Archive

Monthly Archives: October 2018

Automated Baggage Handling Trials in Rotterdam

October 29, 2018
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

baggage-handling-trials-rotterdamIt has been announced that Rotterdam The Hague Airport will soon begin testing a new, automated baggage handling solution that promises to improve baggage processes through the use of automated vehicles.

The new system trials will run over three months and will give a real view of the effectivity of this level of automation in a live airport environment. Most interestingly, the vehicles will carry just a single item of baggage, and will use a system intelligence, or awareness, to determine the best route through the airport. Some industry experts are cautiously hailing the new technology as a solution for the future of airport baggage handling, while expressing an interest in the trials in terms of the cost-efficiency and security aspects of the system.

Another bonus feature of the system is its ability to power itself through the use of stored electricity generated by solar panels, and a further green benefit is that the vehicles are fully recyclable.

All over the world in airports of all sizes, baggage handling processes are being closely examined, particularly with the introduction of the latest mandate for seamless tracking of luggage – IATA’s Resolution 753. Within the mandatory regulations, airlines must now provide tracking information at certain points during the baggage journey.

The aim of the resolution is to significantly reduce instances of lost or mishandled baggage, a problem that costs the industry millions of euros every year. Through automation, and smart technologies, baggage handling systems suppliers across the globe are developing and introducing ever-evolving solutions to tackle these issues and contribute to raising passenger satisfaction.

Although many industry professionals believe that the future of all successful airport operations will lie in the use of biometrics technology, automation of core, critical systems such as baggage handling and reconciliation helps to streamline and increase operational productivity.

We will be following the Rotterdam airport baggage handling trials with interest over the next few months.

Biometric Path for Emirates Passengers in Dubai

October 18, 2018
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

Emirates Biometric Path | Airlines NewsPassengers using Emirates Airlines in Dubai will soon enjoy a ‘biometric path’ according to recent promises from the airline, who have installed the latest biometrics technology in Terminal 3 at DXB.

The passenger journey from check-in to The Emirates Lounge at Dubai International will soon be guided by a single biometric profile using facial recognition and iris scanning technology. This will mean that passengers will then be able to proceed through all the necessary check-in and security processes without further documentation or hold-ups. Premium passengers will still be able to use accelerated check-in in the Emirates Lounge in Concourse B.

The Smart Tunnel has been launched by Emirates in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residence and Foreign Affairs in Dubai and is a world-first initiative. Passengers walk through the tunnel with no intervention from airport officials and are cleared biometrically. The current trials will continue to run internally, and wider testing will be announced once the initial trials are complete.

Emirates’ brand promise of ‘Fly Better’ will be further strengthened by the rollout of the biometric trials within T3 and the airline looks forward to analysing the new data and inviting consumer feedback.

Analysis Reveals Passenger Satisfaction Increasing Globally

October 9, 2018
Business Aviation News
Leave a comment

A-FIDS _ Flight Information Display System | Increasing passenger experienceAccording to the latest analysis from the Airports Council International (ACI), global passenger satisfaction levels are on the rise again. Comparing Q3 of 2018 to 2017, ACI noted that levels increased to 4.21 from 4.17, and have remained stable since the start of this year.

The survey revealed that passengers are scoring airports higher in all categories from security to wayfinding, proving that investment in the latest technologies for Flight Information Display Systems, for example, has been worth it. Even the smallest global airports are receiving praise for their efforts.

Some industry professionals are not surprised at all by the revealing insights. As airline and airports competition increases, passenger satisfaction becomes ever-more important. When airports rise to the challenge of increasing passenger experience, (and airports around the world have been) they begin to consider all operational aspects, such as queuing, which has been successfully reduced by the introduction of CUTE systems and self-service applications.

As systems and solutions begin communicating, integration becomes more important, as does scalability when airport operators consider how to address critical flow times and exceptional circumstances. The world’s most innovative systems and solutions are often highly integrable, which makes day-to-day operations simpler and more streamlined – opening the door to automation.

The highest increase noted in the recent analysis was in the facilities category. This includes airport eateries and shopping, which are increasingly important for travellers, especially those that are no longer waiting in long queues.

When airports consider the planning aspects of facilities, and have greater capacity with streamlined services and processes, they can make better use of airport resources and terminal space. As passenger demand increases for higher levels of service and facilities, these types of reports and subsequent analysis can really help airports to serve as a model for passenger expectation.