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Airport Systems Integration in the Back Office | Airports Systems NewsAirports have complex systems and products working simultaneously behind the scenes to deliver efficient flight operations regardless of airport size or capacity.

The key to improving efficiency across the board is airport systems integration.

When key systems and products are integrated, efficiency and productivity can be enhanced through visibility, and enables analytics data to be reviewed constantly to make further improvements.

Today’s modern airport environment at a much faster pace, and the number of flight passengers is increasing every year. To make sure airport operators can face the challenges that this creates, systems and services must remain seamlessly reliable.

Flexibility can be achieved by integration of systems, such as:

  • Passenger check-in
  • Baggage handling
  • Self-service kiosks
  • Security

When information, data and systems speak to one another, a holistic view can be achieved by the operational teams, and issues can be detected and addressed before they become problems that can lead to expensive ground delays.

Master systems integrators, Rockwell Collins’ ARINC airports, offer a range of specialist services that can help airport operators of all sizes to gain an advanced opportunity to create a seamless airport environment that serves both passengers and personnel to the maximum capability.

Passengers of today have high expectations for their travel experience, and airport systems integration can help achieve those goals for airport operators. With options for fully managed services, round-the-clock support and cloud solutions, Rockwell Collins’ ARINC airports are certainly ahead of their game.

Auckland Airport Fuel Shortages | Airports NewsFollowing an incident earlier this month, when a fuel supply pipeline was severed accidentally by the oil refinery after a digger crashed into the pipe, Auckland Airport has restricted the sales of airline tickets.

Many flights were cancelled after the incident, and fuel uplifts were down to just 30% of their regular fill capacity. It has been reported that 3,000 passengers were affected, after other flights were redirected to other airports for refuelling.

The Marsden Point oil refinery is taking steps to repair the pipeline, but Auckland Airport is taking no chances, and has restricted ticket sales for all but essential flights. The damaged section of pipe connects the Marsden Point refinery to Wiri Oil Services, the Auckland-based company that supplies the airport’s operating airlines with aviation fuel.

The disruption is hoped to be a temporary measure, and additional staff have been employed to address passenger concerns and to assist with rescheduling.

The airport has issued a warning to passengers to check scheduling before arriving at the airport.

amsterdAAmsterdam Schiphol Airport New Terminal Design Selected | Airports NewsAmsterdam Schiphol Airport has announced the selection of the design for its new terminal, expected to be ready to open in 2023. The CEO of the airport, Jos Nijhuis said, ‘This design suits the Schiphol DNA. That was the main reason why the jury decided to choose this design.  The design solution contributes to excellent processing, it provides optimal support to passengers, contributes to our sustainability ambitions and is future-proof. We are looking forward to welcoming airlines and passengers in the new terminal and adjacent new pier.’

The Dutch airport aims to continue to keep its operations under one roof, and the new design will incorporate an expansion of the current airport layout and retain its ‘one terminal’ design.

Schiphol insist that it will be ‘business as usual’ during the expansion project work, being overseen by the Royal Schiphol Group and known as the Capital Programme, which handles large projects optimally as its main aim.

The last time the airport carried out major works was in the early 1990s, when departure and arrival halls 3 and 4 were constructed. The new project promises to deliver greater capacity for the airport, which expects to be able to handle 14 million additional passengers every year.

The project invited designers to submit their plans, and the Dutch company KAAN Architecten has been successful.

LHR Breaks Traffic Records | Airport NewsLondon’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) is delighted to announce it has broken its own records for monthly, daily and annual passenger numbers passing through its terminals.

For the first time in its long history, LHR experienced record passenger numbers in June – 259,917 passengers flew through LHR on June 30th, making it the busiest day it has ever had. 6.76 million travellers flew during the month of June, which in turn broke LHR’s annual record, taking that figure to 77 million.

Heathrow released further increases as follows:

  • Long haul passenger growth increased by 10%
  • Middle East and East Asia travellers increased by more 5%

It is not only passenger numbers that increased last month for LHR. Cargo also increased in June by 13% compared to the same period last year, and freight exchanges between the airport and the Latin American region grew by 38% on last years’ figures. The biggest cargo market for the airport is in North America, and this is still the largest market, with volume increasing by 15.8%, which prompted American Airlines to open a new facility for the transportation of pharmaceutical cargo.

LHR has also announced that airlines on the Middle East and East Asian routes are taking advantage of their slots to increase their loads on larger aircraft. This may spell further increases for Heathrow’s traffic for both passengers and freight cargo.

US Tightens Airport Security | Additional Passenger Screening and Mobile DevicesThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced further measures to tighten airport security across the country, with plans for additional screening of passengers and their personal devices.

Proposals have not included an expansion of the laptop ban, as expected, but will require the additional security measures to be carried out at 280 global airports in 105 countries carrying passengers bound for the US.

John Kelly, the secretary of DHS, said, ‘Our enemies are adaptive and we have to adapt as well.

The additional measures will be applied to more than 180 airlines, including those of US origin, and will be phased in over the next few months. Airlines face a blanket ban on electronic devices carried on direct, non-stop flights, if they do not comply with the new standards. Currently, the laptop ban is in place for travellers from just 10 cities operating direct flights to the US.

It was suggested by the US government, that the laptop ban be extended to include European city airports, but according to Mr Kelly, the government are ‘looking at alternatives.’

Although the details of the additional measures have not yet been officially clarified, officials have said that precise requirements will vary from airline to airline, with some only needing to make small changes according to their current security levels, and that a range of new systems, including new passenger screening technology installation, may be needed.

Prague Airport Steps Up Security | Airports NewsThis week, Prague Vaclav Havel Airport announced its intention to introduce enhanced explosive checks for all checked-in baggage. The airport plans to use swab tests for explosive trace elements, and has created a CCTV-monitored area, and a trained team to carry out testing.

The airport promises that passengers will not be affected by the additional checks, which it says is not a new procedure, but used during current security controls at Prague Airport and across the globe.

Milan Spacek, a member of the airports board of Directors, says, ‘To keep up with the safest airports in Europe, it is necessary to continue improving the safety measures and react to situations at hand. The number of serviced passengers at Václav Havel Airport Prague continues to grow and it is thus also necessary to react to these operational changes with the implementation of more efficient safety procedures.

The team at Prague Airport security will perform the ten-minute checks on baggage by opening the luggage and taking a swab of the contents. Passengers will be informed if their bag is examined, and the entire process will be carried out under CCTV surveillance.

The airport team is also encouraging passengers to use TSA-approved locks, which can be opened using a master key, to avoid damage to padlocks or other luggage fasteners.

Changi Wins Best Airport Award | Airports Industry NewsIt has been announced at the Passenger Terminal Expo held in Amsterdam this week, that Singapore’s Changi Airport has been named World’s Best Airport for the fifth consecutive year. It is also the eighth time Changi has scooped the award since they began in 2000.

Skytrax World Airport Awards invites air travellers to cast their votes every year for airports around the world, in an annual global customer satisfaction survey, based on the following categories:

  • Leisure amenities
  • Cleanliness
  • Most-improved
  • Airport hotels
  • Airport staff service
  • Airports for dining
  • Regional airports
  • Shopping
  • Passenger numbers

Across the board, Changi Airport demonstrated high scores, and came out victorious at the top of the pile overall.

Individual winners included London’s Heathrow Airport, with an award for the world’s best airport shopping, Tokyo Haneda Airport is hailed as the world’s cleanest, and Hong Kong International has the best airport dining experience.

For full details of the winners, visit the website today.