flights should the airport continue to grow.

5 of the Best Strategies for Improving the Airport Customer Service Experience

June 18, 2019June 4, 2019 by James Gill, posted in Airports, Amenities, Facilities, Infrastructure, Technology, Transportation

While certain factors at an airport such as excellent security and overall efficiency can be attractive, airports should not underestimate the importance of customer service. Because passengers have a choice in which airport or airline they use, as well as how often they engage with airport services, airports around the country are beginning to realize the importance of customer service and how treating passengers well drives facility utilization and, ultimately, profits. Some airports, such as Miami International and San Francisco International, have instituted customer service programs designed to drive improvement. Some strategies for increasing the customer experience at an airport include the following:

1. Integrating mobile communication

Most people today have mobile devices, whether that means a smartphone or a tablet. These devices can be used to deliver crucial information, such as flight disruptions or gate changes, directly to passengers. In addition, airports can more easily locate passengers using mobile alerts, which can be more reliable than using a loudspeaker for announcements.

Airports can also use mobile communications to reach out to impacted passengers and offer solutions, such as free access to lounges, vouchers, and more. Also, the strategy opens the channel for communication so that customers can ask questions and get immediate answers instead of tracking down employees or waiting in lines.

2. Creating a vendor community

While it is true that every vendor within an airport is primarily worried about their own sales, that does not mean each store and restaurant is not working toward a shared goal. When vendors do not communicate with each other or buy into the idea of creating a great overall airline experience, customers suffer from a disjointed and perhaps even off-putting experience. But when vendors readily communicate new ideas and strategies with each other, customers will have a streamlined, supportive experience.

Airport consultants have pushed hard for the creation of communities within airports. A great example of the success of community-building is JFK International, which was recognized for Best Customer Service for the Large Airport Division by Airport Revenue News shortly after adopting strategies to connect vendors.

3. Asking for specific feedback

Improving the customer experience at an airport is nearly impossible without first knowing its current problems. That’s why airport executives should gather customer feedback, a valuable source of information for identifying specific targets for improvement. One such strategy is sending a survey directly to customers to ask for feedback about their experience at the airport. When adopting this strategy, it is critical that executives do not get hung up on individual comments but instead look for trends in feedback that can point to a larger, underlying issue that should be fixed. Another strategy is the mystery shopper approach. This method involves hiring professional “shoppers” to go through the process of arriving at the airport, going through security, and engaging with services. The shoppers then provide professional feedback on weaknesses.

4. Partnering with other stakeholders

The customer service experience at an airport affects not just the airport itself, but also airlines, vendors, hotels, and more. Real and lasting change becomes much easier when these stakeholders partner with one another to identify areas for improvement, which should involve increased data exchange. This is especially important for airlines, which have a lot of information about passengers that can benefit the airport. Figuring out ways of sharing information in a secure manner can help the airline tailor its services and facilitate direct, customer-specific intervention (such as the mobile communication mentioned previously). Additionally, partnership is critical for reaction to unexpected situations since it allows for quick, decisive action. Customers would not be left waiting for an answer but would be given an immediate plan of action for what to do next.

5. Investing in employee training

Airports can sometimes overlook employee training. However, training is key for developing the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver excellent customer service. Executives need to think critically about the sort of training they want to offer and how often, as a one-time training is not sufficient for long-term retention of skills and knowledge.

Training sessions do not always need to be held in person. Online training is now cheap and easy to develop and generally offers a significant return. Plus, employees can choose when to complete it so that they are not taken away from important tasks and processes. Executives also need to think about who will receive such training. Providing this training to more employees ultimately means having more individuals capable of assisting passengers in need. Training is also critical for developing a sense of community as well, so it could also extend to both vendor and airline employees.

This Is How AI Could Improve Airport Security

May 9, 2019May 2, 2019 by James Gill, posted in Administration, Airports, Facilities, Information Systems, Infrastructure, Security, Technology

Airports are quickly adopting a range of new technologies, from autonomous vehicles to artificial intelligence (AI), to improve passenger experiences and drive efficiency. One of the most significant ways in which AI is being implemented in airports has to do with security.

Across the globe, airports have implemented a number of new safety measures in recent decades because of emerging threats. In some instances, these measures have created significant delays when it comes to moving through the airport. As a result, the customer experience has suffered. This means airports are feeling mounting pressure to streamline the process as much as possible without creating any lapses in security.

Many airports, as well as the governments that back them, have looked to AI as a means of accomplishing the difficult feat of relieving wait times while maintaining strict security standards.

For example, the United Kingdom government recently invested 1.8 million pounds into the development of a new AI system in airports across the country. The Transportation Security Administration in the United States has implemented computed tomography (CT) scanners that implement AI to identify threats in several major airports. In other parts of the world, facial recognition has been implemented at customs and immigration stations.

These technologies do seem to have significant promise when it comes to improving security while minimizing wait times. Here’s how:

Machine Learning and Its Potential for Improving Security

One form of AI that shows the most promise is known as machine learning. AI systems can become more “intelligent” as they receive more information. In terms of airport security, systems can become very good at identifying threats based on patterns and do so much more quickly than a human could. Machine learning has driven trust in AI-based systems a great deal in the past few years.

Industry experts believe that implementing machine learning in airports could help avoid the need to scan certain items separately, such as laptops and other large pieces of electronic equipment. Letting passengers leave these items in their carry-on luggage as they pass through security would eliminate a significant amount of the delay caused in security lines.

One system employing this technology has already been developed. Called the Evolv Edge system, it uses cameras, millimeter-wave technology, and facial recognition to detect threats while people move through a scanner. The system successfully ignores non-dangerous items, such as keys and belt buckles, while reliably identifying explosives, firearms, and other weapons and hazardous materials.

Up to 900 people can pass through the scanner in an hour, making it not only more reliable than a traditional x-ray scanner, but also much faster. Evolv Edge is already being used to screen employees at the Oakland International Airport. It is expected to be deployed at other international airports soon.

How AI Could Reinvent the Airport’s Approach to Security

AI has already made a significant impact on airport security through biometrics. In the coming years, this technology will likely become even more widespread. A recent report showed that more than three-quarters of airports had new biometrics programs in the works for the coming five years. While people mostly associated biometrics with face scans, fingerprints and retinal scans are also expected to grow in popularity because of their reliability.

Some researchers want to go even further with this technology and have broached the possibility of behavioral biometrics. For example, University of Manchester researchers have created a system that identifies individuals based on gait and walking patterns as they step across a pressure pad. Each person has a distinctive, singular walking pattern.

Another application of biometrics is already being tested. The iBrderCtrl project involves an AI program in which a virtual border guard asks standard questions to individuals in an immigration line. If the system believes that the passenger is lying because of facial expressions, the individual gets passed on to a human for further review.

Of course, there is the question of accuracy with such technology. Early implementation of iBrderCtrl had a success rate of 76 percent. The developers believe that tweaks will make it 85-percent accurate. However, this rate may still not be acceptable to some airports, at least not as a primary means of maintaining safety.

The Challenges to Implementing AI-Driven Airport Security

Scrutiny of these systems remains high, especially after some prior failures. In the United States, $160 million was spent on body scanners that were later found to let serious threats through during undercover testing. Because of this, the standard is very high for AI technologies.

However, there is another hurdle that airports need to surmount: the amount of information collected by these systems, especially when it comes to biometrics. A great deal of information security is necessary to safeguard the privacy of passengers. In other words, while there is a lot of potential for AI in airport security, there are also significant challenges to overcome.

This Is Why Airport Executives Want to Raise PFCs

May 2, 2019 by James Gill, posted in Administration, Airports, Facilities, Infrastructure, Personnel, Regulation

In March, airport executives appeared before the US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to advocate for the ability to increase air traveler fees. Specifically, these individuals want to increase the passenger facility charge (PFC) charge to airplane passengers. Currently, the PFC is capped at $4.50 per individual per leg of a flight.

The fee has not been increased in nearly two decades. This has significantly hindered the ability of American airports to develop as quickly as some of their international counterparts. The executives pushed for nearly doubling the fee with an increase to $8.50, largely because the cap has not been raised in such a long period of time.

Issues Arising from the Current American PFC Policy

The concern with the current PFC policy is that it forces airports to finance projects over very long periods of time. This is because they do not have the capital upfront to pay for them. The effect of financing projects is the increased interest associated with making payments over time.

One executive said that his airport has paid almost as much in interest as the cost of the project itself as a result of financing issues. Even a modest increase in the PFC would empower airports to substantially reduce financing costs. This would enable them to channel these funds directly to improvements that provide a better experience for passengers, which is, after all, the reason for the per-person charge.

Many of the air terminals around the country were built in the 1980s and 1970s, if not the 1960s, and have had few or no updates. As a result, American airports remain behind the times, especially when compared to many of the top facilities around the world. Many of these airports provide passengers with incredible amenities, especially for people on long layovers.

Providing a better travel experience could actually lead more people to fly, especially if they know that there is plenty to do in the airport during their down time. However, lawmakers are reluctant to increase PFCs because they believe that increasing the cost of a ticket will discourage people from traveling by air.

The Argument for Increasing PFCs for Air Passengers

Already, people who fly pay billions of dollars annually to airports in the form of PFCs. At the same time, this amount of travel has resulted in the need for significant infrastructure improvements and investment. The executives argue that lawmakers should be more concerned with these infrastructure issues than with the additional charge put on each passenger’s ticket.

It is true that increasing the PFC will result in more expensive airfare. However, unaddressed infrastructure problems could lead to serious issues down the line. This is especially true when it comes to convenience and even safety.

Not all of the airport executives involved in the debate believe that PFCs should be raised. The CEO of a budget airline acknowledges the significant infrastructure needs that have arisen in the United States. However, this CEO believes there are solutions that do not involve increasing airfares, which have the potential to disproportionately impact the ordinary consumer.

Other executives are skeptical that raising the fees would actually reduce the number of Americans who choose to fly. After all, airlines themselves increase passenger service fees without a substantial impact on flight rates. Last year, several major airlines increased their baggage fees by $5, more than the requested jump in PFC. Notably, passenger boarding rates did not decrease significantly as a result.

Congress Remains Divided When It Comes to Raising PFCs

Lawmakers have listened to the concerns raised by these airport executives. However, they are reluctant to approve an increase in maximum PFCs. These individuals are hesitant to increase any financial burden on the public resulting from financing issues. This is particularly true when there are different avenues to consider, such as private capital.

Ultimately, the committee wants to hear more from other parties involved. Stakeholders include local communities and passengers, and it is important to know how these audiences feel about the fees and the state of American airports. At the same time, executives feel like they have explored all relevant options and they feel an increase in PFCs is the most appropriate way to address infrastructure issues.

The other perspective that is important to consider is that fact that airports generate about $1.4 trillion in the United States by creating 11.5 million jobs. Protecting this source of income and employment should become a priority for the House of Representatives. This is only possible when critical infrastructure issues get addressed.

Passengers pay billions of dollars in PFCs. However, airports need billions more to modernize airports to provide travelers with the experience and amenities they expect. According to a recent study, airports will need more than $128 billion to address critical infrastructure needs in the coming decade. If the overall experience of flying begins to decline in quality, then it is just as likely that people will start flying less frequently. This puts the whole industry at risk.

These Are 5 of the Airports Implementing Autonomous Vehicles

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019 by James Gill, posted in Airports, Amenities, Facilities, Infrastructure, Locations, Technology, Vehicles

Airports across the globe have begun paying more attention to autonomous vehicle technology, especially as organizations begin implementing pilot projects. The use of autonomous technology has the potential to reduce overall costs while also providing a variety of other benefits. In addition, autonomous vehicles could help curb emissions attributed to airports while increasing safety.

Airport professionals have just begun to scratch the surface of how this technology could improve the customer experience and drive revenues. A number of exciting projects have already begun. While these trials are all very experimental, they have largely demonstrated the impressive efficacy of autonomous technologies.

Some of the most exciting experiments with autonomous vehicle technology at airports include:

1. Heathrow Airport

Recently, Heathrow Airport in England teamed with IAG Cargo and Oxbotica to launch a trial of the CargoPod, an autonomous vehicle that operated in the airside environment. The trial was meant to collect data that the CargoPod designers could use to refine the technology and potentially identify new uses for the self-driven vehicle.

The CargoPod served Heathrow for almost a month. During this time, it traveled along an established cargo route along the perimeter of the airside space. Altogether, more than 200 kilometers of data were collected that will allow IAG Cargo to refine the product further.

Engineers were pleasantly deep surprised by how well the vision-based localization system of the CargoPod operated, even in more complicated situations like the transition from indoor to outdoor spaces.

2. Rotterdam The Hague Airport

To explore the use of autonomous vehicles in baggage handling, Rotterdam The Hague Airport teamed with Vanderlande to launch FLEET. This system will streamline the baggage handling at the airport. It will concurrently improve working conditions for staff and reduce the chance of human error in getting baggage where it needs to be for flight or pickup.

With FLEET, there is no need for conveyor belts or sorting systems. Instead, each FLEET vehicle carries a bag to its destination using an algorithm to plot the most efficient route through the airport.

One of the biggest benefits of this system is resiliency. If a vehicle fails, only one bag is affected and the rest of the luggage carriers can continue around the disabled one. When a conveyor fails, the results are generally catastrophic for an airport.

3. Charles de Gaulle Airport

At Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, Groupe ADP spearheaded a trial of two shuttles that operate using only electricity and without the need for a driver. This trial was meant to gauge how the vehicle would operate when used on high-traffic roadways, such as those surrounding a major international airport.

The two trial vehicles were also used in the real estate district Roissypôle to provide a different sort of environment for the shuttles to navigate. These shuttles use a unique road infrastructure with constant traffic signals that communicate conditions to the shuttle.

Using technology gathered from this trial, Groupe ADP hopes to bring the shuttles to other sites in the near future. Such autonomous vehicles could serve a number of different purposes, from transporting people between departure areas and car parks to taking people to their flights.

4. Gatwick Airport

Another London-based airport has become the site of experimentation with autonomous vehicles. Gatwick Airport has teamed with Oxbotica for a trial of electrically-powered autonomous vehicles designed to carry employees between different parts of the airfield.

Such technology would allow the airport to reduce the number of vehicles on the airfield considerably while simultaneously minimizing emissions and reducing costs. The technology behind these Oxbotica shuttles is quite unique and depends solely on onboard sensors without any reliance on GPS or other external tech.

Gatwick imagines that the technology will operate sort of like an autonomous Uber. Employees would have the ability to hail a shuttle whenever they need to get quickly to another part of the airfield.

Both Gatwick and Oxbotica acknowledge that much more research and development needs to be done before this technology is made commercially available. However, this trial is an important and exciting step toward the future.

5. Fagernes Airport

In Norway, Fagernes Airport became the testing ground for an autonomous snow-clearing vehicle designed by Yeti Snow Technology, Semcon, and Overaasen. During a demonstration, the autonomous vehicles were able to clear 357,000 square meters of space of snow over the course of an hour.

Yeti has actually designed a four-stage solution for moving from person-operated snow clearing devices to the autonomous devices slowly after collecting data about operations at the specific airport. The company first works with airports to optimize snow-clearing routes and then missions are tracked by GPS and logged. Next, drivers are given specific directions for clearing routes before the vehicles are transitioned to driverless ones.

Major airports often have staff on call to deal with snow. This represents a major expense during the winter months. Making this process more autonomous can eliminate much of this expense while also improving the safety profile of the operation.

Category: Facilities