Introduction

Airports are intricate hubs bustling with millions of travelers each year, facilitated by numerous stakeholders, including the airport operator, airlines, regulatory agencies, concessionaires, and vendors, among others. Meeting the needs of this collective presence currently involves substantial energy and water consumption and significant waste generation.

However, organizations across all industries are increasingly focused on sustainability efforts—conserving resources, reducing negative environmental impacts, and promoting practices that can be continued indefinitely without depleting natural resources or harming ecosystems. These efforts can have many benefits, such as operating cost savings, future proofing, regulatory compliance, improved public and stakeholder perceptions, and reduced pollution in surrounding areas.

This article delves into several examples of fostering sustainability in the aviation sector and enhancing the eco-friendliness of airports.

Aviation Industry Initiatives Around Sustainability and Environmental Impacts

The Environmental Affairs Committee, a committee on environmental issues at Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), “is responsible for the development and implementation of ACI-NA environmental policy positions on issues such as noise, air quality, water quality, waste management, wildlife, and environmental review processes.”^[1] This group also works with government entities to help shape national policies affecting the airport environment. Airport operators may want to consider getting involved in groups like ACI-NA and attending their conferences and working group sessions.

Another example is the Green Airports Recognition program, run by ACI World. This program was designed to “promote environmental best practices to minimise aviation’s impact on the environment and recognise airport members who have outstanding accomplishments in their environmental projects.”^[2] This initiative increases collaboration across airports and gives recognition for successful programs in the industry. In 2023, Green Airports Recognition focused on airports from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East sharing their best practices in eliminating single-use plastics; in 2022, they recognized 12 airports for their achievements in reducing Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions.

Renewable Energy Integration

Many airports are investing in renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, to generate cleaner energy. For example, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has installed a massive solar array that generates electricity for its operations. According to the Los Angeles World Airports website, “The first LAX on-site renewable energy project was completed in 2021 at the new Airport Police Facility. The project has a 75 kW system capacity with an annual generation of over 153,000 kWh of solar energy equivalent to providing power to 19.7 homes per year.”^[3] Other airports in sun-rich environments could also take advantage of solar power, which can lower both the cost and environmental impacts of the airport’s operations.

Electric Ground Support Equipment

Airports are increasingly replacing traditional ground support equipment—like baggage tugs and passenger buses—with electric alternatives. For example, during an innovation and technology session at the 2022 ACI-NA Annual Conference, session panelists representing a large U.S. airport shared how they view electrification as a foundational element to implement right now, with the expectation that sources of electricity will become cleaner and more sustainable over time. While answering questions from the audience, panelists also touched briefly on battery technologies and the need for more sustainable battery chemistries and improved recycling technologies.

Another large U.S. airport, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), has an extensive fleet of electric buses and ground vehicles. A recent article on the airport’s website describes how, in 2020, SFO began replacing on-campus buses with new electric versions, as well as upgrading their electrical infrastructure and adding charging stations, as part of their plan to achieve carbon neutrality.^[4]

Sustainable Terminal Design

Several airports have constructed or renovated terminals with a focus on sustainability, specifically in the areas of energy efficiency, water conservation, materials and resource management, waste management, and biodiversity and landscaping. One example is the Changi Airport in Singapore, complete with energy-efficient designs and extensive greenery.^[5] Changi also modified their existing greenery, adding more plants and implementing automatic watering and fertilizing methods to reduce waste.^[6] Airports across the world can learn from Changi as they work to improve efficiencies and become models of sustainable business.

Waste Reduction and Recycling

Airports are improving their waste management practices by implementing recycling programs and reducing single-use plastics. For example, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has a “Zero Waste” program aimed at diverting waste from landfills by engaging passengers’ help in using fewer single-use products and increasing recycling. The airport wants to be a leader in green, energy-efficient airport operations.^[7]

A more extensive example is Hamad International Airport’s comprehensive recycling program, which reuses all of the airport’s wastewater: “Through the airport’s dedicated wastewater treatment plant, 100% of the wastewater generated from the airport is reused for landscape irrigation,” which means no wastewater is discharged to the sea.^[8]

Even small steps in this area are helpful, such as installing water refill stations that enable passengers to fill reusable bottles instead of single-use containers. This modest yet impactful measure promotes sustainability and provides a cost-effective starting point for airports looking to kickstart sustainability efforts.

Carbon Neutral Programs

Some airports are taking action to offset their carbon impacts on the environment. For example, Helsinki Airport in Finland has a program that supports renewable energy and forest conservation projects. Along with offset programs, other steps can be taken to reduce overall carbon footprint. According to an article published by Finavia, Helsinki Airport used the following five methods to reach carbon neutrality:^[9]

1. Solar power plant on the rooftop,
2. Apron buses that run on waste-based diesel,
3. Lighting changed to LED lamps,
4. Wind power and compensating for emissions, and
5. Engaging other stakeholders to reduce emissions.

Sustainable Transportation

Airports are increasingly integrating with public transportation systems to reduce the number of individual trips taken in cars. Notable examples include Portland International Airport in Oregon and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) in Arizona, both of which have developed seamless connections to their terminals.

In Portland, the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) light-rail network boasts “almost 100 stations and 60 miles of track,”^[10] providing extensive transportation options for residents. The MAX system offers convenient links to the airport and to key locations within the city. In Phoenix, the automated PHX Sky Train transports travelers around the airport campus and includes a connection to the Valley Metro Rail. The Sky Train project was funded through customer facility fees for rental cars and passenger facility charges, methods that other airports may be able to leverage.^[11]

Sustainable Procurement

Numerous airports are embracing sustainable procurement policies, which inform their selection of products and services with reduced environmental footprints. These policies enable the use of eco-friendly building materials and the integration of energy-efficient lighting systems, aligning airport operations with environmentally responsible practices.

Conclusion

As cultural awareness and regulatory attention toward sustainable practices continue to rise, airport operators may want to invest time and resources in researching these and other options. Possibilities are certain to expand, in step with the continual trajectory of technology and innovation.

References

^[1] Environmental Affairs Committee, ACI-NA, Accessed November 2023, https://airportscouncil.org/committees-programs/environmental-affairs/.

^[2] Green Airports Recognition, ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East, Accessed October 2023, https://www.aci-asiapac.aero/advocacy/environment/green-airports-recognition.

^[3] Sustainability Elements: Energy Management, Los Angeles World Airports, Accessed October 2023, https://www.lawa.org/lawa-sustainability/sustainability-elements-energy.

^[4] SFO Clean Vehicle Fact Sheet, San Fransisco International Airport, April 2021, https://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/2022-05/Clean_Vehicle_Policy_Fact_Sheet_April_2021.pdf.

^[5] Changi Takes Big Steps to Go Green, Changi, April 2018, https://www.changiairport.com/corporate/media-centre/changijourneys/the-airport-never-sleeps/changi-takes-big-steps-to-go-green.html.

^[6] Refreshed Green Wall Breathes New Life into Terminal 3, Changi, April 2018, https://www.changiairport.com/corporate/media-centre/changijourneys/the-changi-experience/refreshed-greenwall-breathes-new-life-into-terminal3.html.

^[7] SEA Strives to Reduce Environmental Impact, Port of Seattle, September 27, 2019, https://www.portseattle.org/commission-blog/2568/sea-strives-reduce-environmental-impact.

^[8] Hamad International Airport Reaffirms Its Commitment Towards Environmental Sustainability on World Environment Day 2023, Hamad International Airport, May 4, 2023, https://dohahamadairport.com/press-releases/news/hamad-international-airport-reaffirms-its-commitment-towards-environmental.

^[9] Helsinki Airport Is Carbon Neutral. Here Are 5 Concrete Actions that Ensure Carbon Neutrality, Finavia, May 2, 2018, https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2018/helsinki-airport-carbon-neutral-here-are-5-concrete-actions-ensure-carbon-neutrality.

^[10] MAX Light Rail, Travel Portland, October 9, 2023, https://www.travelportland.com/plan/max-light-rail/.

^[11] Light Rail, Guide to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Accessed October 2023, https://airport-phoenix.com/transport/light-rail-in-phoenix-airport/.

Header photo by Singkham on Pexels, modified by Barich Inc.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into airport security systems marks a transformative leap forward, empowering authorities with new capabilities to anticipate, detect, and respond to potential risks swiftly and efficiently. From AI-driven surveillance and predictive analytics to biometric authentication and automated screening, these advanced technologies bolster security infrastructure and enhance the travel experience for millions of passengers worldwide. While these are the systems of the future, many are readily available today. This article describes three of the top use cases for airport operators to consider implementing.

Use Cases

AI-enhanced Secure Access Monitoring and Threat Identification

Airports have numerous secured areas under constant camera surveillance, but issues can arise when security personnel experience fatigue after monitoring cameras for prolonged periods. AI can provide valuable support by continuously monitoring secure locations for any signs of movement or breaches, as well as promptly alerting the relevant authorities or users upon detection.

An industry example of this technology in use can be found at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD).^[1] PGD has adopted an AI-based secure access monitoring system that seamlessly integrates with their existing access control system and security cameras. PGD, a smaller airport with limited staff resources, employs this AI-based monitoring system to automatically identify instances of “piggybacking” or “tailgating” at secure entrances throughout the airport. This has significantly improved PGD’s accuracy in identifying incidents and reduced the need for round-the-clock staffing. As a result, PGD can accurately pinpoint cases of unauthorized access and streamline their incident reporting to TSA and other relevant stakeholders.

AI-powered video analytics can also analyze real-time crowd behavior, individual behavior, unauthorized area access, and loitering. These systems learn over time, becoming more efficient at distinguishing risks from normal behavior. Likewise, these AI-enabled systems can link into other data sets—such as access control systems, biometric identification databases, and flight information—which further informs their judgments about possible risks.

One large company has a system available for airport deployment that can analyze human behavior and alert guards of anything suspicious. On their website, they describe the system as follows: “Cameras scan people or vehicles in a crowd for motions that appear abnormal, such as walking in the wrong direction on an escalator or stopping a car at an unusual place. Alarms can also trigger the cameras to automatically track the object of interest and dynamically adjust the field of view, providing visual information to the control room.”^[2]

AI-integrated Bag Scanning

AI-integrated bag scanning is a technology solution that enables AI to directly interface with x-ray and CT scanners, taking on the role of scanning baggage for potential threats without requiring human operators. A well-trained AI model can outperform humans in terms of speed and accuracy when it comes to detecting dangerous items. AI bag scanning is gaining traction in several European airports. One primary driver behind the adoption of AI bag scanning is to mitigate errors that may occur due to human operators monitoring screens for extended durations,^[3] akin to the value provided by secure access monitoring.

An example of this is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), which has tested the use of AI with CT scanners to scan baggage in real time.^[4] While exact features and implementations have not yet been disclosed, AMS is actively testing this technology on a small scale, looking to verify its viability before adopting it fully.

Gunshot Sound Detection

The ability to swiftly identify when a gunshot has occurred—including differentiating it from other loud noises—is essential to the safety of airport staff and travelers. There is a growing number of systems capable of accurately identifying the sound of a gunshot in real time, even in crowded areas. These systems swiftly record and pinpoint the source of the shot within seconds and promptly alert law enforcement agencies. Some systems can even be integrated with AI-based intelligent video analytics to capture images and track a perpetrator’s movements throughout the building. This real-time tracking provides law enforcement with up-to-the-minute information about a suspect’s location, aiding in rapid response and apprehension.

Charleston International Airport (CHS) has one example of such a deployment. In an Airport Improvement article, representatives from the airport and the solution provider describe how they deployed the solution for CHS’s pre-security areas. According to the solution provider’s CEO, “Our system takes confusion and human panic out of the loop by digitizing everything and quickly getting information out to security personnel and police, as well as passengers.”^[5] Other examples of airports implementing similar solutions include Los Angeles International Airport,^[6] Columbus Airport,^[7] and West Virginia International Yeager Airport.^[8]

State and Federal Barriers

Although these technologies are quite promising, they could potentially come with legal challenges. Several U.S. states and other countries have considered restrictions or bans on AI-based monitoring solutions. Airport operators should coordinate closely with legal staff as they procure AI solutions, especially those that impact passenger data and biometrics. It is hard to predict how the regulation of AI may impact its use for airport operators in the future. It will be important for airport operators to stay up to date on their state’s discussion of AI, along with any future policy updates.

Conclusion

While AI is starting to be used by airport operators in various use cases, operators likely still do not understand the full impact that AI deployments will have on the airport environment. AI tools are improving rapidly, and new use cases may form quickly within the industry. To stay ahead of potential threats and to further enhance safety and security measures, airport operators need to remain vigilant and continue monitoring the industry for emerging AI trends and security solutions.

References

^[1] Aviation and Transportation, Hakimo, Accessed August 2023, https://www.hakimo.ai/industries/aviation-and-transportation.

^[2] Airport Security Solutions to Manage Incidents, Support the Business, and Improve Security, “Video Analysis to Detect Suspicious Activity,” Bosch, Accessed August 2023, https://www.boschsecurity.com/us/en/industries/airports/#solutions.

^[3] AI Bag Scanner Is Faster and More Accurate than Airport Staff, NoCamels, Jeffay, John, April 23, 2023, https://nocamels.com/2023/04/ai-bag-scanner-is-faster-and-more-accurate-than-airport-staff/.

^[4] Schiphol Partners Pangiam to Explore AI for Baggage Screening, Airport Technology, March 14, 2023, https://www.airport-technology.com/news/schiphol-partners-pangiam-baggage-screening/.

^[5] Charleston Int’l Blankets Pre-Security Areas with Gunshot Detection Sensors, Airport Improvement, Wendt, Ronnie L., May–June 2019, https://airportimprovement.com/article/charleston-int-l-blankets-pre-security-areas-gunshot-detection-sensors.

^[6] SDS to Deploy Shooter Detection System at Los Angeles Airport, Airport Technology, April 24, 2019, http://www.airport-technology.com/news/shooter-detection-los-angeles-airport/.

^[7] Columbus Airport to Perform Live Emergency Gunshot Detection Exercise, Columbus Airport, Overton, Sonya, September 6, 2022, https://www.flycolumbusga.com/columbus-airport-to-perform-live-emergency-gunshot-detection-exercise/.

^[8] Grant Allows Yeager to Install Gunshot Detection System, More Security Cameras, AviationPros, Steelhammer, Rick, October 8, 2021, https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/news/21241548/grant-allows-yeager-to-install-gunshot-detection-system-more-security-cameras.

Header photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash, modified by Barich Inc.

Summary

According to Merriam-Webster, artificial intelligence (AI) is “a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers” and “the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior.”^[1] AI also encompasses machine learning, computer vision, and many other technologies. (For more detail on these technologies, check out Artificial Intelligence, a Technology Focus article.)

But what can AI do for airport operators? What are some of the challenges it presents? Airport operators saw the prominence and capabilities of AI skyrocket within the last year, and they want answers to these questions. The ability of AI to learn from data and make autonomous decisions opens doors for enhancing efficiency, security, and passenger experience. Yet AI is not without pitfalls—it can make mistakes and harbor biases that could impact performance and outcomes. For instance, misidentification of passengers or baggage by AI systems can lead to flight delays or cancellations.

This article is the second of a two-part series, providing a summary of the challenges that airport operators should consider as they plan to incorporate AI into their operations. Check out Part I for a walkthrough of many opportunities for using AI at airports.

Challenges

Airport operators need to keep a close eye on several challenges associated with the adoption and use of AI solutions, including privacy or data breaches, insider threats, malicious use of AI, implementation barriers, and AI failures.

Privacy or Data Breaches

AI technologies often have access to large amounts of data, including passenger information, flight schedules, and security camera feeds. If not properly secured, these technologies can become targets for cybercriminals seeking unauthorized access to sensitive data, potentially leading to privacy or data breaches. Airports need to be very careful with the internal information connected to these AI solutions, to ensure that no information gets out that may hurt the competitive or proprietary nature of their products. Airport operators likewise need to be sensitive to ethical considerations regarding the use of AI in security and surveillance to prevent potential misuse or invasion of privacy.

Insider Threats

Users with authorized access to AI systems, such as airport staff or contractors, could misuse their privileges to exploit vulnerabilities, steal data, or compromise system integrity. Insider threats pose significant risks, since individuals with insider knowledge may have access to critical systems and sensitive information.

Malicious Use of AI

Bad actors can use AI technologies to launch cyberattacks and disrupt operations. For example, AI-based malware could be designed to evade traditional security measures and cause significant disruptions to airport operations. These issues appear across all industries, and they will likely increase as advanced AI programs become more available. Airports will increasingly have to invest in threat detection and mitigation.

Implementation Barriers

As with all new technology, there will be barriers to implementing AI solutions. Airports are complex environments with many different stakeholder groups. Some examples of possible barriers facing a new AI solution implementation include computing or data requirements, data integration, privacy concerns and user consent, cost of early adoption, regulatory compliance, and job loss.

• Computing or data requirements: AI technologies need to perform calculations at high speeds, which requires appropriate hardware and data connections. Implementing AI infrastructure and training personnel can involve significant upfront costs and resource allocation.
• Data integration: For an AI solution to be used to the fullest, it will need access to all relevant data in the airport environment. Data access can be difficult for some airports to provide if they do not already have centralized data collection and storage. Additionally, most airlines do not like to share useful passenger and travel data with airports, which could limit the usefulness of some AI solutions.
• Privacy concerns and user consent: Any AI solution will need to be explained to the public and staff who are using it. Buy-in from all parties will be necessary.
• Cost of early adoption: Few complex AI solutions are currently in place at airports, which means an airport may have to make a major investment if they want to be first in line.
• Regulatory compliance: AI implementation at airports may be subject to various regulations and standards, which must be adhered to for legal and ethical reasons.
• Job loss: AI solutions could reduce airport jobs and hurt the local population; care should be taken when looking to automate any position or function.

AI Failures

Any AI solution can fail. AI models can be wrong, and they can create issues if a solution is not being monitored for accuracy while in use. Plan to always have someone available to verify the results of any AI activity. Airports also need to use caution when deciding which systems will have AI integration, at least until a solution is well-trialed and established.

Conclusion

AI usage is expanding quickly, and many airports are already participating with new security systems, autonomous vehicles, and passenger chat features, among other technologies. AI technologies will likely continue to grow more advanced as airports access higher data speeds and AI models are improved. Airport operators may want to monitor the industry for new deployments and advancements that could help their operations.

Other recommended reading on this site:

Enhancing Airport Security: Transformative Role of AI Across the Industry (Applied Technology in Airports article)

Artificial Intelligence (Technology Focus article)

References

^[1] Artificial Intelligence, Merriam-Webster, Accessed May 6, 2020, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artificial%20intelligence.

Header photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash, modified by Barich Inc.

Summary

According to Merriam-Webster, artificial intelligence (AI) is “a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers” and “the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior.”^[1] AI also encompasses machine learning, computer vision, and many other technologies. (For more detail on these technologies, check out Artificial Intelligence, a Technology Focus article.)

But what can AI do for airport operators? What are some of the challenges it presents? Airport operators saw the prominence and capabilities of AI skyrocket within the last year, and they want answers to these questions. The ability of AI to learn from data and make autonomous decisions opens doors for enhancing efficiency, security, and passenger experience. Yet AI is not without pitfalls—it can make mistakes and harbor biases that could impact performance and outcomes. For instance, misidentification of passengers or baggage by AI systems can lead to flight delays or cancellations.

This article is the first of a two-part series on AI solutions, and it walks through many opportunities for using AI at airports, including both exploratory uses and available solutions. Part II summarizes the challenges that airport operators should prepare for as they incorporate AI into their operations.

Passenger Experience Improvements

Wayfinding

Although real-world deployments are a few years out, AI could be combined with Internet of things sensors and integrated into dynamic signage solutions to provide passengers with personalized information as they pass by. For example, a sign could display flight info to a passenger as they pass by or direct a passenger with a later flight to a nearby concession area. AI algorithms could also enable the airport to automatically display ads in certain areas based on the flight demographics in that part of the airport.

For example, in 2022, Delta tested a parallel reality sign at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. If passengers opted in, a kiosk and a large dynamic sign would display their personal flight information when they stood close by, while showing nearby passengers different, personalized information. The sign would detect each passenger and make their information visible from only their location, for up to 100 passengers concurrently.^[2] Products such as parallel reality signs will only get more advanced as AI technology develops.

Virtual Assistant to Passengers

Similar to AI that has been used in chatbots for many years, airports could deploy virtual assistants with advanced response capabilities, whether on the airport website/app or in kiosks around the facility, easing the number of calls into the airport call center or questions asked at information desks. Over time, these features will become more advanced and able to handle more unscripted interactions with passengers.

A more advanced solution might be an AI-generated avatar on screens at information desks that “listens” to passenger questions and responds in a human-like voice. Some airports have already tested the use of screens and webcams at information desks to connect passengers with help desk staff in another location, as the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport did during the COVID-19 pandemic.^[3]

Another type of passenger assistance, AI-powered language translation, could improve the tools available to airport staff for communicating with passengers who speak different languages. Solutions already exist to provide live translation through smartphones; in the future, tools such as augmented reality headsets could also be leveraged in these situations.

Trip Planning

Airport operators could also deploy AI-enabled solutions within their airport app or website to help passengers with trip planning. This could include the following:

• Detecting and predicting airport-specific issues that would arise if a passenger books a flight itinerary that involves more than one airline. This information would also greatly benefit an airport operator’s signage program. For example, would the passenger need to change terminals, and if so, does the airport have appropriate signage to guide them from one terminal to the next? This information could even be provided to travel booking sites, which may use their own algorithms to warn passengers or keep them from selecting connections that are too tight.
• Providing updated travel times to and from the airport.
• Providing on-time performance data for specific flights.

Some of these features are provided today by other entities, such as travel booking sites, but they could be integrated into an airport’s passenger experience program and customized to fit the needs of local passengers.

Operational Improvements

Resource Allocation

Airport operators should consider the impacts of AI on their existing or future resource management system (RMS) solutions. This could be accomplished by discussing with current providers or by including AI requirements in future requests for proposals. AI integration could help an RMS make predictive adjustments or recommendations based on real-time information. This would help take current rules-based RMS solutions to the next level. Airports could also add AI-based predictive analytics platforms to other operational systems to optimize resource allocation, including personnel deployment and energy consumption, by maximizing efficiency and reducing costs.

Generative AI Tools

There are a growing number of generative AI tools capable of understanding and producing natural language text. These tools, such as ChatGPT or Google Bard, can function as a virtual assistant by responding to user queries, providing information, and engaging in text-based conversations. A great way for people in various airport operator business functions (e.g., planning, executives, information technology, operations) to use these tools is for brainstorming “conversations.” For example, top generative AI tools could offer great insights on developing five-year planning frameworks, crafting job descriptions, or identifying future innovative technologies and summarizing their impacts.

In an interview for this article, airport operator Dave Wilson, former director of airport innovation for the Port of Seattle/Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, described how he used ChatGPT for these and other use cases. Wilson took it one step further and developed a website—AirportGPT—to help airport operator leaders learn about generative AI tools. Wilson’s exchanges with ChatGPT contain examples of specific prompts and full conversations from both an airport operator’s and passenger’s perspective to demonstrate the types of value ChatGPT can bring to airports.

Full Analytics Solutions

AI-integrated cameras are beginning to be used in the airport industry to monitor the refueling of planes, the unloading of baggage, safety concerns on the airfield, and many elements of the plane itself. The end goal is identifying and mitigating delays and cancellations by analyzing historical data, weather patterns, and other relevant factors to predict flight delays more accurately. This predictive data can be shared with airlines to help them plan better for possible delays and let their passengers know if there are any disruptions. Several airports and airlines have begun implementing these solutions, such as JFK International Air Terminal, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, and American Airlines.^[4]

Concessions and Businesses

AI solutions could also help an airport’s concession or business departments. This could start with feeding data such as flight demographics, passenger tracking data, concession usage (by time of day and location), and concession complaints from passengers (e.g., bottlenecks, long lines, quality) into an AI algorithm. This could uncover detailed insights on the everyday realities of concession performance and passenger behavior, and it could reveal new, strategic locations for concessions; underperforming concession areas; or a lack of concession signage. Some bad passenger experiences with concessions could be prevented just by installing better, dynamic signage guiding passengers to an open concession area. Beyond this, airports could also consider dynamic pricing for concessionaires, based on time of year or other factors.

Autonomous Solutions on Ramps and Airfields

Autonomous solutions are quickly coming to airport ramps and airfields, and AI is foundational to their operation. These autonomous technologies use computer vision and machine learning to develop smarter paths for operation and collision avoidance, along with other features. These AI-integrated solutions will allow more ramp activity to be done remotely and autonomously.

Many autonomous ramp technologies are already being deployed in Asia and Europe. In the United States, several companies are working with airlines to deploy automated ramp equipment, such as bag carts and airplane tugs. These airlines are currently putting large investments into autonomous technologies for ramp equipment and vehicles.

Another use case is autonomous, AI-enabled snowplows and robots that cut grass. These robots can greatly limit the cost and hours of effort dedicated to maintaining runways and fields at the airport. One example is the Oslo Airport, which is working with a provider of autonomous snowplows for their runways.^[5] Additionally, in 2019, Winnipeg Richardson International Airport became the first North American airport to deploy an autonomous plow, called Otto.^[6] In 2021, Changi Airport trialed a group of small robots, similar to household sweeping robots, that cut grass along a preprogrammed path. The robots were solar powered and could return to a holding station to recharge.^[7]

Airport executives will need to ensure that there is adequate infrastructure to accommodate these new solutions, especially with the rise in common use environments, which limit the amount of available infrastructure at airports. These technologies also require high speed, low latency network connections (such as those provided by private wireless networks) and sufficient charging stations. These and other impacts of autonomous technologies will need to be considered.

Security Monitoring and Threat Detection

Many airports are already using security systems that incorporate AI and machine learning technologies to enhance their detection, monitoring, and response capabilities. These systems help track abandoned baggage, monitor entry points, and scan baggage or persons. For example, AI-enhanced systems can analyze closed-circuit television camera feeds to identify suspicious behavior and alert security personnel to potential threats in real time. AI can also assist in analyzing x-ray scans for prohibited items in luggage. (For more detail on this topic, check out Enhancing Airport Security: Transformative Role of AI Across the Industry, an Applied Technology in Airports article.)

Conclusion

AI usage is expanding quickly, and many airports are already participating with new security systems, autonomous vehicles, and passenger chat features, among other technologies. AI technologies will likely continue to grow more advanced as airports access higher data speeds and AI models are improved. Airport operators may want to monitor the industry for new deployments and advancements that could help their operations. Continue to Part II for a summary of the potential challenges that airport operators should keep in mind.

Other recommended reading on this site:

Enhancing Airport Security: Transformative Role of AI Across the Industry (Applied Technology in Airports article)

Artificial Intelligence (Technology Focus article)

References

^[1] Artificial Intelligence, Merriam-Webster, Accessed May 6, 2020, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artificial%20intelligence.

^[2] Delta’s Futuristic New Airport Screen Can Show Personalized Flight Info to Multiple People at Once — Here’s How It Works, Business Insider, Erb, Jordan Parker, July 7, 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-parallel-reality-board-detroit-displays-personalized-flight-information-2022-7.

^[3] Now the Airport Info Booths Are Going Virtual, Baskas, Harriet, November 24, 2020, https://stuckattheairport.com/2020/11/24/now-the-airport-info-booths-are-going-virtual/.

^[4] Delta’s Futuristic New Airport Screen, Erb, https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-parallel-reality-board-detroit-displays-personalized-flight-information-2022-7.

^[5] Next Step in Autonomous Snow Removal at Norwegian Airports, Semcon, Accessed June 2023, https://news.cision.com/semcon/r/next-step-in-autonomous-snow-removal-at-norwegian-airports,c3321638#:~:text=Norwegian%20airport%20operator%20Avinor%20is,one%20of%20the%20co%2Downers.

^[6] Winnipeg Airport Unveils Self-Driving Snowplow Named Otto, HuffPost, Shakeri, Sima, March 17, 2019, https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/winnipeg-airport-unveils-self-driving-snowplow-named-otto_ca_5cd58f3fe4b07bc729793681.

^[7] Robotic Grass Cutters Now In Use at Changi Airport, More to Be Deployed, The Straits Times, Wei, Toh Ting, November 22, 2021, https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/robotic-grass-cutters-now-in-use-at-changi-airport-more-to-be-deployed.

Header photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash, modified by Barich Inc.

The average consumer uses a mobile device for just about everything—from banking and shopping to stock trading and ticket purchasing—and in recent years, that has started to include airport services. Passengers use their personal devices for check-in, booking, payments, and other services; and many airlines and airports use mobile devices—usually tablets—to help process or assist passengers. This trend is here to stay, with expansions to mobile passenger services being tested and implemented in many airports. These expansions typically include at least the following services:

• Access to traditionally kiosk-only features (such as on-airport check-in, baggage selection, and lap child addition) on an airline’s mobile application (app)
• Ability to upload forms of identification to a mobile device for use at a security checkpoint
• Enrollment in biometric programs

These services give both airport and passengers a more efficient experience at key points in the passenger journey. To use these services, depending on the specific installation, passengers may be required to download an app; tap their mobile device near an airport device using near-field communication (also called NFC); scan a QR code to open a menu on their device; or perform some combination of actions.

Industry Status

Several airports and airlines have recently deployed mobile device–based services; this section provides a few examples.

Traditionally Kiosk-Only Features Moved to Passenger Mobile Devices

An illustrative example of the move from kiosks to passenger mobile devices is Europe’s largest airline, Ryanair. Ryanair has partnered with an information services company “‘to deliver brand new [bag drop] check-in kiosks, ensuring a quick and easy experience of just three minutes max, all conveniently done from the passenger’s phone,’ the airline said.”^[1] For instance, instead of having to enter check-in details on a kiosk or bag-drop machine, passengers at the airport can conduct the entire bag-tag and bag-drop process directly from the Ryanair app on their mobile devices. The only hardware required is a compatible bag-tag printer, weight scale, and conveyor belt. The app communicates with the peripherals using a blend of wireless technologies, which eliminates the need for up to 90% of the existing infrastructure, providing a low-cost and sustainable alternative.

Another feature that airport and airline operators may consider is mobile alerts that inform passengers of their mobile device options when they enter certain locations, such as the check-in hall. Along the way, the airline app gives passengers instructions—in the language of their choosing—on how to connect with on-airport devices. This move to mobile device–based processing provides airport operators with more options, such as opening airport check-in halls for other uses and more airline tenants. As of 2022, the same information services company that partnered with Ryanair is enabling airline apps that service hundreds of millions of passengers and working with many of the world’s largest airports and airlines to achieve this transformation.

Digital Identification

One service providing passengers with greater convenience is the ability to upload forms of identification to their mobile devices. This has necessitated tight collaboration between airport operators, airlines, industry stakeholders, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In one example, a firm in collaboration with American Airlines developed an app that gives passengers the ability to upload passports or driver’s licenses to their mobile devices.^[2] This app can be used instead of a physical ID at TSA checkpoints at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, with expansion to other locations planned. The company states that the platform can “enable single enrollment for biometrics across airports, hotels, and more.”^[3]

In another example, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) partnered with the TSA and another firm to test a new digital ID.^[4] The firm worked with a technology company and the TSA to bring the digital ID to a digital wallet app, after which the ID was accepted by the TSA. In 2022, the digital ID was tested at PHX; this test allowed passengers to add their driver’s license to their wallet app profile and use the app at the checkpoint in place of a physical ID card.

Biometric Enrollment Through Passenger Mobile Devices

One leading common-use technology provider now has software development kits that can enable passengers to use their mobile devices to enroll in biometric programs.^[5] By using their mobile devices, passengers at participating airports no longer need to stop at a kiosk or counter to enroll their biometrics.

Benefits and Impacts

The following are some general benefits and impacts of this push to passenger mobile devices:

Business Benefits/Drivers

• Reduction in physical equipment needed to process passengers
• More space in airport facilities for other uses
• Frees up staff to help passengers with specific needs or questions

Transformational Impacts

• Changes how passengers interact with airlines at the airport
• Can enable more use of biometrics
• Streamlines/quickens the passenger journey through the facility

Design Considerations

• Drastic impact on future terminal design/expansion because less equipment would be needed
• Possible need for additional network connectivity around the facility

Conclusion

The specifics of these mobile solutions will likely change over time, but passengers will always prefer more control over their journey and more convenience at stressful points. Any solution that enables this control and convenience—especially while simplifying physical infrastructure—should be considered by airport operators looking to better serve their customers.

Other recommended reading on this site:

5G Wireless (Technology Focus article)

Internet of Things (Technology Focus article)

Private Cellular Networks: CBRS and OnGo (Technology Focus article)

Digital Transformation in Airports (Applied Technology in Airports article)

References

^[1] Pól Conghaile, “Ryanair Promises Three-Minute Bag Drop at Dublin Airport with New Self-Service Kiosks,” May 28, 2023, https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/travel-news/ryanair-promises-three-minute-bag-drop-at-dublin-airport-with-new-self-service-kiosks/a592029874.html.

^[2] Jim Nash, “Flash a QR and Your Face Biometrics and American Will Put You in a Jet Seat,” Biometric Update, June 23, 2022, https://www.biometricupdate.com/202206/flash-a-qr-and-your-face-biometrics-and-american-will-put-you-in-a-jet-seat.

^[3] “Use Cases,” Airside Mobile, accessed December 2022, https://airsidemobile.com/use-cases/#travel.

^[4] “IDEMIA Enables Acceptance of State IDs and Driver’s Licenses in Apple Wallet at TSA Airport Checkpoints,” Ideamia, March 24, 2022, https://www.idemia.com/press-release/idemia-enables-acceptance-state-ids-and-drivers-licenses-apple-wallet-tsa-airport-checkpoints-2022-03-24.

^[5] “SITA Smart Path Mobile,” SITA, accessed January 2023, https://www.sita.aero/solutions/sita-at-airports/sita-passenger-processing/sita-smart-path/sita-smart-path-mobile/.

Header photo by Tyler Lastovich on Pexels, modified by Barich Inc.

Maurice Jenkins, Digital Strategy and Innovation Advisor/Chief Innovation Officer at Miami Dade Aviation Department, provided insights into how Miami International Airport (MIA) views innovation and how technology is changing their operations. This article outlines the following for MIA:

• Innovation background and approach
• Specific innovation projects
• Lessons learned

Innovation Background and Approach

The mayor of Miami and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MIA have a shared vision: Find ways to positively transform the airport’s operations by advancing new solutions. Further, since they see MIA as an important piece of the aviation industry as a whole, one of their goals is to deliver widespread value beyond the MIA facility. This has resulted in the creation of an innovation leadership position for the airport: the Innovation Advisor. This individual works hand-in-hand with the CEO to identify new strategies and technologies that will help advance the mission and vision for MIA. On a practical level, this direct reporting relationship enables the Innovation Team to more easily navigate the procurement, legal, and timing challenges that so often arise through innovation efforts.

Jenkins identified several key elements in his approach to the Innovation Program, including the following:

• Prioritize projects
• Eliminate data silos in the organization
• Engage with federal stakeholders such as the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Look for innovations that will enhance the aviation landscape
• Test technologies with startups and universities

The Innovation Team at Miami is not overly concerned with failure in innovation efforts, but rather, the team is focused on challenging the airport to try new things and create new benchmarks for the future. Jenkins and his team understand that although success cannot always be achieved, failures can be seen as learning tools. Their goal is to keep generating creative and potentially transformative ideas; they acknowledge that an innovation program is only as good as its last performance and emphasize the need to keep moving after any success or failure.

Specific Innovation Projects

Jenkins discussed several projects or technologies that his team tested, implemented, or put on their roadmap, all with a focus on collaborating and engaging with the industry and vendors for the best results. The following provides a snapshot of these initiatives:

• Self-service bag drop (with Spirit Airlines)
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9000/20000 Certification
• Private wireless network through Citizens Broadband Radio Service technology—currently finding new uses and benefits
• Virtual queuing—currently has CEO buy-in
• Autonomous vehicles—currently seeking a trial location

Jenkins also stressed that their approach to innovation is not just implementing new technologies; it often means improving the processes and decision making of the organization.

Lessons Learned

Jenkins shared several lessons that his team has learned so far, including the following:

• Prioritize projects—the team started with 3 projects that quickly grew to 17, and they cannot all be done at once.
• Focus on all aspects of the airport, not just technology, for innovation.
• Consider what is going on in the community around the airport.
• Track the procurement cycle to avoid missing a window of opportunity.
• Involve all stakeholders in the industry.
• Develop good relationships with business units to limit obstacles to progress.

Since this Publication covers several technologies and topics, it is helpful to visualize how they compare with one another in their level of transformation (basic/intermediate/advanced) and stage of readiness for airport operators (reactive/strategic/innovative). The infographic above provides a general industry categorization of these technologies.

For example, a technology such as cloud services is listed at the intermediate level and in the reactive ring, which indicates that it is applicable for airport operators who are more reactive. Cloud services is intermediate due to the broad effects it has on many airport systems/operations. It is shown in the reactive ring since many airports have already deployed cloud services, and there is a well-developed market for cloud solutions; therefore, airports that are more risk-averse can look to many others for lessons learned and proven best practices. However, there are some uses of some of these technologies that verge into more than one stage of readiness. (See the “Tiered Approach” section of each Technology Focus article for examples of these uses.)

The following sections discuss each Transformation Tier and area within the adoption curve, as described in the Executive Technology Overview. For more on each topic noted in the infographic, see the corresponding sections in the Technology Focus and Applied Technology in Airports articles.

Transformation Tiers

For each technology deemed “transformative,” this Publication further breaks down its level of transformation to airports into the following three Transformation Tiers: Basic Transformation, Intermediate Transformation, and Advanced Transformation.

Basic Transformation: This Transformation Tier includes technologies that airport operators have researched and for which they have some understanding of how the deployment of these technologies will impact their organizations. Airport operators have not experienced widespread deployment of these technologies; however, they have been able to gather valuable real-world data on them and how they will impact their organizations. Airport operators may have even begun preparations to account for these technologies.

Intermediate Transformation: This Transformation Tier includes technologies that bring more disruptive impacts to airport operations. While airports may not be able to lean heavily on previous airport implementation of the technology, they may have some knowledge of or plan for how the technology may impact them. Though much can change from conceptualization of a technology to deployment, having a plan can go a long way. Airport operators can have a sense of where a technology in this Transformation Tier will impact their organizations most, and they can begin to allocate resources as needed.

Advanced Transformation: This Transformation Tier includes technologies for which airport organizations have little to no prior deployment experience and knowledge on how to properly implement or account for the technology. The technologies in this Transformation Tier are the most potentially revolutionizing operations since airport operators will have very little experience in or preparation for dealing with them.

Transformation Tier Ranking

To determine how the technologies fit into each Transformation Tier, this Publication considers the following factors: airport impact, airport knowledge, and airport deployment.

Airport Impact: Will this technology likely have a sizable impact on airport operations, stakeholders, or business? While numerous technologies are in development, even within the aviation industry, the Transformation Tiers only include technologies that have a notable impact on the airport environment.

Airport Knowledge: Do airport operators understand the potential uses for these technologies and the impact they may bring to the airport environment? The unique scenarios and considerations presented within an airport can alter the ways in which technologies can be used. It may take airport operators some time to better understand how these technologies can be deployed and used effectively, or how the deployments of others may have an effect on their business.

Airport Deployment: Have airport operators gained experience with the technology through real-world pilots or deployments? Many of the unique issues that airport operators must account for are not discovered until they have been experienced in an operational environment. The lessons learned from one deployment are used to refine aspects of later deployments, improving the effectiveness of technology solutions.

Adoption Curve

Due to varying levels of risk tolerance, financial means, or technical capabilities, not all airport operators have the same approach to innovation. Understandably, this impacts what types of technology solutions these operators can deploy. Numerous factors influence what types of technology solutions an airport operator may be interested in investigating. While some airports may be categorized as more aggressive in pursuing innovation, other airports are more risk averse.

The following technology adoption categories define levels of aggressiveness that airports have toward the pursuit and implementation of transformative technologies. Airport organizations in these categories take different strategies when pursuing innovation, focusing more on either reducing risk or leading the industry.

Innovative organizations place emphasis on early adoption of technology and pioneering new solutions in the industry. Innovative organizations have developed internal tracking programs that continually research the development of innovations and the impact they are having in other industries. They also provide a leadership role in the aviation industry by developing concepts and performing pilot tests to establish use cases that provide a basis for strategic organizations to begin to evaluate.

Strategic airport organizations monitor where technology is going and study implementations conducted by innovative and other strategic organizations to gain lessons learned and determine what trends are the most applicable to their unique environment. Strategic companies devote a portion of their time and resources to innovation and may deploy smaller-scale pilots to better understand emerging technologies.

Reactive airport organizations are highly risk averse when dealing with new technology. Whether due to the constraints of limited available capital, skill deficits, or a general leadership position of caution and conservative growth, these airport operators do not pursue technology solutions that are still considered “new” to the industry. Reactive organizations allow innovative organizations to identify and resolve challenges in emerging technology and display proven success before developing their own implementation plan. They also wait for strategic organizations to work out the business cases, and they allow the industry adoption rate to increase in size, as numerous solutions become available with a wealth of knowledge about procurement, installation, and operations.

For example, a technology such as cloud services is listed as intermediate and reactive. It is intermediate due to the broad affects it has on many airport systems/operations. It is categorized as reactive since many airports have already deployed cloud services and there being a developed market for cloud solutions; therefore, airports who are more risk averse can look to many others for lessons learned and proven best practices.

Daver Malik, Assistant Aviation CIO for the Phoenix Aviation Department, is a prominent leader in the aviation industry. Malik recently provided his insights on the pursuit of innovation within the airport industry relative to virtual queuing (VQ). In the following sections, this article outlines how Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is approaching VQ with its initiative, PHX Reserve:

• Objectives and approach
• Lessons learned
• Benefits
• Impact areas

Objectives and Approach

Background

PHX’s VQ initiative, termed PHX Reserve, stemmed from a holistic look at the airport’s operations that captured the passenger flow at each stage of the passenger journey. At each checkpoint, passengers want peace of mind and predictability as part of their airport experience. Through PHX Reserve, passengers can reserve a time slot at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint. This provides certainty, shortens wait times, and helps to simplify the overall experience—all of which gives passengers more control over their airport journey.

The project from which PHX Reserve originated is part of a broader digitization strategy at the airport. In 2021, the first phase of this project was focused on passenger flow and operational optimization. In this phase, data were leveraged from over 50 sources to develop a holistic picture of the airport. Through that effort, PHX was able to precisely quantify the pain points and accurately forecast passenger volumes at all touch points by day and by hour, as well as make this information available to all who could benefit from it.

Deployment

In the planning stages for PHX Reserve, one key objective was to introduce a new dedicated checkpoint lane with VQ. However, for passengers to learn of this new service, it was critical that airlines present the option in their existing predeparture communication channels. Achieving this required a very collaborative effort, involving internal stakeholders (all airport departments) and external stakeholders, such as airlines and TSA, to define how the initiative was going to work and the impact on checkpoint operations. Weekly meetings and daily touchpoints were scheduled to set scope, concept of operations, and review of detailed data (such as hours of operation and staffing requirements) for all stakeholders. Social media, marketing plans, and other means of outreach were also considered.

The VQ deployment used data analytics to determine time slots to help with optimizing time and flattening peaks in traffic. This process involved some components of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify which time slots are in more demand. (For more information on AI and machine learning, see the Artificial Intelligence article in the Technology Focus series.) Further, although there was no impact to airport infrastructure, the initiative required a new checkpoint lane (an operations process change), with dedicated staff using standard mobile phones to scan barcodes and let passengers into the VQ lane.

There are several metrics for success, such as the overall customer satisfaction rate, what passengers are doing with the time savings (e.g., shopping and dining), why they are using the service, and whether they will use the service again. While passengers have various reasons for using the service, most prominent is the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will make it through security without the anxiety of waiting in physical lines.

The initiative went live on March 1, 2022, in Terminal 3—just in time for spring break—and on March 18 for Terminal 4. The airlines actively sending communications regarding the service are Alaska, United, American, Southwest, and Delta.

Lessons Learned

As with any initiative that introduces new technology and processes into airport operations, it is critical to continuously monitor the pilot to identify what is working and what is not. It is also important to monitor whether the business case objectives are being met. As part of meeting the objectives, PHX is now implementing several measures, beyond predeparture communications from the airline, to increase awareness and boost the passenger adoption rate.

Some positive lessons learned include the following:

• Many passengers love the service for the predictability and peace of mind it brings.
• Signing up new passengers is simple and brief, around 30 seconds for some.
• There is a continuous learning process regarding what time slots passengers prefer.
• The program is helping PHX understand when passengers start to think about their travel and providing PHX with an overall understanding of passenger behaviors to positively inform future services.

Along with the positives come the following constructive lessons learned:

• The program brought out the need to constantly communicate with all stakeholders.
• Some miscommunication with TSA led to some passengers being asked for escort through security.
• At first, PHX did not have someone on the ground working with passengers; it would have helped to promote the program and provide information to customers from the beginning.

Initial survey results have indicated the following:

• About 95% of respondent passengers indicated they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the service.
• About 97% indicated it was easy for them to sign up for the service.
• Close to 100% have used the service for peace of mind, efficiencies, and saving time.
• More than 50% indicated they explored airport amenities, shopped, or dined with the time they saved.
• At least 60% indicated they saved 20 minutes or more at security.

This new process provided the entire airport organization with the challenge of developing and deploying the pilot in record time and opening at the beginning of spring break—a peak season for PHX.  The team methodically worked with many unknown factors, while still being open to the fact that some things could only be learned once the pilot was running.

“We brought together the right stakeholders and partners on this project,” Malik stated. “We are really pleased how the entire airport community has embraced this project as an innovation and balanced the need for adequate planning, while still being open to unknowns and passenger feedback once deployed in the field.”

Benefits Received

Malik mentioned that PHX is very interested to see if and how such technology can help the airport impact the security checkpoint operation itself, specifically whether it can help flatten some of the peaks. However, to measure such an impact, the adoption needs to be at scale, which PHX is actively working toward. “We believe streamlining the passenger flow through the security process can ultimately impact other stakeholders including Operations, Security, and Customer Service,” Malik noted. “This project is still underway, but it’s likely we will extend the pilot so we can give enough time to see movement on various metrics and KPIs [key performance indicators].”

The vision for the future of VQ is that there are other areas of airport operations that could benefit from the technology, such as curbside ground transportation operations, wheelchair services for passengers, and even delivery of retail and food and beverage services. The operating and commercial models will dictate how and when such expansions make sense.

Areas Impacted

There were many areas impacted by this project, such as data ownership, legal considerations, process concerns, flight schedule data, and load factors. Fortunately, no surprises were encountered to derail the project. There are already quite a few airport operators across the industry that are currently running a pilot program or have fully implemented a VQ service (such as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport). Airport operators are testing and implementing VQ products at a much higher pace compared to innovations of the past.

Related Reading

See Use Case Spotlight: Virtual Queuing for a deeper dive into VQ across the airport industry.

Summary

Airport operators have had a growing need for a means to obtain and share data in a common and standardized way with their many industry stakeholders for a variety of reasons, from providing a seamless customer experience to improving operational performance. Further, digital transformation has driven the importance of this need and secured its place at the forefront of industry priorities.

The Aviation Community Recommended Information Services (ACRIS) Working Group is helping to address this issue with its Semantic Model. An airport operator that implements this model can experience the following benefits:

• ACRIS projects introduce a standard data model and standard interfaces to the airport.
• The Semantic Model establishes a common terminology.
• Airports do not have to spend time recreating a data model standard that is not industry compliant.
• Standardization facilitates faster and more cost-effective implementations.

Airport operators could explore the offerings of the ACRIS Working Group to take advantage of the work done in data modeling and data sharing, which is compatible with the efforts of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to do the same. With the help of ACRIS programs and recommendations, airports, airlines, and stakeholders of all kinds can realize and leverage the capabilities made possible through a digitally connected aviation industry.

Background

The aviation industry has long been envisioning a new age in commercial aviation and passenger journey experience—an age in which, as Ron Hiscox of Airport Process Design puts it, “the passenger no longer has to be the integrator of their own journey.” Their information should simply be passed between the different providers of their journey (airport, airline, jurisdictional agencies, etc.) to enable a “seamless” experience. The primary industry-wide barrier to this has not been that the data do not exist; the problem is that each organization has access to only a small portion of data, and the different data types that each organization needs to pull together are spread across many organizations and organizational types. Further, each organization has different types of systems and databases of varying ages and versions, and each has unique database standards for organizing and categorizing the data elements. For example, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) uses the ACRIS Airport Geospatial Information Model (AGIM). The AGIM standard was built using the ACRIS Semantic Model to define a standard model for storing geospatial information about airports. SFO uses this model to share real-time, geospatial information for wayfinding inside the airport and terminal buildings with passengers and other stakeholders.^[1]

One way the airport could apply this data-sharing effort to improve the passenger experience is, for example, by helping passengers identify when to leave for the airport, based on their departure time and expected parking availability, check-in/bag drop lines, and security wait times. Then, upon arrival at the airport, passengers could be directed to a parking lot and space that is closest to the check-in hall and security checkpoint they need. If the specific security checkpoint is closed or experiencing an irregular wait time, passengers could be presented with any options available to shorten their walk and wait time. And if passengers are late, the airline needs to decide whether to leave without them; however, if they knew that passengers had parked their car or had cleared the security checkpoint, the airline could make a more informed decision. All of these options improve passenger experience by automating their decision points, which is made possible by enhanced data sharing.

ACI World’s ACRIS Working Group

Given the previously stated benefits and application example, ACI World formed the ACRIS Working Group to help bring standardization to IT systems information and data sharing in the aviation community. The group consists of representatives from airports, airlines, governments, and other aviation stakeholders working to fix issues regarding the ability of computer systems to exchange and make use of information (i.e., interoperability) in the aviation industry. In the larger concept of a seamless, digital, end-to-end passenger journey, ACRIS projects facilitate airport-to-airport interoperability. This allows the sharing of agreed-upon passenger data, flight data, and other data types behind the scenes, without passenger intervention.

The ACI World website^[2] includes this description of how the ACRIS Working Group can benefit airport operations:

• Improve economic and environmental sustainability by increasing the cost-effectiveness of resources and reducing energy consumption, carbon footprint, and wastage.
• Improve situational awareness with easy access to timely, relevant, and reliable information.
• Improve operational performance, such as aircraft turnaround times, by sharing timely, consistent, and reliable information with all parties involved.
• Improve the planning process by sharing consistent information on demand, resource capabilities, and constraints.
• Reduce cost and time involved in developing applications and systems by, for example, using standards to reduce the complexity of information interfaces.
• Provide support for initiatives such as touchless facilities, application programming interfaces (APIs), digital twins, building information systems, condition-based monitoring, digital services, location services, and many more for the benefit of passengers and other stakeholders.

ACRIS’s two primary offerings for facilitating interoperability are the ACRIS Semantic Model and open APIs, and they are both available to use for free.

ACRIS Semantic Model

The ACRIS Semantic Model standardizes the structure, terms, and translations of the many different computer systems and databases to enable effective data sharing among aviation stakeholders. IATA, which specifically represents airlines, developed a similar model called the Airline Industry Data Model. The two models are fully aligned where they have common terms.

Application Programming Interfaces

While the ACRIS Semantic Model creates the standard for interoperability between systems, APIs serve as a key component in executing the actual data-sharing process. ACRIS provides open (i.e., non-proprietary) APIs to the aviation industry to give the industry greater interoperability as data and information are shared. For example, ACRIS currently uses its API platform to help passengers and other stakeholders learn about the restrictions and policies that participant airports enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These APIs can be used in a range of applications.

ACI World lists the following uses and abilities regarding their API tools:

• Provide access to ACRIS APIs and relevant documentation (including the Airport Health Measures Data Model, which recently noted the participation of 325 airports).^[3]
• Learn more about the ACRIS standard and related projects.
• Give access to the ACRIS Semantic Model.
• Allow users to test APIs in a virtual sandbox.
• Enable users to give feedback or initiate change requests on a specific API.

ACRIS Community

While the ACRIS Working Group focuses on specific projects, the overall ACRIS community has the following three roles: identify valuable information services, develop ACRIS Semantic Model information exchange standards, and deliver new tools and practices to support the ACRIS community.

The following are some examples of such ACRIS tools and practices:

• ACI Airport Health Measures Portal—standard for sharing airport safety measures
• Airport Geospatial Information Model—a standard model for storing geospatial information
• Baggage XML—common XML standard to support baggage message management
• Security Wait Times—common standard to support wait times

References

[1] ACI World ACRIS Case Studies: Airport Maps, ACI World, Accessed April 15, 2021, https://acris.aero/case-studies/.

[2] ACI World ACRIS Portal, ACI World, Accessed April 15, 2021, https://acris.aero/.

[3] ACRIS Semantic Model Update Presentation, ACI World, ACRIS Working Group, May 2021.

Summary

At its core, “digital transformation” is the ongoing journey of organizations to increasingly move away from paper and manual processes and steps (i.e., analog operations) to fully digital processing and execution in all aspects of business. Digital transformation is an umbrella term that implies a considerable information technology (IT) program. And “transformation” alludes to the potential for enormous impacts on an entire organization in the following areas:

• Revenue/cost models
• Technical/infrastructure readiness
• Changes to process/skill sets

Digital transformation is here, and it was further thrust upon many by the COVID-19 pandemic. Airport operators should shift their conception of IT from individual system implementations to program components of a larger organizational transformation. Those operators that have not yet done so need to immediately engage in a strategically planned effort; the imperative to do so is only growing.

Background

Digital transformation is important because it can enable any organization to make significant leaps forward in strategic and performance goals across all areas of the organization. The size of these leaps depends on the scope of the program, commitment to transformation, and the extent to which the business is natively operating digitally—that is, as much as possible a given process is already digital from beginning to end. The fewer analog and manual processes that exist in all aspects of the business, the more digital the organization. All industries are currently planning for and investing heavily in significant digital transformation projects and initiatives; the rate of digital transformation adoption will only continue accelerating. One recent accelerator was the COVID-19 pandemic, during which many organizations had to immediately transition to a remote workforce. This article studies the general application of digital transformation to small, medium, and large airports.

Assessed Business Needs

Technological innovations in our individual lives, the always present need for commercial enterprises to increase profits, and the need for all organizations to reduce expenses combine to drive these same innovation expectations and needs to all areas of the industry, including airports. Airports experience this pressure in the ever-increasing expectations of their customers and in the increasing speed and changing needs and strategies of their business and that of their partners. Figure 1 illustrates the increasing digitization of the airport business environment and, subsequently, the increasing requirement of airports to seriously engage in this transformation.

Figure 1: The Airport Digital Environment

There are no real alternatives to engaging in this transformation; while an organization may choose to delay a more extensive transformation, there is no real “opt out” option due to changes in the needs of an airport’s digital environment and the need to compete in the marketplace. If this need does not yet resonate with every airport, it will eventually.

Transformational Opportunities and Initiatives

Big changes can often present big opportunities, many of which can be quickly realized. For an airport’s business, the success of digital transformation lies in the following:

1. Meeting and surpassing customer needs and expectations (of travelers and tenants)
2. Supporting and enabling its tenants’ needed level of business and operational agility to achieve their individual business strategic goals
3. Maximizing the use of new and evolving opportunities impacting areas such as performance, customer value, revenue, services, and delivery options

Figure 1 illustrates just how extensive the scope of this transformation is for an airport; it encompasses all customers of the airport, internal areas of the business, and all business partnerships.

Potential airport digital transformation technology initiatives include the following:

1. Data strategy, including consideration of the Airports Council International (ACI) World Semantic Model
2. Network, server, and data architecture updates and upgrades
3. Customer experience (e.g., common-use passenger processing system, self-service bag drop, chat bots)
4. Implementation and integration of core business systems, such as common-use passenger processing, enterprise resource planning, maintenance and asset management system, GIS (geographic information system), and building management
5. Digital twin
6. Biometrics

Transformational Technology and Benefits

Analog/manual processes can result in silos as well as delayed distribution of, and access to, information; digitization can simply remove these barriers. A highly digitized organization can then be integrated with other organizations’ business functions to provide timely, accurate, and accessible information. For an airport, digitization can enable integration with business data provided by other airports, airlines, and tenants, as well as that of the local community in efforts such as “smart city” initiatives. Digitization facilitates the following increased capabilities of every aspect of an organization:

1. Increased agility and responsiveness
2. Increased efficiency and effectiveness
3. Increased insight and awareness of trends
4. Increased customer insight and customer experience
5. Improved decision making (real time and predictive)
6. Reduction of unintended and unanticipated negative events

Transformational Impacts

Transformation of this nature impacts all aspects of a business. Depending on the program and size of the airport, it may require that much of the business transform together, a considerable undertaking for many airport organizations. The following list provides a snapshot of these impacts by category.

Management/Operations

• Shift to a digital business environment: increased operational pace, increased risk-taking, distributed decision making, operational agility, and flexibility.
• Requires innovation and data management skills, positions, and teams as well as more cross-functional teams.
• Requires mature, strategic, and digital leadership across the organization and downward.

Technical/Infrastructure Readiness

• Core network and server hardware and software should be evaluated for upgrading to support increased device quantities, processing speeds, and data throughput.
• Enterprise software should be evaluated for upgrading.
• Data architecture should be evaluated for upgrading, design, and development.
• Incorporation of Internet of things input devices.
• Continue to enhance cybersecurity tools, policies, and procedures.

Process/Skill Set Changes

• Business and operational processes should be evaluated for digitization opportunities and increased efficiencies, such as increasing the use of artificial intelligence analysis and processing.
• Employees need to be able to perform the new/updated processes in the new/upgraded software and systems.

Passenger Experience/Passenger Process

• Customer processes should be evaluated for digitization opportunities, increased efficiencies, new revenue opportunities, and improved customer experiences.
• Business Stakeholders and Customers need to be able to perform the new/updated processes in the new/upgraded software and systems.

Security/Safety

• Enhancement of cybersecurity tools, policies, and procedures will continue to increase in importance and complexity.

Airport Design/Construction

• Building and equipment data are automatically extracted from construction drawings and specifications into the appropriate databases for immediate usage by enterprise operational systems (e.g., building management, asset management, maintenance management).

Revenue/Business Model

• Digitization can separate a process/transaction and its data from the constraints of a physical location, which can often generate opportunities for new revenue and business models.

Legal/Risk

• The most significant risk is airports not being aware of the unique impacts to their individual business and appropriately engaging in a timely manner.

According to the ACI World Airport Digital Transformation Survey completed in 2020, 6 in 10 airports have a dedicated innovation team to build and deploy digital solutions, and 55% of airports “actively engage all functional teams in innovation and digital strategies.” However, only 22% of airports offer training and education on their digital transformation process.^[1]

Lessons Learned

Digital transformation can be a very challenging effort; the following highlights are key lessons learned for airport operators to consider.

• Not engaging in, or waiting too long to engage in, digital transformation is a major risk.
• Success requires highly involved executive-level leadership.
• Most failures are the result of a program undervaluing the organizational effort required to address the people, processes, and culture elements.
• Break down information silos inside the airport business and with business partners, and develop key performance indicators that focus on behavior.^[2]
• Focus on developing technologies and innovations that improve customer experience and passenger flow and lead to more efficient airport operations.^[3]
• Develop an organizational digital transformation strategy that goes beyond IT systems.
• Strengthen the IT and data architecture and develop a strong data strategy.
• Start with small, quick-win projects to generate excitement and momentum as well as build up cross-functional team skills in risk-taking and decision making.

References

[1] World Airport Digital Transformation Survey, Airports Council International, 2020, https://store.aci.aero/form/world-airport-digital-transformation-survey/.

[2] Culture Is a Key Element Within an Airport’s Digital Transformation, International Airport Review, Rahmani, Arash, Updated May 2020, https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/112235/digital-transformation-cultural-change-airports/.

[3] A Strong Technology Foundation Has the Potential to Transform Air Travel, International Airport Review, Nolan, Tara, Winnipeg Airports Authority, Interview with Trevor Strome, February 17, 2020, https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/111715/airport-technology.

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, a dramatic impact on the aviation industry. Many of these changes are enabled by new technologies that have permanently transformed the look and feel of much of the passenger experience at airports and require greater coordination with internal and external stakeholders. These technologies have also introduced new airport and airline service offerings with benefits that are desirable beyond simply addressing pandemic challenges. By viewing this transformation across each area of the passenger journey, airport operators can become better prepared with a holistic and strategically planned approach to their operations.

Background

At the outset of the pandemic, airlines canceled flights and many passengers were reluctant to fly even once flights were restored. Regulatory agencies issued mandates and guidance targeted at reducing the spread of the virus. Airport operators quickly identified touchpoints that directly and indirectly impacted passengers, and they explored and adopted new processes and procedures.

Changes to the passenger journey have focused on social distancing, responsible use of space, touchless solutions, and improved cleaning, while another impact of COVID-19 has been continual changes to the passenger processing model. These changes include new ways to interact with devices, airline agents, government agents, and other staff members, as well as opportunities to enhance the customer experience. San Francisco International Airport, for example, introduced a touchless solution that allows passengers to print bag tags from their mobile phones on self-service kiosks.

These technology-enabled changes require greater coordination with internal and external stakeholders. For example, regulatory agencies issued mandates and guidance that impacted how passengers traveled and interacted at various touchpoints. As a result, airport operators began considering technologies that could help their airports overcome some of the challenges presented in the pandemic environment. Some of these rules may not remain after the pandemic; others could represent a transformation in airport operations for the foreseeable future. Even if specific regulations are lifted or no longer required, airport operators can use this opportunity to future-proof their operations in case of future disruptive events.

In reviewing this transformation, the following is a list of various business drivers and enabling technology areas that airport operators should consider.

• Business Drivers
  • Help passengers feel safe to travel through and operate within the airport.
  • Monitor, track, and mitigate virus spread at the airport, especially in light of increasing passenger traffic.
  • Increase passenger throughput at touchpoints (e.g., check-in and security checkpoints).
  • Expand passenger processes and self-service options.
  • Develop a holistic approach to the passenger journey.
  • Improve operational efficiency.
  • Future-proof processes and facilities.
  • Explore non-aeronautical revenue opportunities.
• Enabling Technology Areas
  • Touchless technologies (e.g., screen sensors and biometric integrations).
  • Passenger mobile device integration.
  • Queue management and crowd monitoring (e.g., virtual queuing and social distancing).
  • Increased data capabilities (e.g., 5G and Wi-Fi 6).
  • Automated processing (e.g., self-service bag drop and robotics).
  • Location-based sensors (e.g., navigation/wayfinding).

Technologies and Solutions Across the Passenger Journey

Many technologies that enable the pandemic business drivers are still relatively new, and their implications will continue to grow and transform airports as well as the passenger journey and experience. At a summary level, this includes the following:

• Passenger devices have become a primary or core component of an airport’s infrastructure in processing passengers at every step of the journey.
• Passengers use fewer devices that are owned and managed by airports and airlines.
• Increased automation is reducing opportunities and the necessity for agents to interact with passengers.
• Airport staff interactions with passengers are increasingly digital, automated, and robotic.
• Increases in digitized airport interactions with and monitoring of passenger flows provide greater customer service insights than have ever been available.

The following sections provide specific detail on how the pandemic has changed the use and function of technology throughout the steps in passenger journey, which are presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Overall Steps in Passenger Journey

Pre-arrival

Off-site bag collection allows passengers to divest their baggage before they arrive at the airport, eliminating the need to drop baggage within the facility. This reduces congestion and the number of passengers in check-in hall queues.

Arrival

Curbside bag drop helps reduce congestion within the check-in hall, allowing passengers to check in and drop baggage before they enter the facility. The additional use of robots to collect these bags from passengers will reduce the physical touchpoints and interactions with devices and staff within the facility. Automated parking systems and people movers (i.e., personalized vehicles) can make the parking and terminal transfer process easier and less time-consuming for passengers. This may potentially create additional revenue opportunities for airports as passengers are likely to be more relaxed and can spend more time at other locations in the airport, like concessions.

Check-in

Check-in kiosks, bag drop kiosks, self-service bag drop units, and robots can provide a touchless airport processing experience for passengers. Using sensors or mobile devices, passengers can interact with each of these technologies without physically touching them, mitigating the spread of contaminants, and reducing the need for constant cleaning. In addition, the self-service option continues to expand, now allowing passengers to drop their baggage without any agent interaction.

Security

To meet regulatory and safety requirements during the pandemic, airports implemented health screenings like temperature and COVID-19 testing, adding new touchpoints along a typical passenger journey. New monitoring and tracking solutions have also been deployed, such as queue management, virtual queuing, and crowd monitoring. For example, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport recently completed a successful trial of virtual queuing technology.^[1] These solutions are providing airport operators with a host of new information on passenger traffic and distancing. New security screening technologies have also been deployed. Automated screening lanes provide faster screening of passenger carry-ons and alleviate social distancing concerns. Additionally, biometric security gates allow for fewer agent interactions with passengers.

Post-security

Augmented reality, virtual reality, and other navigation/wayfinding technologies are providing passengers with more personalization in their journey. Airport operators can also use these navigation technologies to drive customers to ideal retail locations. The use of passenger sensors is also expanding to provide more crowd monitoring and flow management features. In addition, autonomous vehicles such as wheelchairs are growing in deployments, providing additional self-service options for passengers and reducing physical touchpoints with staff.

Holdrooms/Concessions

The uses of mobile applications continue to expand in the airport environment and passenger journey, enabling passengers to use their own devices to order food and retail items from restaurants and concessions. In addition, monitoring passenger flows and crowd density in particular locations allows airports to point passengers to less crowded areas to dwell within the airport. This can enhance the customer experience and reduce passenger health concerns.

Restrooms

Airport operators have deployed smart-restroom solutions that use sensors (e.g., for air quality, capacity, supply levels) to gain a better understanding of the facility status. Passengers benefit by receiving up-to-date information on the cleanliness and capacity of the facilities.

Other Points of Interest

Robotics are being deployed to aid both passengers and airport staff at several locations. Food delivery robots provide passengers with touchless and quick food service. Cleaning robots help limit the spread of viruses and keep passengers healthy. Contact tracing/exposure risk procedures also help to keep passengers safe and aware of possible health risks. Cleanliness monitoring helps to keep airport staff aware of the current cleanliness status of every part of the facility.

Conclusion

Considering the many changes that have occurred in the aviation industry, airport operators’ efforts to manage change will greatly benefit by planning out the steps needed to keep their airports ahead of the curve. These planned steps need to include intentional change management activities. For example, with ongoing discussion around health passports, the extent of the pandemic’s impacts continues to grow. Focusing on these technological changes post-COVID-19 will help airport operators make strategic decisions with a holistic approach to improving their passenger journey.

References

[1] Airports Test Virtual Queuing for Security Checkpoints, Travel Weekly, Silk, Robert, June 29, 2021, https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Airports-test-virtual-queuing-security-checkpoints.

Summary

The introduction of biometric technology at airports needs to be implemented carefully without major interruption to present operations and disruption to the passengers, and it should be integrated with present systems and technologies. Planning must not only focus on cost considerations but also address and incorporate appropriate data security and protections, legal compliance, public messaging, and scalability. Air industry stakeholders should monitor emerging technological developments, changes in legal and policy trends, and international organizations’ global initiatives.

Finally, the future of travel rests with the touchless experience: Biometrics is one of several key ingredients that will help transform airports through COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

Overview

The continued evolution of biometric technologies in aviation is likely to have a highly transformative impact on U.S. airports. Access control, passenger identification, and touchless boarding are some examples of the ways in which biometrics are being used at airports today. However, biometric technology is often misunderstood. For example, facial recognition has many controversial uses outside aviation that have created a negative perception of this class of technology.

As a result, TRB has published ACRP Research Report 233: Airport Biometrics: A Primer (available at https://doi.org/10.17226/26180). This report introduces readers to the types of biometrics that are available for use in the airport environment, and it provides details describing different matching modes and logistical options for biometric data collection and storage. It offers a vision for the future, explained by the following four components:

• Collection of tools: Biometrics is not simply one mode of operation; it is a family of different tools, devices, and storage mechanisms, each with different implications.
• Trust in identity: From preventing credit card fraud to intercepting imposters, biometrics can offer greater trust.
• Seamless flows: As with many visions for a single form of identification, biometrics can minimize the amount of document fumbling (passport, visa, health forms, etc.).
• Touchless airport experience: From the status of COVID-19 immunization to other ways of enabling airport retail to function, biometrics can help ensure minimized contact with disease-transmission media and surfaces, such as staff or devices.

As a cautionary point for future planning purposes, ACRP Research Report 233 emphasizes the need to consider interoperability among stakeholders and scalability to include multiple modules.

There are many ways biometrics are employed in airports, including facilitation, access control to secured areas, tailored customer services to the individual user, commercial use by retail or concessions vendors, and identification of fraud and reducing risk of fraud to minimize loss. The variety of biometric technology solutions in use at airports today highlights a potential future model for a touchless, fumble-free, and cashier-free passenger journey. Moreover, five key trends are identified:

• Trend 1: The deployment of integrated and multi-stakeholder biometric solutions is increasing, given its greater potential benefits.
• Trend 2: Digital transparency and privacy concerns are adding to the complexity of implementation, particularly as the legal landscape is changing.
• Trend 3: A focus on identity verification solutions is evident, in part to distinguish from mass surveillance programs that also leverage biometrics.
• Trend 4: Global biometrics and standards are emerging from a variety of governmental and non-governmental entities addressing privacy, security, ethical, and technological concerns.
• Trend 5: Smartphones are expected to enable more use of biometrics through the on-device storage capability for biometrics as well as the promise for the transmission of digital travel credentials.

For more information, click here to watch Biometrics Video 1: Introduction to Biometrics and here to watch Biometrics Video 5: Trends and Vision on Vimeo, both from Roeland Visser.

Key Aspects of Biometrics

There are three areas of attention summarized in ACRP Research Report 233: legal, policy, and privacy; planning and process considerations; and system design and information technology (IT) architecture.

Legal, Policy, and Privacy

To pursue biometrics as a potential solution to challenges in aviation, air industry stakeholders need to understand the legal, policy, and privacy issues associated with the use of biometric data. The two predominant policy and legal issues associated with the use of biometric data, including facial recognition, are protection of privacy rights and the inconsistent treatment under myriad international, federal, and state laws.

While the predominant concern under the U.S. Constitution is the right to privacy, of equal concern is that in the absence of a comprehensive national law on personal data, states have passed laws, a handful of which limit/prohibit the use of biometric data specifically, some of which address sensitive personal data, and all of which require action and notices upon the breach of systems. Many of these laws impose sanctions for failing to meet requirements pertaining to collecting and protecting biometric data.

Another equally concerning trend is the development of laws and restrictions by other countries, the European Union (EU), and international organizations, some with a broad reach that may impact airport operators and airlines in the United States, to include the assessment of penalties for noncompliance.

There are many sources of best practices for the protection of personal privacy. These include privacy-by-design principles, 2019 EU Data Protection Guidelines, and fair information practice principles, which offer guidance on transparency, adoption of policies and practices that incorporate privacy protections, communication tips, and other similar practices.

Planning and Process Considerations

With the use of biometrics in process improvements, airport stakeholders are advised to ultimately balance the demand and capacity of a facility to achieve certain operational requirements with the level of customer service. Numerous factors determine the applicability of biometrics in the airport setting, such as passenger demographics, airport size and geography, and the operational profile (e.g., primarily serving international or domestic traffic). Airports that are capacity constrained in some manner will likely be the early adopters of biometrics, given the imperative that any incremental benefit—regardless of magnitude—may offer a meaningful overall improvement.

Airport operators are advised to review the pros and cons of specific biometric implementations to decide whether implementation is warranted. In most cases, the return on investment (ROI) for the airport operator goes beyond strictly financial considerations for the implementation of biometric solutions. Instead of making decisions based solely on the financial ROI, airports are evaluating several additional considerations, such as customer service, airport technology goals, passenger safety, operational efficiency, and competitive concerns.

System Design and IT Architecture

When assessing the IT architecture, discussion focuses on the various types of biometric credentials; IT requirements, including storage and interoperability; and different uses, such as for e-gates, camera-on-a-stick, kiosks, and walk-through tunnels.

A secure digital biometric identity will bring many possibilities and advantages for passenger processing. Once an international standard is developed, it will be adopted very quickly in many countries around the globe; however, there is uncertainty as to when that will occur.

Except for U.S. citizens, there is no clear way to opt out of the Traveler Verification Service (TVS) government biometric system, which may conflict with privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation. Further complications include whether biometrics should be used for other (e.g., commercial) uses in the passenger journey.

Additionally, the technology framework behind TVS potentially works with different requirements than global developments such as OneID or the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Digital Travel Credential. Therefore, international interoperability may not be served well with TVS. Nonetheless, the U.S. market is big enough for broad application in the United States; thus, it may not be a concern for U.S. stakeholders. However, for the development of a global standard, it may be a disadvantage.

Click here to download ACRP Research Report 233: Airport Biometrics: A Primer.

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed the expected level, means, and methods of cleanliness at airports. While robots were being used to clean airports prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 accelerated this exploration and even changed how the industry views cleaning robots. No longer is robotic cleaning an innovation for the future; it has become a key strategy to keep passengers healthy, reassure passengers of the airport’s efforts to keep them safe, and mitigate virus spread at airports. Additionally, the wider use of cleaning robots introduced in the pandemic has begun to transform airports by making robot activity a normal occurrence in the airport environment.

Background

A 2021 survey of U.S. retailers conducted by RetailWire and Brain Corp found that 72% of the respondents expected customer demand for cleanliness to remain unchanged, even after broad vaccine distribution.^[1] Airport cleanliness was of paramount importance for airports to continue operating and mitigating virus spread.

Additionally, health experts have predicted that the need for virus monitoring and management will increase and become a new normal. Another change is that airport operators are making the cleaning process much more visible to their customers; whereas airport operators once performed cleaning tasks at night or during off-peak hours, they are now intentionally cleaning the facility in clear view of passengers. This effort has helped passengers feel more comfortable during their travel journey. All of this underscores the need for airport operators to keep up visible and robust cleaning programs.

One way to enable these improvements is by relying less on humans and more on robots. This article spotlights the transformational impacts that robotic cleaning solutions are having on airports.

Use Case Details

In recent years, airport operators have begun to explore the use of robotic and automated cleaning solutions for the anticipated business benefits. Deploying robots to perform cleaning services frees up staff for other functions, and it can increase the efficiency of cleaning and the level of cleanliness.

Listed below are business drivers for robotic cleaning solutions, specific types of solutions, and transformational impacts that robotic cleaning can have on an airport.

Business Drivers/Benefits

• Increased and consistent level of cleanliness and thoroughness required
• Increased efficiency of cleaning process required
• Increased sense of safety for airport passengers and staff
• Reduced exposure of airport passengers and staff to harmful germs
• Increased ability to more quantifiably communicate/report cleaning efforts and cleanliness of the airport

Solutions

• Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light robots
• Drones with disinfectant spray
• Robots with disinfectant spray
• Floor cleaning/sweeping robots

Transformational Impacts

• Major revamping of cleaning services/procedures
• Reduction in custodial staff for cleaning
• New skills: the need for custodial and maintenance staff training on the use of new equipment/robots
• New infrastructure: charging stations, storage space for robots, data access points
• The need to direct and absorb passengers into other areas in order to clean with UV-C light
• Detailed and real-time cleaning metrics
• Introduces highly prominent use of robots into the airport environment in a well-received way by staff and passengers

Many airports currently use cleaning robots equipped with disinfectant spray to sanitize an area of the facility, with options for sprays that seep more deeply into crevices than traditional cleaning products and methods. More recently, airports such as the Pittsburgh International Airport have deployed UV-C light robots to stop the spread of COVID-19.^[2] UV-C light damages the cells of viruses and helps to limit their spread. However, it can also damage human cells (especially eyes and skin), so all passengers and staff must be cleared out of areas being cleaned. These robots can be set to travel through an area of the airport and blast surfaces and the air with UV-C light. Airport operators are piloting UV-C light robots worldwide.

One interesting note is that introduction of robots into airports could have been a highly charged and political issue, especially in union environments. Instead, the pandemic has made their prominent introduction into airports a “non-event” or even a welcomed one.

Industry Status

The following is a list of recent pilot projects and deployments of public robotic cleaning solutions conducted by airports and airlines.

Airports

• Hong Kong International employed a cleaning robot equipped with UV-C light to travel through its facility.^[3]
• Pittsburgh International deployed autonomous robotic floor cleaners with a UV-C light attachment to provide an additional level of surface cleaning.^[4]
• Milan Malpensa International Airport in Italy partnered with RobotLAB/Connor UVC to deploy UV-C robots that were also equipped with disinfectant spray.^[5]
• Heathrow Airport piloted cleaning robots equipped with UV-C light.^[6]
• San Antonio partnered with Xenex to deploy UV-C light robots.^[7]
• Key West partnered with UVD Robots to conduct a pilot with UV-C light robots for its cleaning department.^[8]

Airlines

• Honeywell is working with airlines at a few U.S. airports to sanitize their aircraft with UV-C light devices/robots.^[9]
• At the end of 2020, United Airlines deployed a robot that sprays the aircraft cabin with an antimicrobial spray.^[10]

Non-aviation Uses

Outside of aviation, many industries and organizations—such as schools, hotels, hospitals, stadiums, and shopping centers—are benefiting from robotic cleaning deployments.

Schools

The pandemic transformed how schools view the health of students and teachers. With a need to get students back into the classroom, schools began to explore new cleaning/disinfecting methods. One method has been to sanitize classrooms and locker rooms using UV-C light robots.^[11] Some schools deploy fans that circulate disinfecting spray throughout the classrooms before students arrive. These solutions have given school administrators new ways to bring students back safely.

Hotels

Some hotels grappling with how to keep customers safe started using UV-C light robots and other disinfectant robots.^[12] Robots can travel through hotel rooms before cleaning staff enter to complete their duties. This change helps cleaning staff stay safe and provides a new layer of protection for customers.

Hospitals

Hospitals have long used UV-C light to sanitize operating rooms and other sensitive areas, experiencing the transformation caused by this technology before it reached airports.

Stadiums

Some National Football League (NFL) teams explored cleaning robots to keep the fans safe as teams began to hold games in person. One team has used a drone that sprays a disinfectant on the seats before and after fans were in the area.^[13] UV-C light robots have also been used in locker rooms to enhance cleanliness. These new robotic/automated solutions gave NFL teams the ability to bring fans back much sooner than might have been possible without them.

Shopping Malls

One shopping mall in Singapore used UV-C light robots in high-traffic areas to eliminate the spread of COVID-19.^[14] This application is similar to airport use in that large crowds travel through aisles and corridors. These cleaning solutions can help transform the existing processes employed by cleaning/maintenance staff at shopping centers.

Conclusion

Passengers and staff have increased expectations regarding the measures that airports and airlines are taking to protect them from viruses and other health risks. Airport operators can capitalize on the rise in robotic cleaning solutions to show passengers that they are actively taking steps to promote a safe environment.

Other recommended reading on this site:

Robotics Technology Focus Article

References

[1] Survey: Retailers Fast-Tracking Robotic Automation Technologies in the Wake of COVID-19, Brain Corp, Accessed March 15, 2021, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-retailers-fast-tracking-robotic-automation-technologies-in-the-wake-of-covid-19-301262459.html.

[2] Robotic Cleaning for Airports: Efficiency, Safety and Peace of Mind, Webinar, Airports Council International, September 28, 2020.

[3] Hong Kong Airport Is Using Virus-Killing Robots to Disinfect Public Areas, Asaf, Seher, April 5, 2020, https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/04/05/hong-kong-airport-is-using-virus-killing-robots-to-disinfect-public-areas/.

[4] PIT First U.S. Airport to Deploy Ultraviolet Cleaning—By Robots, Neistein, Matt, May 4, 2020, https://blueskypit.com/2020/05/04/pit-first-u-s-airport-to-deploy-ultraviolet-cleaning-by-robots/.

[5] Italian Airport Deploys Robots to Protect Against Contaminants, RobotLAB, https://www.robotlab.com/blog/italian-airport-deploys-robots-to-protect-against-contaminants.

[6] Robots Deployed to Kill Viruses at Heathrow Airport at Night, Park, Kyunghee, July 14, 2020, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-15/robots-deployed-to-kill-viruses-at-heathrow-airport-at-night.

[7] San Antonio International Is First Airport in the World to Purchase and Deploy Virus and Bacteria Defeating Xenex LightStrike Robot, Hope, Tonya, and Stinson, Rich, September 1, 2020, https://www.sanantonio.gov/gpa/News/ArtMID/24373/ArticleID/19377/San-Antonio-International-is-first-airport-in-the-world-to-purchase-and-deploy-virus-and-bacteria-defeating-Xenex-LightStrike-robot.

[8] Key West Airport Debuts Ultraviolet Disinfection Robot to Fight COVID, Florida Keys News Bureau, December 10, 2020, https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/key-west-airport-debuts-ultraviolet-disinfection-robot-to-fight-covid/2340624/.

[9] Honeywell to Introduce Fast, Affordable Ultraviolet Cleaning System for Airplane Cabins, Kress, Adam, June 9, 2020, https://aerospace.honeywell.com/en/learn/about-us/press-release/2020/06/uv-cleaning-system-for-airplane-cabins.

[10] United Will Use Antimicrobial Spraying Robots on some Aircraft, Kaji, Mina, September 16, 2020, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/united-antimicrobial-spraying-robots-aircraft/story?id=73006798.

[11] School Cleaning Services Get a Boost From Robots, Jones, Analisa, February 10, 2022, https://www.braincorp.com/blog/how-autonomous-robots-help-improve-cleaning-and-safety-at-k-12-schools/.

[12] More Virus-Zapping Robots Are Coming, and They’re Here to Stay, Brown, Dalvin, Washington Post, January 8, 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/08/lg-uv-robots/.

[13] NFL Teams Plan to Clean Stadiums with Drones and Robots, NBC Sports, October 1, 2020, https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/nfl-teams-turn-technology-plan-clean-stadiums-drones-and-robots.

[14] Robot Blasts Coronavirus with UV Light at Mall in Singapore, NY Post by Reuters, May 21, 2020, https://nypost.com/2020/05/21/exterminate-uv-robot-sent-to-singapore-mall-to-zap-coronavirus/.

Summary

Getting its jumpstart in airports during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual queuing (VQ) is poised to be one of the greatest transformations for passenger processing through airports. However, applying the relatively straightforward approach of reserving a spot in line to the complex processes found in airports is proving to be somewhat of a challenge. Yet every airport that is taking on this challenge is saying it is well worth the effort. During the pandemic, the industry evaluated VQ as a means of addressing the need to maintain a distance of 6 feet between passengers for health reasons and to prevent the resulting long lines at the security checkpoint. As the urgency of the pandemic diminishes, airport operators continue to evaluate VQ as a means of greatly improving customer satisfaction and operational efficiencies and producing a non-aeronautical means of revenue generation.

Background

During 2020, various airports, airlines, and associations began investigating VQ solutions installed at theme parks and hospitality locations, plus even a few boutique airport solutions. At the time, the newly formed advisory group from Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), known as Airport Industry Recovery Advisory Panel (AIRAP), began a similar investigation. It was part of the mission of AIRAP to investigate the hindrances to airport recovery and establish consistent means for all airports in North America to begin recovering.

Naturally, queuing quickly made the top of the list of challenges, especially for the TSA security checkpoint. If airport operators were to maintain a 6-foot distance between passengers—and if passenger traffic returned to, or near, pre-pandemic numbers—practically every airport would have lines extending out the doors and up the roadways. After exhausting creative solutions in reorganizing the lines, interest turned to VQ. In effect, the only way to manage the line was to eliminate the line. One result of the research effort was the realization that an off-the-shelf VQ solution for use in airports did not exist. The complexity of many queues, with many stakeholders and operational characteristics, proved to be too much of a challenge for the VQ solutions currently in use.

As a result of the research findings, airports and associations invested significant time in understanding airport VQ needs and in helping to mature the VQ industry. Concurrent with the efforts of AIRAP, at least three airports began initial deployments and pilot programs designed to help mature an airport VQ solution. In coordination with ACI-NA and partnering airports, the newly formed ACI-NA VQ Working Group^[1] prepared a set of “minimum specifications” for use with the airport pilot sites. These specifications included the ability to offer specific time windows for individuals or groups to enter physical queues and provided guidelines on how to use VQ to optimize queues, redirect passengers to less crowded areas and processors, manage exceptions, prioritize queue entries, and many other queue management features.

After 2021, the VQ industry began to mature, with installed sites and many pilot programs extending into the next year. As of mid-2022, there was one leading solution provider, CLEAR/Whyline, which had installed solutions in various forms of pilots/demonstrations in at least five airport locations and had at least one deployed operational site. There are other technology providers that continue to assess the market with keen interest. As airports continue to deploy solutions, and airlines begin to show an active interest in placing their passengers into these VQ solutions, the challenge for airlines to understand how each airport is operating VQ is quickly becoming a top priority. Through the VQ Working Group in cooperation with airport sites, airlines, and ACI World, plans are being made to test interoperability and ease of use across a multi-airport and multi-airline configuration.

Use Case Details

Early efforts in VQ have been focused on addressing queuing in the security lines. Though this focus will continue into the near future, it is expanding into other key forms of queuing, including check-in lines and boarding. Communication and information are the keys to success, so testing integration with queue management, flight data, dynamic signage, and other data systems will prove to be very important as the industry begins to optimize solutions. This will also include the use of automation for queue entry and other management items to minimize the impact on human resource needs. Finally, data sharing, standards, and effective stakeholder cooperation are also important elements to consider for successful VQ.

Business Benefits/Drivers

• Greatly improve operational efficiencies by transforming the way customers queue at the airport.
• Provide effective means of queue management for health monitoring factors—not eliminating the queue, but managing size and distancing.
• Produce long-term, sustainable results for reducing queuing throughout the airport facility.
• Manage passenger flow by optimizing queues, redirecting passengers to less crowded areas, prioritizing queue entries, and many other queue management features.
• Improve the customer experience by providing advanced knowledge to passengers, such as their wait-time and spot in the queue. Improve the quality of dwell time and lessen the stress of waiting in lines.
• Improve business value and monetization opportunities through the following:
  • Lower cost of a VQ system compared to that of space renovations;
  • Relaxed customers spending more;
  • Redirecting customers to other wait areas, such as food courts and retail locations; and
  • Providing fee-based elite services.
• Flatten the curve of the peak queue line levels.
• VQ is a touchpoint in the journey process; sharing information across all journey touchpoints will greatly improve operational efficiencies.

 Solutions

• Service offering: advanced reservation systems and first-in/first-out queuing.
• Technology:
  • Means of communicating VQ status through application programming interfaces, messaging, email, and web services;
  • Automation using e-gates, biometrics, and dynamic signage; and
  • Integrations with queue monitoring, flight data, emergency operations, and other relevant systems.
• Analytics: predictive and real-time.
• Processes: queuing process that includes security, check-in, boarding, commercial, and curbside.

Transformational Impacts

• Changing passenger behavior is not easy; some passengers will still congregate, even though they do not have to.
• As an airport-driven solution, the success of VQ depends greatly on airlines and others, such as transportation network companies and reservations services, that make the first touchpoint to the passenger. Each airport deploys VQ differently and selects various locations, operating times, and airlines. Effectively and easily communicating the unique VQ solutions and airport operating conditions to each airline is a very important element of success.
• VQ requires space for passengers to wait for the call to go to the physical queue. Airports often do not have such available space, which may impact design considerations for pre-checkpoint locations.
• A reservation-type VQ system is a great boutique program to deploy on its own, but if not properly managed, reservation queue lines can quickly outgrow capacity.
• As passenger counts recover, the complexity of VQ expands. Manual processes, such as entering the queue through unscheduled means, will greatly reduce the effectiveness of the system. Today’s systems have not been tested in full-capacity situations.
• At peak capacity, with facility assets strained, VQ may not provide much relief. At low operating points, VQ may also provide little benefit. Planning operational requirements is of utmost importance for operational efficiency gains, such as influencing passenger behavior to flatten peaks and spread operational opportunities.
• It is important to understand all stakeholders and impacts across the passenger journey. For example, is the solution being bought for just one use or for more than one use along the journey?
• When and how to enter/exit the queue is an important consideration. Queuing dynamics are complicated, with automation and communication being critical issues to consider.

Design Considerations

When designing a VQ solution, it is important to plan and prepare thoroughly, manage expectations, communicate effectively, and consider the options, as described below.

• Plan and prepare thoroughly; think big but start small. The early successes started with only one queuing location: the security queue line.
• Manage expectations from the executive level down to those operating it, and for all stakeholders involved. There will be some trial and error required in the deployment of this system.
• Communicate effectively; it can be a very negative experience for passengers not using the virtual queue to see other passengers going to the front of the line. However, this can instead be a positive experience for these passengers—it all depends on how communication is handled.
• Consider the options in technical, service, process, automation, and monetization areas. Many of these options need not be deployed on the first day to establish an effective procurement for the long term.

Industry Status

The pioneers for VQ deployment in 2021–2022 included Denver International Airport (DEN), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Each of these airports conducted trials with various options and approaches. DEN, using VeriFLY, deployed a biometric-based VQ solution that allows passengers with health risks to enroll and use a dedicated lane. SEA conducted a two-vendor pilot across selected checkpoints and airlines, and eventually selected the Pangiam solution for deployment.^[2] BOS conducted a pilot program using the Accesso solution,^[3] which resulted in some positive outcomes, but the airport has not yet chosen to pursue a permanent deployment.

Other airport deployments include the following:

• Los Angeles International Airport performing VQ Pilot Program.^[4]
• Miami International Airport performing VQ Pilot Program.^[5]
• Newark Liberty International Airport performing VQ Pilot Program.^[6]
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) performing VQ Pilot Program.^[7]
• Orlando International Airport deploying VQ Pilot Program.^[8]

Airlines involved include the following:

• Alaska Airlines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[9]
• American Airlines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[10]
• Delta Air Lines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[11]
• Southwest Airlines is beginning participation in PHX’s VQ Pilot Program.^[12]
• United Airlines is participating in several of the noted airport pilot programs.^[13]

Non-Aviation Uses

Although theme parks are growing their use of VQ the quickest, any type of system that requires long lines is subject to VQ. Even airport badging offices are looking to deploy some level of VQ.

Conclusion

Is it really worth the effort to develop this new process for airports? All who have tried it would respond with an emphatic “Yes!” Passenger satisfaction is typically near 100%, resulting in increased spending and less stress; operational efficiencies are improved, although it is still unclear how flat the peak curve can be made; and health/safety issues are effectively addressed. The industry is early in this process, and there is not a lot of established literature. However, for those who are interested, there is a growing amount of information to be found on industry news and other websites.

Related Reading

For an article in this Publication highlighting VQ deployment at a particular airport, look for an airport profile on PHX under the Applied Technology in Airports tab. For a broader perspective, check out ACRP Research Report 241: Toward a Touchless Airport Journey, which addresses how solutions such as VQ are helping to push the industry toward providing a touchless journey for passengers.

References

[1] Information gathered from ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee, VQ Working Group, an ongoing biweekly collaboration.

[2] Wait No More: New Sea-Tac Program Lets Travelers Reserve a Time at Airport Checkpoint, USA Today, Baskas, Harriet, May 3, 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2021/05/03/seatac-airport-checkpoint-reserve-time-sea-spot-saver-tsa-screening/4928627001/.

[3] Airports Test Virtual Queuing for Security Checkpoints, Accesso’s In the News, Silk, Robert, June 30, 2021, https://www.accesso.com/news/airports-test-virtual-queuing-for-security-checkpoints.

[4] Airports Test Virtual Queuing, Silk.

[5] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

[6] Newark Liberty International Airport Virtual Line, Newark Liberty International Airport, Accessed June 2, 2022, https://newarkairport.com/announcements/virtual-line.

[7] Phoenix Sky Harbor Launches Virtual Checkpoint Queuing Program for Airport Passengers, City of Phoenix, March 1, 2022, https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/aviation/2255.

[8] Clear Testing Reservations for TSA Queue at Orlando International Airport, Your Mileage May Vary, October 21, 2021, https://yourmileagemayvary.net/2021/10/21/clear-testing-reservations-for-tsa-queue-at-orlando-intl-airport/.

[9] Wait No More, Baskas.

[10] Phoenix Sky Harbor, City of Phoenix.

[11] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

[12] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

[13] ACI-NA Business Information Technology Subcommittee.

Rick Belliotti, Director of Customer Experience and Innovation at San Diego International Airport (SAN), is a distinguished innovation leader in the aviation industry. Belliotti has worked in the aviation industry for almost 20 years, and he has served SAN since 2013. In his role, Belliotti oversees teams focused on data analytics, arts, and customer experience. Most notably, Belliotti oversees the San Diego International Airport Innovation Lab, which trials solutions from external providers to refine its approach to operating better in the airport environment.

For this article and others in this Publication, Belliotti provided his insights on several topics related to technology and the pursuit of innovation within the airport industry. In the following sections, this article outlines SAN’s approach to innovation and Belliotti’s role in overseeing the Airport Innovation Lab:

• Objectives and approach
• Obstacles
• Technology and industry trends

Objectives and Approach

Innovation Program Built on Four Pillars

The Airport Innovation Lab at SAN operates based on four foundational pillars: improve revenue, reduce costs, improve the customer experience, and increase operational performance. When assessing potential areas for opportunities, the innovation team will evaluate solutions based on these pillars. While these pillars do not change, the organization does develop new problem statements to solicit responses from companies interested in its program. The innovation team works with stakeholders across the airport organization to identify areas of opportunity and come together to develop a suitable problem statement.

Engage Multiple Stakeholders

The Airport Innovation Lab at SAN is a thoughtfully designed process, refined from the start of the process through procurement of chosen solutions. This includes close coordination between the innovation team and stakeholders across the various functional areas of the airport organization. Through planned coordination events, the SAN innovation team coordinates with these stakeholders to identify and resolve obstacles to incorporating innovative solutions into the airport. By maintaining these relationships, the innovation team can understand and address needs from various parties.

Innovation Program Incorporates Failure

The innovation team understands that many of the solutions that go through the program may not ultimately prove successful; however, they are willing to take a risk on solutions that are currently foreign to the airport industry but have the greatest potential upside. With each failure, the innovation team uses lessons learned to improve the overall innovation process.

Obstacles

The complex nature of airports can result in significant obstacles to the development of an innovation program. In this section, Belliotti shared some of the obstacles and hindrances that airports may encounter when pursuing innovation.

Innovation Program Must Show Worth

Since innovation must embrace risk and failure to truly be innovative, it can be difficult to quantify the value of innovation to an organization. An organization pursuing an innovation program must therefore consider what metrics will determine success. While revenue is a great metric for a successful business program, the nature of innovation may require heavy investment before return is realized. SAN’s investment into its Airport Innovation Lab has already shown success by establishing new revenue sources and improving passenger experience through innovations incorporated into the airport. A notable example is that of a food delivery service that enables passengers to order food to their gate using their mobile phones.

New Vendors not Familiar with Airports

The companies driving new technologies may not always have previous experience in the aviation industry. This lack of operational knowledge of airports can impact many of the previous business and operational models that these companies leveraged. Belliotti noted that a common obstacle faced when dealing with new vendors is accounting for the level of support necessary to accommodate the number of customers traveling through the airport. Another obstacle is accounting for the added process complexities presented by the airport environment.

Airport Organizations not Familiar with Start-Ups

Dealing with companies that are not familiar with the airport industry can present issues from the airport perspective as well. For example, airport operators may overestimate the size and capacity of companies that are developing these innovative solutions. A large portion of companies working on the forefront of technology may have resource constraints that affect their ability to accommodate the needs of the airport environment. Large change orders or drastic adjustments may overwhelm the resources of smaller companies. An airport organization may have to temper its expectations when dealing with early-stage companies.

Technology and Industry Trends

Belliotti provided the following insights into technologies that his organization is currently pursuing, along with trends that he sees occurring in the industry.

Investigating Environmentally Conscious Technologies

Belliotti noted that SAN looks at innovative solutions for the airport space generally, in addition to specific technologies. Environmental conservation is a current area of interest and priority for the Airport Innovation Lab since reduction in waste can be both environmentally and financially beneficial. By using innovative solutions, SAN desires to be a better steward of its resources and the environment.

Advanced Automation Solutions Can Revolutionize Airports

Belliotti believes that automation-based solutions—such as autonomous vehicles or robotics—have the potential to greatly impact airport operational efficiency and passenger experience. But to be successful in the airport environment, these solutions must account for a range of human actions and variables not always encountered or considered rational in other types of locations. For example, airport passengers tend to arrive in different locations on an airport property and must perform a series of tasks to complete their processing steps, with a range of add-ons and alterations to their journey. These variables increase the complexity for the deployment of automation solutions. This complexity may also present an opportunity for these solutions developed in the airport space to be applied to other industries.

Aviation Culture Changes Are Needed to Foster Innovation

While many airport organizations are looking to build in-house innovation programs, Belliotti believes that this can be a costly endeavor if not properly handled. Programs must be able to show value. They should also be championed by top-level leaders within the organization who can continue to advocate for the program while also nurturing an internal culture of innovation among all levels of staff. A better alternative might be for airports to join together to innovate as a group rather than individually.

Monitor Trends in Amusement and Arena Industries

Belliotti stated that SAN studies industries that face process challenges similar to those at airports, such as the amusement and arena industries. Technology innovation occurring in these industries can signal what trends may soon come to the aviation and airport industries. These industries may also be able to drive innovation in ways that an airport organization cannot, while creating use cases that substantiate further adoption of technology solutions.

A top 10 airport in the United States recently conducted a business case that combined artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of things (IoT) devices to predict printer usage across the airport property. The business case project team for this airport conducted extensive research to make the case for the solution and identified information that can be leveraged by others in the airport industry who may be interested in addressing similar needs in their organization.

Note that this article will only reference information gained during the research conducted while defining the business case, as the airport organization had not yet approved the implementation of this business case. 

The solution outlined in this business case incorporated the following technologies:

• Internet of things: Connected devices that relay operational data or allow for remote management through the Internet. This business case used the data from connected boarding pass and baggage tag printers.
• Artificial intelligence: Computing functionality that can simulate human decisions based on design approaches to operational scenarios. The AI solution for this business case was used to support the machine learning functionality outlined in the business case.
• Machine learning: Functionality of an AI solution that analyzes data to identify and correlate relevant trends. The business case used machine learning solutions to identify printer usage trends and forecast future printer use numbers.

Case Study Explanation

In this case study, initiated from an effort to drive more data-integrated processes, the project team for this airport identified a solution that would leverage currently available data to predict the usage rates of common use baggage and boarding pass printer equipment within the airport. The business case outlined a plan to combine data from several sources related to passenger processing—including check-in time, flight information, and bag checking—to identify printer usage trends. A machine learning solution would be used to analyze these data sources, identify trends to predict consumption of bag tag and boarding pass paper stocks, and alert staff when printer resources were running low. The goal of the solution would be to reduce the need for staff to unnecessarily check various printer locations, freeing them up to do higher priority tasks and improve their cost-effectiveness. Machine learning and connected device data would enable this goal.

Upon initial investigation, it was noted that data from printers throughout the airport were being stored by the maintenance team as part of the vendor’s service contract; however, the data were never used. The project team then confirmed that printer usage data could be correlated with data from other airport processes or external sources to develop operational insights. Flight data and printer usage data could be analyzed through machine learning solutions developed by software engineering teams to identify what airport printer locations would face capacity strain and when their stocks were consumed.

Benefits Received

The project team determined that monitoring printer usage data had several tangible benefits to airport operations, including the following:

• Improved time and resource allocation
• New insight into business processes
• Cross-departmental use of data for process improvements
• Improved data visualization

Looking beyond revenue and cost savings can reveal several benefits to the entire airport operation. The data gathered from this process may be used for forecasting to drive efficiency in areas like the baggage handling system and staffing allocation. In the future, the project team hopes to integrate data across an increasing number of airport processes. As more data become available, more sophisticated solutions can be developed to drive further insights and improvements across the organization.

Areas Impacted

Following the research done for the business case, the project team identified several areas that may be impacted by deploying a solution like this. The following impacts identified by the project team have been categorized based on the impact areas detailed within this Publication.

Legal

Data ownership: An airport organization must thoroughly review its contracts to determine if there are any issues with data ownership. Depending on contract terms, an airport organization may need to coordinate further with a third party to access certain data streams.

Management contracts: Contracts may already be in place with established service-level agreements based on current processes. The parties managing the printer consumables may be from third-party organizations, adding an additional layer of coordination to project efforts. Project teams must take the time to define the responsible parties for system maintenance at the start of the project.

Technical Requirements

Necessary data integrations: To share data between systems, an interface needed to be developed to format the data in a way that was usable. Airport operators must identify and resolve any issues with accessing or connecting to the necessary data sources.

Process/Skill Set Changes

Training: Staff must be trained to effectively leverage the data in day-to-day processes. On-site staff must be trained to interpret the applicable consumable dashboard metrics and respond accordingly.

Data incorporation: Processes must be changed to only update printer stock when alerted by the system. The existing process called for routine checks of printer equipment, regardless of use. Operators must update their process to include data from connected printer sites that alert staff only when printer stock is low.

Budgetary

Budget for data access: In many cases, access to necessary data sources may only be available to a third party. An airport organization wanting to use this data may need to allocate funds for subscriptions to the equipment data feeds.

Budget for software development: Airport organizations must account for the budgeting of analytic software solutions to leverage the data gathered from connected devices.

Lessons Learned

The project team identified several new areas of information over the course of the project. While some areas were key to achieving the objective, others would prove to be useful lessons learned for future deployments. Following the project, several lessons learned were identified that should have been considered in more detail before the project began, including the following:

• Better collaboration with third-party vendors managing relevant systems
• Thorough understanding of airport data privacy and ownership
• Flexible processes to accommodate the added data
• Current airport devices may already be gathering process data

These factors impacted the efficiency of the project and became obstacles to address. While not applicable to all scenarios, airport operators should consider these factors to streamline their project efforts and increase the chances for a successful deployment.

Summary

This business case showcases the potential benefits that an airport organization can receive from currently available machine learning and IoT solutions. It also helps to illustrate how an organization can leverage currently available data to improve processes. However, when pursuing data analytics projects, it is important to understand the various stakeholders who may not be initially evident. As this kind of data becomes more valuable, parties may be more protective of the data they own, causing impacts to contracting and budgetary requirements.