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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.

Dubai Airports to Deliver World’s Fastest Airport WiFi with WOW-Fi

March 22, 2017
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Dubai Airports Introduce World's Fastest WiFi | Business Aviation NewsDubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central-Al Makhtoum International Airport (DWC) is to make the fastest WiFi speeds in the world available to its passengers – for free.

Using WOW-Fi, DXB and DWC will deliver up to 100mb connection speeds to support its travellers, following last years’ release of unlimited free WiFi across both airports. The aim, according to Michael Ibbitson, executive VP of Technology and Infrastructure for Dubai Airports, who said, ‘As the biggest international airport in the world, we are at the heart of many journeys across the globe. To support these travellers, late last year we launched unlimited free high-speed Wi-Fi across our airports, but our goal was to offer something they have never experienced at an airport before.’

With speeds of up to 100mb, many of the 89 million travellers that pass-through Dubai airports every year, will be able to quickly download emails, images, videos and interact with family and friends on social media, enjoying superfast, reliable and free connectivity.

As a part of the upgrade project, Dubai Airports has also provided required bandwidth via enhanced internet links of 5Gbps each, and is investing in over 6,000 new WiFi access points to ensure reliability and an upgraded wireless network infrastructure over both airports.

Singapore Changi Airport Named World’s Best by Skytrax

March 15, 2017
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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.

Southampton Airport Runway Race Needs More Runners

March 5, 2017
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Southampton Airport Runway Run 2016 | Join Them in 2017Every year, the UK’s Southampton Airport hosts its annual runway race in aid of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight County Air Ambulance.

From 5am until 7am, the runway is closed to host the race, in which more than 500 runners are expected to take part this year, on Sunday 25th June.

Dave Lees, managing director at Southampton Airport is looking forward to welcoming the runners to his runway, ‘This year we are hoping to get even more people involved and even more money raised with the goal of hitting the £10,000 mark to celebrate the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance 10th Birthday. This is an incredibly worthwhile cause and we hope to see many people taking part, despite the early start!’

Prizes will be up for grabs this year for the best dressed runner, and of course, the fastest.

To register for the event, which costs £20 to enter, with all proceeds going directly to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight County Air Ambulance, please visit the Southampton Airport website.

First Anniversary Celebrations at Dubai International Concourse D

February 22, 2017
Business Aviation News

Dubai International Concoure D Anniversary | Aviation and Airports NewsThis Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Concourse D at Dubai International Airport. Over the past 12 months, more than 115,000 flights have been handled by Concourse D, bringing almost 17,000,000 passengers through a state-of-the-art, integrated environment, packed with shops, restaurants, and lounges from British Airways, Qatar Airways and Lufthansa to name but three of the five new airline lounges.

Concourse D has also seen plenty of action musically, being the host location for Dubai Airports’ special events, such as Hang Out DXB, which offered surprises to passengers with discounts, games and prizes. The addition of Concourse D has significantly impacted the airports’ capacity, taking the number of annual traveller capability from 75 million to 90 million.

“Concourse D is the outcome of a well-designed and meticulously planned project that was built around the evolving needs and expectations of our customers – the hundreds of thousands of passengers that pass through our airport every day,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports and president of the DCCA (Dubai Civil Aviation Authority).

“After a successful first year of operations, it is very clear that Concourse D has achieved its goal of delighting our passengers and our business partners.”

Parisian Design Takes Cabin Interiors to Another Level

September 8, 2014
Business Aviation News
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cabinconnectTechnicon Design, a worldwide provider of design innovation based in Paris, have designed an aircraft interior that promises an incredible passenger experience using the subtraction technique.

The interior of the aircraft is lined with screens, including the ceiling, giving a 360-degree view that can display soothing beach scenes for the nervous traveller, or even sky views that can lend the passenger to feel they are within an invisible aircraft.

The innovative, ground-breaking design was created for a National Business Aviation Association and gained an accolade when it won the exterior design category at the International Yacht and Aviation Awards.

For business use, the screens can be utilised for conferencing or for a more relaxed atmosphere, a new slant on in-flight entertainment is offered.

“I challenged the team to break out of conventional thinking with regards to a business jet exterior and interior,” said Gareth Davies, design director at Technicon Design’s studio near Paris. “We quickly settled on the controversial yet interesting idea of removing the windows from the cabin and using existing or very near future technology to display the exterior environment on flexible screens.”

ARINC Predict Drop in Airport Waiting Times with New Technology

September 2, 2013
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automated baggage handlingAccording to ARINC, passengers are set to spend significantly less time waiting at airports in the near future as airline operators and airports invest in advanced technological solutions designed to increase operational efficiency from advanced passenger information systems to automated baggage handling.

“The passenger is the one who’s going to have more control over that whole experience than they currently have,” said Michael DiGeorge, Managing Director of ARINC Asia Pacific. “That process of going from check-in through immigration through boarding is going to get more invisible.”

Passengers regularly wait for an average of three hours, sometimes more, which is causing industry-wide concern, especially during peak-time congestion, with the real fear of the denial of landing rights during those times.

ARINC’s extensive collection of innovative products are targeted to improve passenger information screening and transmission, travel documentation and check-in, which in turn will increase the flow of passenger traffic through airport terminals and remove the stress for passengers, airlines and operational facilities.

With many Asian nation plans to build new airports and terminals, there is a strong likelihood of growing competition to provide the best experience for passengers and airlines.  It stands to reason that the facilities that can provide smooth and fast passenger experience are going to be the most successful in the future of an industry that is ever-expanding as demand and expectation grows.

Fast UK In-Flight WiFi Possible by 2014

August 20, 2013
Business Aviation News
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in flight wifiLast week, the UK’s OFCOM began a deliberation into the possibility of the authorisation of the use of ESOMPs to enable in-flight wifi with speeds capable of streaming content from sites such as BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

If the proposed license of a new satellite system is approved, the connections, up to 10 times faster than current in-flight wifi could be available in the air, on the ground within the UK rail networks and on-board ships as soon as 2014.

In the U.S. the FCC have already authorised the use of Earth Stations on Mobile Platforms (Sumps) which are the key to enabling the fast connections on a global scale.

It is unclear, as yet, just how many of the British-owned airlines will actually use the technology, given the inevitability of high costs.  Upgrades to equipment would be needed and some airlines are reluctant to commit at this stage, as users on-board may be dismissive of the high prices, preferring to remain connected with the 3 or 4G mobile option.

ARINC, U.S. based industry-leading passenger communications providers offer, under the US regulations, next-generation passenger connectivity solutions for commercial and business jet aircraft with CabinConnect.