Keeping it simple
In every area of business, consumers are demanding simpler solutions and companies are responding. Think about how Google has simplified the search for information on the Internet for instance, or the sophistication yet simplicity of today’s automobile.
Airports are no different, and they are reacting with efforts to simplify passenger travel. Consider today’s leading airports that have valet parking services and are working to provide kiosks that enable passengers to check in at the car park.
As convenient as these services are, imagine the next step – the ‘delight’ of the passenger of the future.
Imagine the following future scenario for an outbound passenger. After driving to the valet parking facility they are able to quickly check the Flight Information Display system (FIDS) to see their flight’s status.
Before heading to the terminal they can walk to a common use self-serve kiosk, which provides them with a number of service options at their fingertips. They include (1) Issue boarding pass? (2) Check bags? (3) Car wash? (4) Oil Change? and (5) Car waiting upon arrival?
After receiving a boarding pass and dropping off their baggage right there at the kerbside, the passenger can then be expedited through to security as a part of the registered traveller programme.
While all of this is not possible today, this type of simplification is what airports are striving for, and it is not that far away.
Enhanced simplicity for the passenger, however, creates a number of challenges for the already overburdened IT staff at airports. Essentially, the result is increasing demand for a wide variety of systems to be integrated, with those systems becoming increasingly complicated.
And these challenges are reflected throughout many different areas of the airport. Some of the most pressing challenges include the integration of traditionally disparate systems such as IT infrastructure, airport operational systems and airline systems. How sophisticated the integration of these systems is depends on each individual airport.
With these challenges, however, come opportunities for airports to develop ways in which they can overcome those hurdles and benefit from new and improved practices.
What does this mean? As I see it, there are two primary ways of simplifying airport IT systems support and maintenance on the back end, thus helping simplifying passenger travel on the front end. Using an integrated support solution and applying new concepts such as Business Process Management (BPM) to an airport IT environment.
For adopting either approach will ensure that managers can directly impact the bottom line and see a host of related benefits.
First, let’s look at what is meant by an integrated support solution. Many airports manage and maintain their IT systems once they are in place around a ‘one-to-one’ concept, where each IT system is maintained by a different service provider. What I am suggesting is a refinement of this traditional strategy to reflect an integrated approach of dedicated and cross-trained personnel able to maintain the multitude of systems found in today’s airports.
Instead of a one-to-one strategy, airports can look to incorporate a ‘one-to-many’ strategy by moving to an integrated support service provider (for example, the dedicated, cross-trained team). By doing this, each airport operations system cost is treated incrementally within the overall costs of maintaining the IT systems.
The bottom line is that instead of having a different service provider for each system (like check-in kiosks, FIDS, parking revenue and control, etc) a single service provider maintains all the systems.
This optimises the airport’s ability to add new systems to its service package with only the incremental costs of the new system, instead of procuring a completely separate support solution. The airport benefits from the economies of scale of using a single service provider across a large number of systems.
In addition, an integrated support team becomes more knowledgeable about how best to accomplish the airport’s end objective of simplifying passenger travel. As the service provider becomes more familiar with the airport, it reduces the learning curve associated with properly maintaining the airport’s various systems.
Beyond a refinement to the traditional service strategy, the other key idea worth exploring is Business Process Management (BPM). While BPM is not new to commercial organisations, it is a relatively new concept to the airport IT environment. So while the idea has been out there (think common off-the-shelf software products such as MS Office), it has not been utilised specifically in airport IT support.
Essentially, BPM uses methods, techniques and tools to design, enact, control and analyse operational business processes – basically, repetitive business processes performed by organisations as part of their day-to-day operations.
BPM could be considered similar to the gauges in your car. Just as they provide feedback on how your car is operating, BPM provides feedback on the performance of the airport IT service environment. It allows management to get a definitive answer to the question: “Is our service provider doing what they claim – and are contractually obligated to do – to keep our IT systems functioning properly?”
It is a key enabler of a completely integrated support solution, which as I’ve discussed, provides significant benefits to airport management. But beyond that, BPM provides airports with a host of benefits in its own right such as accountability, improved efficiency, improved access to information and, ultimately, reduced costs.
In fact, the ideal situation for airport senior management is for an integrated solution provider to maintain the airport IT systems using BPM to provide feedback.
Using the car example, if the engine is running hot, the consumer can get caught between the manufacturer and the mechanic, each blaming the other for causing the problem. If an airport is using an integrated solution provider that employs BPM, it eliminates the issue of accountability because the solution provider ‘owns’ both issues.
And when we think about the increased system integration airports are moving towards, this single-source accountability becomes even more important – the airport simply cannot afford to have two vendors arguing that the other one is at fault while important systems remain down.
BPM also improves efficiency because it has the ability to monitor all the various business rules used to manage the airport’s service environment (for example, the specific tasks and the frequency of preventative maintenance or asset management). It can also monitor an airport’s service level agreements (SLA) such as “restore each incident in 30 minutes” or “complete all service requests in three business days”.
The more accomplished BPM solutions are ‘real-time’, which allows management to maintain a constant pulse on the execution of a service strategy. Once real-time BPM has been achieved, an even more sophisticated set of actions can be taken, such as proactive escalation or alerts.
These alerts ensure attention is focused on a critical service area that is trending or performing poorly. In the passenger of the future example, BPM rules could require that the returning traveller’s car be washed one day before he returns, with escalation in place if it has not happened within eight hours of arrival.
While BPM provides important benefits to airport IT management, it is not something that can be implemented overnight or without a commitment to ensure the processes, tools and technology are well understood by the IT service management personnel.
The implementation of a BPM solution involves the application of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) good practices to a traditionally ‘closed’ solution set.
Many airports have IT systems that are proprietary and have typically utilised separate support providers. But ‘opening’ up, this solution set by using an integrated solution provider allows the creation of a cross-functional system administration and support team. BPM provides the tools to oversee the integrated team, or essentially, the feedback loop.
The most important step to implementing BPM requires the creation of a Service Desk, which is very different from the traditional help desk/call centre model. A Service Desk is a full-service resource for the maintenance and support for all airport IT systems, from passenger check-in to parking access and revenue control systems.
Step two is the ability to provide on-site repair. This involves a team of technicians, cross-trained on a variety of airport systems, so that economies of scale can be achieved.
The ability to effectively perform on-site maintenance is very much dependent on the creation of a Service Desk and the BPM processes that enable the successful execution of the airport’s service strategy through proactive monitoring and issue escalation.
The third step is fully integrated system administration. Think of the system administrators as the subject matter experts, with the technicians providing the day-to-day maintenance. Developing an integrated support team where each system administrator creates and shares knowledge and problems with technicians allows management to find ways to continually improve solutions based on operational experience.
Again, cross-training is critical so that system administrators can be leveraged across multiple systems.
Finally, an integrated airport environment requires the creation of Operational Level Agreements (OLA). These agreements ensure that the service provider has the ability to ‘reach back’ to the actual vendor when needed.
BPM can be implemented to track the parameters of these agreements to see that sub-contracted vendors’ responsiveness is being maintained to the levels necessary to address problems or system design changes.
As airports work towards providing innovative solutions to consumers, they are seeking new ways to accomplish this objective. An integrated IT solutions provider combined with BPM will enable them to reach their goal of simplifying passenger travel.
And in this complex, fast-paced, over scheduled world, who doesn’t need a bit of simplification?
About the author Jim Martin is vice president of ARINC Managed Services (AMS). He is responsible for the general management of AMS, including setting the organisation’s strategic direction and overseeing its business plan.
Asia-Pacific Airports 2008 Issue 3
Looking to invest?
Jim Martin considers what service-enhancing passenger handling and security technologies airports will be investing in this year.
With the outlook appearing a little brighter this year, following several months of modest traffic growth, it is likely that airports will continue to strive to improve their passenger and security systems to ensure that they are equipped to meet future demand.
In terms of passenger technology drivers for 2010, airport operators will continue to improve capacity, while taking into consideration ways to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction in the coming years.
These movers are driven by the changing dynamics of the airport business, where operators have to start looking at their premises as a commercial entity competing for investor and tourist dollars.
Operators will look at enhancing airport capacity by adopting new passenger processing and baggage systems such as self-service check-in kiosks and off airport baggage drop points.
These will also reduce costs in terms of deploying fewer personnel to oversee airport operations.
Airport operators will also have to cater to the new breed of passenger, who will expect to be ‘connected’ at all times within the airport.
This will result in operators working closely with IT vendors to evaluate new technologies at their airports.
In terms of security technology drivers for 2010, enhancing airport security, as we all know, has taken on a new meaning following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
And the gradual awareness that business must move in tandem with security has prompted airport operators to implement new technologies such as Electronic Borders, baggage screening, passenger reconciliation systems (PRS) and cargo security, while boosting its conventional security equipment such as close circuit televisions.
These do not come without challenges, however, as operators will need to ensure that the technology is able to keep up with threat sophistication and be interoperable across multiple airports.
Current trends
The aviation industry has gone through many changes over the last decade.
The emergence of low-cost carriers, and the Asia-Pacific region’s prominence in hosting world-class events have brought about an unprecedented rise in air travellers.
Over the past decade, the region hosted the 2002 soccer world cup in Japan and South Korea, the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and soon – the Shanghai World Expo this year.
Concurrently, low-cost carriers such as AirAsia and Tiger Airways have started providing cheaper air travel for the mass market.
This has resulted in airports placing focus on improving security and deploying predeparture passenger screening systems to help identify potential threats.
In some countries, Advanced Passenger Information must be supplied during check-in or passengers will be unable to fly.
Advanced Passenger Information Systems (APIS) will increasingly be adopted by government agencies around the world because it provides pre-arrival and pre-departure manifest data on all passengers and crew, improving border security.
New airport technologies for 2010
The prime drivers of new airport technologies are twofold: lowering costs from all aspects of the business, and meeting the needs of the new and sophisticated air traveller.
Mobile applications will feature very prominently in some of the key technologies this year.
The convergence between mobile devices and passenger processing systems has become closer with technological advancement.
To explore this further, mobile devices are expected to become a focal point for passengers where they can purchase airline tickets, check-in and board an aircraft. When this becomes more popular amongst airlines and passengers, the use of paper boarding passes may eventually be phased out.
The advantages of mobile check-in are numerous; passengers will have better control of their flight itinerary while airports will be able to process passengers more efficiently.
Remote check-in is also gaining popularity with Asia-Pacific airports.
Operators see value in enabling passengers to check-in from offsite locations such as airport hotels and convention centres.
This will help to alleviate congestion at the airports and provide a new level of convenience for passengers.
A good example of this is Hong Kong’s downtown check-in service, available free for passengers travelling on many major airlines.
Finally, we will see more airports and airlines supporting the new Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS) platform.
CUPPS technology is expected to provide savings for the aviation industry by introducing a uniform electronic interface for passenger applications.
It will give software developers at all airlines a common set of specifications, eliminating costly custom engineering and making passenger applications fully portable between airports.
New airport security technologies for 2010
Aviation security practices such as APIS and Passenger Name Recording (PNR) are becoming standard procedures in many countries.
With the implementation of APIS technology, airport security and immigration can perform enforcement and security checks on passengers against the databases of various law enforcement agencies before they arrive and depart.
These databases include those of the police, immigration, and customs and excise departments.
The technology will also help the airlines weed out unwanted individuals before they board the aircraft, which will eleviate the threat that they could pose on an aircraft and other passengers.
Meanwhile, ARINC’s PNR technology will enable governments to access data contained in a customs and excise or immigration automated reservation and departure control systems.
Airport operators will also need to focus on enhancing cargo security in their respective airports, given its importance as an economic contributor.
Korean immigration, customs and airport operators such as Incheon International Airport have adopted the APIS and PNR systems to prevent unwanted passengers from illegally entering and departing the country.
PRS will also feature prominently as an upcoming airport security technology.
PRS enhances passenger security checks, given that technology has enabled passengers to check-in via different modes (from home or mobile phone, for example), which may lead to the creation of fraudulent boarding passes.
PRS systems verify the authenticity and validity of boarding passes in real time with the airline database.
Singapore Changi is the first airport in the world to implement PRS at both Terminals 1 and 2 using ARINC’s VeriPax system, which is IATA’s preferred method of boarding pass validation in accordance with its Bar Coded Boarding Passes (BCBP) standards.
Other airport security technologies, like full-body scans and passenger profiling, are being developed and trialled for future implementation.
However, its success will be dependant in part on passenger privacy issues that need to be addressed.
How can today’s technology help?
The general consensus is that technology has been an enabler for airport operators to achieve cost savings and provide for a more pleasant travel experience for passengers.
However, while the focus of this article has been on the importance of technology, we should not forget the importance of making it inter-operable among countries, and having a uniformed regulatory structure to combat issues such as aviation security.
A good example of this is the implementation of APIS and PNR, which has still not achieved a 100% consensus among countries due to privacy and other issues.
This must be resolved in order for the airport and aviation community to progress.
What criteria should stakeholders consider when investing in new technology? The article has touched on new technologies such as mobile passenger applications, PRS, APIS and PNR, and the essence of these new systems is to help bring costs down for airports and airlines, while providing a higher level of convenience and security to the ever-demanding passenger.
Cost will be an important factor as airports transform into commercial entities over the next few years.
As airport operators view their companies as a business, it will be natural for them to evaluate and implement the latest technologies at the best possible price.
Other factors that also need to be considered include system maintenance, scalability and personnel training to ensure that systems implemented run smoothly and provide maximum returns on investments.
Conclusion
At ARINC, we believe that cost reduction and providing new services to enhance passenger satisfaction will be a major driving force in the investment patterns of airport operators.
In a space that is becoming increasingly competitive, airport operators and IT providers will have to work together to reap the most benefits from technology to provide the best value for investors, customers and passengers.
Asia-Pacific Airports 2011 Issue 2
Fast tracking service
Jim Martin, managing director of ARINC’s Asia-Pacific Division, considers the impact emerging technologies are having on operational efficiency and customer service levels at airports.
In recent times, we have witnessed many key drivers of technology in the aviation industry, amongst them new regulatory requirements, competition and innovation.
The airline and airport industries have successfully leveraged on the latest technologies to create new passenger friendly systems and enhance operational efficiencies.
From a regulatory standpoint, initiatives such as IATA’s Fast Travel has taken a broad view of the aviation landscape and proposed a series of technologies that will help enhance the passenger travel experience.
These measures include self-service check-in and efficient baggage handling systems.
Innovation has also brought about new technologies such as Passenger Reconciliation Systems (PRS), and hand-held portable devices with the ability to issue boarding passes and meal coupons.
Self-service platforms such as mobile phones and the Internet have had some of the biggest impact on passenger processing methods since Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) was introduced.
A mobile phone and, in recent times the smart phone, have become a passenger’s must have device even while travelling and has created new services for travel bookings and remote check-in.
And the impact on airports has been, and continues to be enormous, as it has allowed them to save floor space that could be used for other services such as generating ancillary revenues.
The environment also stands to benefit, as mobile passenger processing will create a paperless environment, saving costs and reducing pollution.
Ultimately, passenger flow through airport terminals will become smoother as mobile phones enable passengers to keep track of their flight status and airlines can potentially locate delayed passengers.
And mobile and Internet check-in processes will be supported by a suite of remote check-in technologies and products, that can extend to hotels, convention centres and ferry terminals.
For example, multi-channel check-in offers airports several options for passenger and baggage processing, such as web check-in, remote check-in and common bag drops.
Another emerging technology that airports can consider is ‘roving agents’. These portable, hand-held devices enable airline staff to issue boarding passes to passengers standing in long queues at check-in counters.
The ‘roving agent’ has the ability to speed up the check-in process for passengers, and potentially save costs by reducing the number of check-in counters at the airport. These devices are also able to issue meal or hotel coupons for passengers if they need to be re-accommodated due to a flight delay.
As passengers become more accustomed to self-service check-in, a natural progression will be to introduce self-service baggage checks to complete the experience. In time, self-service kiosks and common bag drop counters will become standard features at hotels, resorts and convention centres, providing greater convenience for passengers.
With the implementation of 2D barcode boarding passes and the rise of remote check-in capabilities, security measures have to be taken to ensure that duplicate or fake boarding passes are identified in real time.
Passenger Reconciliation Systems (PRS) enable airline and security officials to read and verify information from a boarding pass against an airline’s Departure Control Systems (DCS) for real time validation.
One of its biggest advantages is that it simplifies the security procedures that are also conducted manually by the airport security staff.
The growing concern about aviation security has opened debates on how the aviation community can address the needs of facilitating safer travel for passengers.
Countries such as the US and parts of Asia-Pacific have taken a series of measures to implement key components of Electronic Borders, such as Advanced Passenger Information Systems (APIS) and Passenger Name Recording (PNR) to potentially eliminate terrorism threats, drug traffickers and other ‘wanted’ passengers from departing on an aircraft.
The APIS works on the basis of an airline sending messages to government security agencies to assess the eligibility of passengers before they can board an aircraft. The APIS dedicated message would comprise of a passenger’s flight information, their names and passport numbers among others.
The format of the message would be in either the UN/EDIFACT or any other user defined format. Meanwhile, the PNR specialised application is a front end collection and correlation system used to obtain passenger information from airlines and transmit it in a standard format for a customs department. There are no requirements for a standardised message from an airline host system.
Apart from Electronic Borders, the PRS has become an added dimension to the security portfolio within an airport environment.
IATA’s study in 2008 on the adoption of 2D barcodes revealed the importance of scrutinising a passenger’s boarding pass from landside to airside in an airport. This was important to filter duplicate boarding passes, validate barcodes on boarding passes and verify a passenger’s status.
The beginning of this article identified how regulatory initiatives, evolving industry requirements and innovation have been driving some of the new emerging technologies while supplementing it with different examples. However, while new technologies can be adopted, the aviation community would need to have a thorough understanding of passenger requirements and how these technologies can realise them.
The industry has done a successful job of harnessing Internet and mobile technologies into their operations, and the next steps are to assess what other new and innovative services can be introduced to enhance the passenger experience.
While technology has been adopted at a furious pace in the industry, it is also important for airline and airport staff to learn how to use them effectively. This is imperative as airports and airlines have become commercial entities, and are competing with themselves for the passenger dollars.
IT systems have become mission critical components that need to be monitored and maintained regularly. In conclusion, the aviation community needs to be constantly and acutely aware of evolving passenger requirements to ensure effective implementation of emerging technologies.
Operationally, airports need to work with their IT vendors and business partners to understand what the new technologies are and how best to leverage on them.
It is also important to ensure that there is a long-term plan in place to ensure the optimal adoption of such technologies in enhancing passenger satisfaction and profitability.
Asia-Pacific Airports 2011 Issue 1