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U.S. Further Tightens Airport Security

June 29, 2017
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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.

NZ and Australian Airports in Chaos After Failure of Passenger Security System

May 22, 2017
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Airport Security News | Passenger Processing and SecurityPassengers flying internationally from airports all over Australia and New Zealand, today faced hours of delays after a global passenger processing system experienced a failure.

In some of Australia’s biggest airports, personnel had to perform passenger check-in manually for three hours before the system came back online.

The Advance Passenger Processing System, known as APP, handles mandatory reporting of passenger data for all international flights, according to Australia’s Dept. of Immigration and Border Protection.

Similar systems are in use in other global regions, such as the U.S.’s Advance Passenger Information System, also widely in use in Europe, according to provider.

The systems are designed to meet mandatory regulations for the secure collection, storage and electronic transfer of international passenger information. Such information is sent in advance of flight departure to government and border agencies for security screening.

It has been confirmed that all systems were back up and running after three hours of outage, and appears to have been a global issue.

Finnair Test Facial Recognition System at Helsinki Airport

May 8, 2017
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Finnair Test Facial Recognition System | Airports NewsAs biometric airport security systems soar in popularity around the world’s airports, Finnair announces the introduction of a comprehensive test of facial recognition technology at Helsinki Airport.

The testing of the latest layer to the check-in process for 1,000 passengers, has been running since the beginning of this month, and is expected to last until 23rd May 2017. The test group has been selected from frequent flyers using Helsinki Airport.

“Face recognition technology could simplify and speed up the departure process from the customer’s point of view, and eliminate the need for a boarding pass,” said Sari Nevanlinna, Finnair’s Head of Ground Experience and Ancillary. “This test will give us information on the usability of face recognition technology for our processes, and the impact it has on the customer experience.”

To take part in the ground-breaking testing for Finnair, passengers will be invited to upload an image of their face to the software platform. Then they will use a dedicated check-in desk to confirm that the facial recognition has proved successful.

Prague Airport Introduces Stepped Up Security for Bag Checks

April 29, 2017
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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.

New Security Technology for Bristol Airport

February 3, 2017
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Bristol Airport UK | Security Upgrades InitiativeIt has been announced that Bristol Airport in the UK’s West Country is to embark upon a £24 million project to upgrade the airport technology, facilities and capacity, including security upgrades and a new 12-lane security area.

The plan is part of an ongoing initiative to increase security at the airport, while keeping passenger disruption and delays to a minimum, delivering ‘faster, more efficient processes.’

Part of the project will also include additional security to current baggage handling processes, particularly baggage screening.

Fraser Dury, Bristol Airport head of engineering said, ‘We are committed to leveraging the most effective technologies and solutions to ensure high standards of security are maintained with minimal impact on passengers.’

The airport plans will also include the upgrade of communications systems throughout the airport environment. The entire project is geared towards scalability and flexibility for the future, and will give Bristol Airport a firm foundation for continued growth.

Self-bag Drop Solution Lowers Check-in Time by 60% at Dublin Airport

January 10, 2017
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Rockwell Collins' Bag Drop technology in action | Business Aviation NewsA two-phase project at Dublin Airport has seen a dramatic reduction in passenger check-in times with the introduction of Rockwell Collins’ ARINC vMUSE, self-service kiosks and the latest bag drop solutions.

Frances O’Brien, VP PMO at DAA (Dublin Airport Authority), spearheaded a campaign to streamline airport operations to address the challenges she recognised within the airport. Speaking about the implementation of CUPPS by Rockwell Collins in 2015/16, she said, ‘We worked with Rockwell Collins to implement systems that enable our airlines to share workstations, helping us make the best use of our current resources. As we embarked on this new initiative, our existing relationship plus Rockwell Collins’ extensive industry expertise made them the right partner for us.’

The first phase of the project began in December 2015, with the introduction of 19 Common-Use workstations. This quickly expanded to 64 units through spring 2016 with no issues, described by O’Brien as ‘a painless process.’

The self-service bag drop stations now number 20 in Ryanair’s hub, Terminal 1, and 16 in the Aer Lingus check-in area in Terminal 2. Jim Rogers, the Aer Lingus bag tag and drop off project manager said, ‘Some of our guests have told us that this technology is a key differentiator on whether they would fly with Aer Lingus again. Our fleet size is increasing by about 10 percent this year, and this type of technology allows us to increase throughput without capital expenditure on building and facilities.’

Munich Airport Unveils Plan to Become Germany’s First Carbon Neutral Airport

December 18, 2016
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Munich Airport Aims for Carbon Neutral Status by 2030 | Business Aviation BlogGermany’s Munich Airport has detailed a €150 million plan to reduce its carbon emissions directly by 60% over the next 17 years.

The Bavarian State Minister for Finance, Regional Development and Home Affairs, Dr Markus Soder said, ‘With this target we are underscoring the enormous importance attached to climate protection by the airport and the Bavarian state government.’

Dr Soder, who is also chairman of the supervisory board for Munich Airport, is keen for the airport to become a ‘trailblazer for all of Germany.’

The plan contains many fine details, including increased reliance of renewable energy sources, electromobility within the vehicle fleet, LED runway lighting and intelligent control technology.

Dr Michael Kerkloh, CEO of Munich Airport, spoke during the launch of the CO2 strategy of the continuation of the current efforts the airport already makes towards climate protection, ‘As Europe’s first five-star airport, we also set very high standards for climate protection. With our far-reaching climate targets, we want to help ensure that the airport’s operations and ongoing development are pursued in ways that preserve the opportunities and possibilities of future generations.’

The remaining 40% CO2 emissions will be offset at regional level against certified projects.

Automated Border Control Solutions Project Completed in Australia

December 1, 2016
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Australia Ramps Up Border Control | Automated Border ProtectionIt has been announced that a major project to install automated border control e-gates in 8 airports across Australia has been completed.

A total of 83 e-gates have been installed since the project began last year, and already more than 10 million travellers have successfully passed through.

The Australian government committed to the project to ensure border control processes were not only efficient, streamlining Advance Passenger Information processing and reducing the time taken to process passengers, but also enhanced border protection at the country’s international checkpoints.

Peter Dutton, the Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection said, ‘This milestone delivers on the Australian Government’s commitment towards streamlined border control processes and enhanced border protection capability at our international airports. [This technology is] critical to improving our ability to accurately confirm the identity of travellers.’

Toronto Pearson International Airport to Get New Bag Drop System

October 20, 2016
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Improving Passenger Facilitation with Self-Service Bag Drop | Business Aviation NewsToronto Pearson International Airport has announced that it is to implement a new self-service bag drop system to improve operational productivity and passenger experience.

Canada’s largest airport, who saw 41 million passengers through its gates in 2015, look forward to automating the baggage handling process, which is set to give airlines greater flexibility, and improve the efficiency of the entire check-in process for passengers, who can use mobile devices to check-in online and download their boarding passes.

All over the world, international airports are seeking new, technologically-advanced methods to streamline the passenger processing systems; making the process easier and less time-consuming for travellers, while maintaining critical airport security and improving resource management.

Providers of airport passenger facilitation systems, such as Rockwell Collins, are driven by IATA standards, the need to increase passenger experience, and the use of biometric solutions to ensure airport security remains of paramount importance.

The automation of baggage handling systems in airports is the way forward, giving passengers greater control of their journeys, cutting waiting time and reliance on IT infrastructure, and improving passenger flow with identity management solutions.

With more than 80% of the world’s airline passenger traffic now checking in online, and arriving at the airport with pre-printed boarding passes, it is clear that automation, and the introduction of self-service bag drop features is set to change the way the public travel.

Gatwick Expansion Plan Gets London Councillor Support

October 8, 2016
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Gatwick airport runway expansion | Business Aviation BlogAccording to a UK government poll, around 63% of London councillors are prepared to support Gatwick airport’s plans for expansion, compared to just 44% for Heathrow.

The announcement from Gatwick, who has also pointed out that it will require no public funding, unlike Heathrow, comes as both airports reiterate that a new runway is necessary for the UK since the Brexit result has continued to damage the country’s economic position.

Gatwick and Bechtel can deliver second runway by 2025

Gatwick airport has also announced that it is ready to deliver its second runway by 2025, following a strategic partnership with Bechtel, one of the world’s longest-standing, respected engineering companies, who work with clients to increase economic growth.

If the UK government give the go-ahead to Gatwick, the expansion project can begin almost immediately, with significantly lower environmental impact, and lower financial risk.

Bechtel’s Amjad Bangash, general manager for infrastructure said, ‘We are delighted to be confirmed as Gatwick Airport’s partner for the second runway programme. We have provided Gatwick with robust plans for a second runway and are confident that this low risk project can be built to the highest quality, safely and sustainably – and that it can be operational by 2025.’