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Korean Air Renews GLOBALink and AviNet with ARINC

August 22, 2013
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ARINC have announced that Korean Air has chosen to renew GLOBALink and AviNet contracts and will be the airlines primary satellite communications providers.

ARINC has worked with Korean Air since 1987 and will continue to provide services that ‘demonstrate consistent commitment to reliability and innovative excellence.’  GLOBALink’s voice and data structure is the most reliable in the world, offering truly global coverage with uninterrupted communications over a seamless network.  AviNet Airport offers streamlined passenger processing and a cost effective solution across the vMUSE platform.

Mr S.M. Lee, Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of IT for Korean Air says, “As our needs continue to grow, we believe ARINC will continue to meet our requirements as it understands our business.”

Korean Air will continue to receive AviNet Airport for operations, GLOBALink/VHF & HF, Type A & Type B Messaging, satellite and voice communications. Being the airlines primary SATCOM services provider will enable ARINC to resolve any arising issues faster and will be able to manage communications more effectively with even greater efficiency.

“Every day, ARINC helps more than 14,000 commercial aircraft for over 300 airlines execute over 100,000 take offs and landings with mission-critical network and communication capabilities,” said Mr. K.B. Cho, Director, ARINC Korea. “ARINC remains committed to meeting the evolving needs of airlines like Korean Air with our portfolio of capabilities and applications. We evolve as our customers evolve, and airlines can certainly depend on us to maximize performance, safety and operational excellence.”

AviNet Airport handles passenger processing solutions and airport operations management over a high-performance network enabling cost-sharing and wide-area networking.

Chicago O’Hare International Introduce Automated Passport Control System

August 19, 2013
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electronic border managementChicago O’Hare International Airport officials have announced that they will be launching an Automated Passport Control Programme to help passengers take more control of their journey by using self-service kiosks to speed up the US border clearance procedure and streamline operations with electronic border management.

“This technology reinforces Chicago’s leading position as a world-class destination for business and leisure travellers while spurring economic growth and smartly improving our nation’s security,” said Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel.

The new procedure for electronic border management became operational in Terminal 5 at the beginning of July and is open for free use to all US passengers arriving at Chicago’s O’Hare.  During the first month, the average waiting time over peak periods has been reduced by 16 minutes or an impressive 33%.

The introduction of the electronic border management system means that US passengers can proceed directly to the self-service kiosks to input their information, rather than filling in the paper Customs forms.  They can scan their passports and answer standard questions electronically using the user-friendly, touch-screen interface.

Self-service kiosks are also used for check-in operations around the world and are saving airlines, airports and passengers time and ultimately money with streamlined passenger processing and increased operational efficiency.  Companies such as ARINC Inc, provide cost-effective solutions for global travel improvements.

BAOA Suggest APIS to Combat Security Concerns in India

July 31, 2013
Business Aviation News
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It has been suggested by BAOA that to implementation of APIS could help to alleviate the security concerns raised in India.

Due to these heightened security concerns, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has blocked temporary landing permits (TLPs) for the crews of foreign business jets of non-scheduled operators (NSOPs).  They will now require mandatory employment visa’s from them to work upon flights within the country after arrival and the possibility of advance passenger information system (APIS).

The movement has placed severe restrictions upon business aviation within India and may be as much as 60% of the entire movement of 24,000 general aviation aircraft on a monthly basis recorded last year that will be affected by the regulatory changes.

Previous TLP’s were issued through the Bureau of Immigration for up to 72 hours for NSOPs foreign registered aircraft flight crew.

Mr Rajesh Bali, Secretary of the Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) is concerned that business and tourism industries will be hit by the changes and recommended to the Government that they mandate APIS for NSOPs which will enable the MHA to ‘Scrutinise personally any passenger or crew flying in on business jets, as it happens in the case of scheduled airlines.’

APIS is currently mandatory for US flights, both national and international and gives the DHS the opportunity to highlight possible high risk passengers and crew before the flight even touches down.

While the issue of TLPs is suspended, airports in major destinations, such as Delhi and Mumbai are losing vital revenue in fees from business aviation.

The BAOA has suggested that if MHA will move to implement a system where crew would be issued a 3-5 year visa as is the regulation in the US, that it continue to issue TLPs until a permanent decision can be made.

Digital APIS offers reliable and secure delivery of Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Records, including that of the aircraft crew.  APIS solutions are offered by business aviation communications providers for border security.

ARINC Award Recognises Service & Operational Excellence

July 31, 2013
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airline messagingARINC has been awarded the coveted ‘IT Service Provider of the Year’ at the Airport Business Partner Award ceremony in New Delhi recently.

The award, given by Indira Ghandi International Airport, demonstrates ARINC’s industry excellence in airline messaging with the use of their vMUSE platform for hugely successful common-use check in kiosks, passenger processing systems and baggage reconciliation system.

Mr Indana Prabhakara Rao, CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the organizers of the event, congratulated ARINC on their achievement and said, “GMR-IGI Airport Awards are meant to recognize our business partners who deliver outstanding service.”

ARINC are delighted to receive the award and recognition of their products and services, of which they are immensely proud.  ARINC’s industry-leading innovations have paved the way for the aviation industry for more than 80 years and they continue to provide solutions that meet the growing needs of their customers from airline messaging to airport operations and passenger connectivity.

“ARINC counts some of the biggest airlines and airports in the world as its customers. This accolade by the largest airport in India and one of the largest worldwide is important as it signifies ARINC’s capability and commitment to delivering innovative and reliable end-to-end products and services with superior performance, quality and total customer satisfaction,” said Mr. Michael DiGeorge, ARINC Asia Pacific Managing Director, adding, “ARINC is also committed to growing its business in India, an important market for us, and this award affirms our steady and sustainable growth in the country.”

ARINC AviNet Selected by EgyptAir for Fourteen Global Airports

July 3, 2013
Business Aviation News Introduction
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EgyptAir Select ARINC AviNetIt has been announced today that EgyptAir has elected to use ARINC’s AviNet Airport services solution for five Egyptian airports and nine others across the world, including Heathrow, Manchester and Dubai.

The decision to implement AviNet follows the recent contract award in March for the installation of vMUSE passenger processing solution at the Egyptian airports of Luxor, Aswan El Arab, Borg, Abu Simbel and Sharm El Sheikh.

ARINC will also provide turnkey project management services, in addition to AviNet, for the connection of the airports to the Amadeus ALTEA host, enabling ARINC to significantly reduce costs for the airline and providing a single-point contact to assist with major upgrades to its critical airport operations worldwide.

“ARINC’s ability to provide a fully managed service eliminates administrative burdens from our team, saving time and money,” said Mr. Hassan Nour, Vice President of IT Services at EgyptAir. “AviNet Airport’s reliable connectivity enables us to improve our airport operations globally, which ultimately benefits all of our passengers.”

The Debate Continues over Passenger Data Sharing

June 30, 2013
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The US-EU spying scandal could stir up a hornets nest for the aviation industry regarding passenger data sharing if the allegations are proved to be correct.

The German report in ‘Der Spiegel’ suggested that the US’s NSA have targeted the EU with its spying activities. Concerns have been raised and an investigation is underway, with demands from Green Party Leaders to cancel the transfer of passenger data, in the form of Passenger Name Records (PNR), which include such information as passenger name, address details, destination and baggage, payment details and travel itinerary.

Arguably, the provision of PNR and Advance Passenger Information (API), now mandatory for US flights, has considerably reduced the risk of terrorist activity.  Since 9/11, understandable concerns became obvious and, after a thorough investigation, the provision of passenger data enables government bodies to screen passengers before boarding the aircraft, thus highlighting possible ‘high-risk’ passengers while streamlining the service for ‘low-risk’ passengers.

Many believe that PNR and API passenger data exchange is a necessary procedure for all aviation travel, business or commercial, inter-state or Trans-Atlantic, to enhance security measures.  A secure, reliable passenger data sharing service can offer reassurance to the aviation passenger, the airline and to border control and immigration services.

Where should the line be drawn when it comes to security?

Aviation communications providers work hard to ensure secure, efficient and fast delivery of PNR and API to appropriate government agencies, but, the trouble is that it is not clear how the governments are dealing with the passenger data once it has been ‘used’ for its purpose.

The agreement is that the passenger data is anonymized after five years. After six months the passenger name is removed and the passenger data is stored securely.  The PNR itself is only scrutinized if the passenger is ‘flagged’ as risky.

No doubt the debate will continue, certainly with the media frenzy continuing over Edward Snowden, the NSA ‘whistle-blower’!

passenger data sharing

British Airways Step into the Future of Self-Service Check-in with Electronic Bag Tag Trial

June 27, 2013
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Self-Service Check-in eBag Tag

Frequent travellers, flying with British Airways, could soon be taking another step into the future of self-service check-in with the airline to trial an innovation in baggage tagging – the electronic bag tag.

The new tag will easily be updated using Smartphone and barcode technology, enabling passengers to simply scan their baggage at the self-service check-in bag drop point and move quickly through security to relax before departure, knowing that their luggage is fully trackable.

The bag tags, developed for the trial by Designworks, could eliminate the need for paper tagging, especially for frequent travellers, who could have their own, personalised baggage tag.  Designworks lead designer for the project, Lewis Freeman said, “This step into digital tagging of luggage is a huge leap forward enabling your luggage to become a connected object, providing a seamless experience for frequent travellers with British Airways.”

Self-service check-in is fast growing, using innovative, advanced technology and solutions, such as the ARINC vMUSE platform, used around the world.

 

European Border Management and Technologies Summit in Turkey

June 24, 2013
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With the rise in international travel, imports and exports across Europe, border management is proving to be increasingly difficult, due to the simultaneous rise of illegal immigration, drug crimes and human trafficking.  As a result, border management is soaring to the top of the priority list in many European countries.

Border agencies are seeking new and efficient ways to lower the risks of these activities and up the border management in their countries.

The Border Management and Technologies Summit will address these issues and discuss solutions such as increasing the use of biometrics, access control, surveillance and advance profiling to name a few.

Industry-leading companies, such as ARINC, provide tailored electronic border management solutions to the marketplace as a part of their extensive suite of services, to enhance border control and passenger data management.

Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport Trial Automated Baggage Scan System

June 6, 2013
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Ben-Gurion International Airport in Israel is going to trial a new automated baggage security system which is hoped will shorten waiting times for passengers during security checks.  The system will scan, using an automated baggage system, for explosives and other potentially dangerous material, separating those bags for further screening, before delivering the cleared baggage for loading onto the aircraft.

The new system should help to streamline airport operations and enhance passenger experience, while maintaining strict pre-flight security.

Worldwide, airports are realising the increased efficiency of automated operations, including passenger processing and the groundbreaking self-service check-in and automated baggage drop solutions. 

It is easy to see, with current industry-leaders offering technologically advanced check-in and baggage solutions on the ground and in the air, that the future of airline travel could be fully automated, safe and with reduced waiting times.

automated baggage scan

ARINC AviNet Solution Chosen by Tocumen International Airport

June 5, 2013
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Panama’s Tocumen International Airport with the support of the ICAO has chosen ARINC AviNet Messaging Solution for the analysis of the airport’s operational data and capturing advance passenger information (API).

ARINC also provides baggage source, load and movement messages which encompasses critical data about weight, baggage and movement for arriving and departing aircraft.

Finding ARINC’s AviNet to be the most effective solution available, Juan Carlos Pino, Tocumen’s GM said, “The new solution will assist the airport in capturing both operational and advance passenger information data from international air transport carriers.”

ARINC AviNet will be used for the on-going analysis, through the transmission of API messages, which supports Panama’s border security requirements and aims to improve airport operational efficiency.

ARINC Global Networks and IT Solutions Vice-President, Yun Chong agrees and says, “Tocumen International Airport is joining other industry leaders who are using operation data analysis to improve airport efficiency.”

ARINC AviNet for Tocumen