• Abu Dhabi International Airport’s cargo facilities fully operational, processed 7,315 cargo flights in March
• Etihad Airways repatriation and humanitarian flights departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport
• Comprehensive health and safety measures implemented across all Abu Dhabi Airports facilities in response to global COVID-19 pandemic

Abu Dhabi, UAE | May 11, 2020–Abu Dhabi Airports is supporting global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring the safe, secure and efficient transport of essential supplies and equipment through Abu Dhabi International Airport, in addition to facilitating a number of repatriation and humanitarian flights.

Abu Dhabi International Airport is the primary gateway to Abu Dhabi and a key global transit hub for passengers and airfreight, offering connections to the world’s key markets. Its specialist cargo facilities offer significant capacity for transhipments and the efficient handling of time and temperature-sensitive goods.

Shareef Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “This is a critical time for the aviation sector and our nation as we come together to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our employees, stakeholders and passengers as we continue to operate our airports and facilities in order to provide our communities and healthcare centres with the goods and equipment they need.”

“We do not take this responsibility lightly and have mobilised special teams to enhance our cargo operations and facilitate the necessary repatriation and humanitarian flights departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport. I am especially proud of our employees’ continued dedication and commitment during this challenging time,” added Al Hashmi.

Waleed Salem Al Hemeiri, Acting Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Abu Dhabi International Airport has implemented a range of special measures across its cargo and passenger operations, including workforce cluster management, thermal imaging cameras at key transit areas, free COVID-19 tests for passengers and employees and roster realignment to ensure the continued safe and efficient management of vital supplies and repatriation flights.”

“We are coordinating with all relevant authorities, partners and suppliers at Abu Dhabi International Airport to bolster the UAE’s efforts to protect public health and maintain the integrity of our operations,” added Al Hemeiri.

Cargo and airfreight

Cargo operations at the airport are ongoing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, facilitating the supply of vital equipment and goods to communities and healthcare facilities across the UAE and the world. During the month of March, the airport processed 7,315 cargo flights and 51,885,686 million kilograms of cargo, handling on average more than 1,800 flights and 13 million kilograms of cargo per week.

Over the past month, the UAE capital’s cargo hub experienced heavy import cargo volumes, mainly made up of commodities like facemasks and medical supplies, in addition to traditional airfreight items and an increase in perishable traffic, especially meat.

Logistics operators and cargo carriers such as Etihad Cargo have increased operations, making use of available capacity during the airport’s reduced passenger flight schedule. Its freighter network has introduced capacity to countries including India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea and other destinations. Additionally, Etihad Cargo’s freighter network from Abu Dhabi offers flights to Riyadh, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Repatriation and humanitarian flights

Following the suspension of all commercial passenger flights to and from the UAE on 26 March 2020, Abu Dhabi International Airport has facilitated a number of repatriation and humanitarian flights for Emiratis returning to the UAE as well as expatriates and foreign nationals departing for their countries of origin.

Etihad Airways has been operating special flights from Abu Dhabi to London, Zurich, Brussels, Tokyo, Dublin, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta. In addition to enabling passengers reach their desired destinations, the flights are utilising their belly-hold capacity to transport critical cargo.

Prioritizing health and safety

Abu Dhabi Airports is coordinating and collaborating with all relevant authorities including the Abu Dhabi Government, General Civil Aviation Authority, Department of Health, and Ministry of Health and Prevention to ensure every available precautionary measure is being taken to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees, stakeholders and passengers.

The robust set of precautionary measures include thermal screening at passenger and staff entrances, free COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for passengers and employees, workforce cluster management and regular risk assessments in coordination with Etihad Airways medical teams, enforcement of social distancing guidelines and roster realignment to ensure ample staffing at all times, in addition to the frequent sterilisation of workspaces and common areas throughout Abu Dhabi International Airport’s facilities.

Dublin, Ireland | May 1, 2020– The “COVID-19 Impact on Airport Operations Market by Technology (Passenger Screening, Baggage Scanners, Smart Tag & RFID, E-gate & E-Kiosk, 5G infrastructure, Cybersecurity Solutions and Ground Support Equipment) and Region – Global Forecast to 2025” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The airport operation technologies market in a realist scenario is projected to grow from USD 6.2 billion in 2020 to USD 11.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 12.6% from 2020 to 2025.

In the short term, the market is expected to see a huge drop from 2020 to 2021 (12.4%) and is expected to see a slight recovery from 2021 to 2022. The COVID-19 crisis has created a demand for facial recognition solutions that will have no need for human interference. At the same time, fingerprint scanners are expected to be phased out. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, various airports across countries have ordered thermal scanners and infrared scanners for passenger screening. For instance, demand for thermal imaging cameras that can detect fevers from a distance has soared as nations ramp up surveillance and quarantine measures.

The increase in demand for passenger screening and management systems at airports is anticipated to boost the growth of the market during the forecast period. However, the decrease in air passenger traffic across the globe is limiting the overall growth of the market.

Based on technology, the biometric solutions segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Technologies such as self-service and facial & voice recognition have been introduced for passenger identity, check-ins, and availing boarding passes. These technologies at airports have improved customer service, reduced operational costs, and increased revenues of airlines as well as airports. Airports with such technologies are able to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak better. Demand for smart passenger screening solutions is expected to surge post the COVID-19 pandemic in the long term, as airports will strive to maintain vigilance levels.

The spread of COVID-19 is posing serious challenges for airlines, airports, and their ecosystems. In the long term, however, the pandemic could help catalyze investments in new technologies and radically reshape the industry.

Asia Pacific is estimated to lead the airport operations market in 2020 Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific warns that the prolonged duration of the COVID-19 outbreak will significantly impact the region’s airports and prevent them from achieving previously-forecasted growth prospects. The airport association urges regulators and governments to implement well-defined adjustments and relief measures tailored to suit local-level contexts. According to ACI World estimates, Asia Pacific is impacted the worst, with passenger traffic volumes down 24% for the first quarter of 2020 compared to forecasted traffic levels without COVID-19. After fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s aviation industry is moving into the recovery stage, and it is unsurprising that Chinese airlines are the ones bucking the global trend and adding capacity. Moreover, Chinese airports are deploying 5G-powered robots for terminal operations, which can help reduce the chances of spreading COVID-19 as well as increase the handling capacity of passengers.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 COVID-19 Impact on Airport Ecosystem

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Impact on Airport Value Chain

3.2.1 Equipment Suppliers

3.2.2 Ground Operators

3.2.3 Service Providers

3.2.4 Technology Providers

3.3 Macro Indicators

3.3.1 Drivers

3.3.1.1 Demand for Smart Technologies and Management Systems at Airports

3.3.2 Restraints

3.3.2.1 Decrease in Passenger Traffic

3.3.2.2 Reduction in Airline Capacity Utilization & Flight Operations

4 Short-Term Strategies of Airport Technology Companies and Operators

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Impact on Airport Operators

4.2.1 Maintaining Current State of Operations

4.2.2 Health and Safety of Staff, Passengers, and Other Stakeholders

4.2.3 Cost Control and Managing Working Capital

4.2.4 Managing Suppliers, Vendors, and Customers

4.2.5 Capacity Building to Mitigate Similar Threats

4.3 Impact on Airport Technology Companies

4.3.1 Product & Service Offerings

4.3.2 Enhanced Customer Support

4.3.3 Contract Management

4.4 Winning Strategies by Airport Technology Companies

4.5 Publisher Viewpoint

5 COVID-19 Impact on Airport Operation Customers

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Strategic Shifts in Airport Operations

5.2.1 Business/Operating Models

5.2.2 Revenue Mix & Cost Structure

5.3 Airport Operations

5.3.1 Capacity Utilization and Cost Optimization

5.3.2 Technology Use Cases and Innovation

5.3.3 Spending & Investment Priorities

5.3.4 Risk Management and Business Continuity

5.4 Airport Business Strategy

5.4.1 Connected/Smart Airports

5.4.2 Digitalization Trends

5.4.3 Enhancing Passenger Experience

6 Impact of COVID-19 on Airport Operation Technologies Market, by Technology

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Impact on Airport Operation Technologies Market, 2018-2025, (Usd Million)

6.2.1 Baggage Scanners

6.2.2 Passenger Screening

6.2.2.1 Handheld Scanners

6.2.2.2 Walk-Through Metal Detectors

6.2.2.3 Full-Body Scanners

6.2.3 E-Gate & Kiosk

6.2.3.1 Smart Biometric Systems

6.2.3.2 Smart Boarding Systems

6.2.4 Cybersecurity Solutions

6.2.5 Smart Tags & Rfid

6.2.6 Ground Support Equipment

6.2.7 5G in Airports

7 Regional Analysis

7.1 Introduction

7.2 North America

7.3 Europe

7.4 Asia Pacific

7.5 Rest of the World

8 Appendix

8.1 Knowledge Store: Publisher’s Subscription Portal

8.2 Author Details

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9cs0gs

Dublin | March 16, 2020–The “Airport Passenger Screening Systems – Market Analysis, Trends, and Forecasts” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Airport Passenger Screening Systems market worldwide is projected to grow by US$667.3 Million, driven by a compounded growth of 4%. Metal & Explosive Detection Systems, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 4.2%.

The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$1.8 Billion by the year 2025, Metal & Explosive Detection Systems will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth.

Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 3.1% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$24 Million to the region’s size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$19.4 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Metal & Explosive Detection Systems will reach a market size of US$102.5 Million by the close of the analysis period.

As the world’s second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 6.3% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$188.9 Million in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders. Presented in visually rich graphics are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio.

Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies.

Competitors identified in this market include, among others,

• American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E)
• Analogic Corporation
• Autoclear LLC
• CEIA USA Ltd.
• L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc.
• Nuctech Co., Ltd.
• Rapiscan Systems
• SDI

Key Topics Covered:

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

• Global Competitor Market Shares
• Airport Passenger Screening Systems Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2019 & 2025
• Airport Passenger Screening Systems Market – A Prelude
• Evolving Security Threats Drive Airports to Implement Advanced Screening Systems and Procedures for Passengers
• Intense Competition Prevails in Airport Passengers Screening Systems Market

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

• Increasing Investments into Airport Construction Projects Translates into Significant Opportunity for Passenger Screening Systems
• Global Investments into New and Existing Airport Construction Projects in US$ Million for the Years 2018-2022
• Global Investments into Airport Improvement Projects in US$ Million for the Period 2018-2022
• A Glance at New and Expansion Projects Scheduled for Conclusion in 2019 and 2020
• Upcoming Projects in Asia-Pacific
• Upcoming Projects in North America
• Upcoming Projects in Latin America
• Growth in Air Travel and Increasing Passenger Traffic Necessitates Investments into Passenger Screening Systems
• Demand Growth in Global Air Traffic Passenger Traffic for the Period 2006-2019
• Airport Full Body Scanners Market – Rising Security Concerns Drive Growth
• Baggage Screening Systems Market: An Overview
• Tote Screening System – An Advanced Baggage Handling System
• Millimeter Wave Technology-based Scanners to Facilitate Faster Screening at Airports
• Facial Scan Technology Grows in Prominence for Airport Passenger Screening
• Innovations & Advancements
• Improving Airport Screening through Innovative Technologies
• Artificial Intelligence and Video: Potential Role in Reducing Screening Delays at Airports
• Space Technology-based Full Body Scanners Promises to Accelerate Security Screening
• Physicists Develop New Technique to Improve Airport Screening
• TSA Conducts Trials for Biometric Facial Identification and Full Body Scanners in LA Airport
• Astrotech Develops Advanced Explosives Detector for Airport Security
• TSA Announces Plans to Add Machine Learning for Carry-on Baggage Scans
• Product Overview
• Airport Security
• Passenger Screening at Airports
• Passenger Screening Technologies
• Metal Detectors
• X-Ray Systems
• CT Scanners
• Full Body Scanners
• Explosive Trace Detectors
• Magneto Static Detectors
• Recent Industry Activity
• Clear Launches Biometric Scan Technology for Passengers at Louis Armstrong International Airport.
• Denver International Airport and TSA Unveil New Passenger Screening System.
• Unisys Corporation Wins New TSA Contract for Screening Equipment in U.S. Airports

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS

IV. COMPETITION

V. CURATED RESEARCH

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bshi8

New Environmental Management Plan sets course for YVR to continue to reduce emissions, water use and waste while enhancing the Sea Island ecosystem

Richmond, B.C. | March 10, 2020– Today, the Vancouver Airport Authority is pleased to share its plan for Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to achieve four new sustainability targets. Among the targets outlined in the 2020 – 2024 Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is a commitment to become carbon neutral in 2020 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while connecting British Columbia proudly to the world.

“Environmental stewardship is central to who we are and how we operate at YVR. As we work to advance our position as a world class hub airport, we are looking ahead with a heightened sense of responsibility to continue building a sustainable future for YVR,” said Marion Town, Director, Environment, Vancouver Airport Authority. “Our plan recognizes the importance of further reducing YVR’s environmental footprint and working together with our many business partners to support their climate action goals.”

YVR strives to be a leader in airport sustainability and develops an EMP every five years to outline its environmental priorities. Under its previous plan, YVR led a number of actions to reduce its environmental impact, successfully reducing emissions, water use and waste to landfill. YVR also invested in one of Canada’s largest GeoExchange plants to bolster its ability to continue to reduce carbon emissions and became the world’s first airport to receive Salmon-Safe certification.

YVR’s 2020 – 2024 EMP builds on the success of the previous plan and, in addition to carbon reduction, outlines clear, measurable targets to continue to conserve water, reduce waste and improve ecosystem health. Specifically, targets for YVR over the next five years are to:

• Become carbon neutral in 2020 and continue to reduce emissions to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050
• Improve water use efficiency across Sea Island by 50 per cent per passenger
• Divert 60 per cent of airport waste from landfill
• Continue to enhance and protect the ecosystem of Sea Island, including maintaining the airport’s Salmon-Safe certification

To learn more about YVR’s 2020-2024 EMP and view a full list of its environmental initiatives, as well as successes achieved under the previous plan, visit yvr.ca/environment.

SITA provides self-service gates for bar-coded boarding passes at Fortaleza and Porto Alegre

Rio de Janeiro | February 13, 2020–Fraport Brasil has installed SITA’s passenger processing technology at the two airports it manages in Brazil, Fortaleza Airport (FOR) and Porto Alegre Airport (POA). New self-service gates provide passengers with automated entry to the security checking area with a simple scan of their boarding pass. This will reduce queues and make the process four times as efficient.

Andreea Pal, CEO of Fraport Brasil, said: “A significant part of our remit is to invest in infrastructure to transform the passenger experience and make operations highly efficient at these two airports. To do that, we need to provide automation at as many touchpoints as possible, which is why we have installed these gates that read bar-coded boarding passes.”

Fraport Brasil has implemented a total of 26 SITA self-service gates: 14 at Fortaleza Airport (FOR) and 12 at Porto Alegre Airport (POA).

Andreea continued: “We selected SITA because we know that using their technology allows us to process four times as many passengers to access the security checkpoint. This will significantly improve the passenger experience.”

SITA’s solution enables secure checks against the airport systems and manages the integration of third-party hardware and SITA’s software with the existing airport IT infrastructure.

Elbson Quadros, SITA Vice President, Latin America, said: “There is absolutely no question that passengers want automation because it makes their journey through the airport much smoother. And because it takes away the need for manual checks at every stage of the journey, it is both more accurate and makes more efficient use of the airport’s resources, from staff to real estate.”

SITA is the leading provider of airport technology in Latin America, covering all areas, including passenger processing, airport operations, baggage, border management, and aircraft communications. The combination of all these technologies drives efficiencies for airports, airlines, government agencies, ground handlers, and, most importantly, passengers.

A leading global airport manager, Fraport AG is active at some 30 airports around the world, including its home-base Frankfurt Airport (FRA). Serving more than 70 million passengers in 2019, FRA is Germany’s largest airport and one of the most important hubs in the international air transportation system. At the beginning of 2018, Fraport Brasil commenced its concessions to manage and develop Fortaleza and Porto Alegre airports for 30 years and 25 years, respectively.

Technology delivering enhanced passenger experience at airport

Australian Airports Association’s (AAA) National conference | November 18, 2019–Gold Coast Airport has extended its partnership with global IT provider SITA for passenger and baggage technology until 2024. The new agreement continues the airport’s close relationship with SITA, which has been in place for more than 10 years.

Gold Coast Airport uses SITA AirportConnect® Open, the common-use platform, together with self-service bag drop and check-in kiosks. All this technology combines to deliver an efficient and cost-effective solution to the airlines, while ensuring an enhanced passenger experience at the airport.

This announcement follows the release of SITA’s 2019 Air Transport IT Insights, which revealed that investment in automating the passenger journey is providing a faster, more pleasant airport experience. According to the report, airport CIOs are seeing strong returns on their technology investments with 68% recording a year-on-year improvement of up to 20% in passenger satisfaction levels, while 44% saw an increase in average passenger processing times.

Mark Allen, General Manager Technology, Queensland Airports Limited, said: “Gold Coast Airport had been one of Australia’s fastest-growing airports in the past decade. Throughout this time, SITA has been a trusted partner, ensuring we achieved our goals. SITA’s ability to deliver a smooth transition to a common-use passenger processing system (CUPPS), with complete flexibility to embrace individual carrier requirements, has been particularly valuable.”

Jay Youlten, SITA Regional Director, North Asia, and Pacific, said: “Gold Coast Airport is a prime example of how investment in technology can increase operational efficiency and satisfaction among passengers. SITA has played a key role in supporting Gold Coast Airport’s growth for many years, with not only the best-in-class technology, but also a team that truly understands and supports the airport’s ambitions. We are confident we’ll match the future demands of this airport, which is 100% dedicated to delivering an outstanding passenger experience.”

Gold Coast Airport welcomed almost 6.5 million passengers in FY2019, making it the fifth busiest international airport in Australia and sixth busiest overall. The airport’s passenger numbers have steadily risen in recent years and are expected to more than double by 2037. The extended partnership with SITA comes as $500 million is invested in redeveloping the airport precinct and represents a commitment to supporting future growth, while continually improving passenger experiences.

MLB will become new gateway for all TUI UK customers beginning 2022

Melbourne, Fl | November 4, 2019– TUI, the world’s leading holiday company and the UK’s number one holiday provider, announced today that Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB) will become the Florida gateway for all customers traveling to Orlando and Central Florida beginning 2022.

Melbourne Airport Authority Chairman Jack L. Ryals and MLB Executive Director Greg Donovan, A.A.E., were welcomed by TUI UK & Ireland Managing Director Andrew Flintham and TUI Airways Managing Director Dawn Wilson to the TUI UK Headquarters to celebrate the new partnership. The celebration included a signing ceremony, a tour of the airline’s hangar and a peek into one of TUI’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the 300-seat aircraft type that will be used for all the new transatlantic flights. The initial schedule is still under development, but has the potential to be made up of nonstop flights between MLB and nine European cities.

“At TUI we’re committed to offering our customers an outstanding airline and holiday experience and we are delighted to be working with Orlando Melbourne Airport on their exciting expansion plans,” said Dawn Wilson, managing director at TUI Airways. “Our new Orlando gateway will be perfectly situated to offer TUI UK customers total flexibility in designing their holiday around any combination of theme parks, beaches or cruising.”

MLB Executive Director Greg Donovan, A.A.E., added, “TUI’s proven product combined with MLB’s exceptional concierge services will make for an unprecedented customer experience for UK holidaymakers traveling to Florida. With more than $100 million of investment into MLB’s airport facilities over the last few years, and much more on the way, MLB will be practically the newest and most modern airport in Florida.”

MLB plans to invest millions of dollars in terminal enhancements that will directly benefit all TUI UK customers and MLB passengers. The brand new terminal expansion will include unique concessions, innovative passenger amenities and many other family-friendly features that will provide an entertaining, speedy, stress-free and uncongested experience.

Landing at MLB will keep existing TUI customers in close proximity to Orlando’s world-famous theme parks, and bring them even closer to Central Florida’s beaches, cruises and attractions on the Space Coast. The geographic upgrade also brings TUI customers more than an hour closer to Miami and Fort Lauderdale in South Florida.

“This is a major win for Melbourne and our entire region,” said Airport Authority Chairman Jack L. Ryals. “Tourism is our region’s biggest asset, and I look forward to the day when UK travelers are admiring our beaches, enjoying our restaurants, relaxing at our hotels and catching a Space Coast thrill at our attractions.”airport,

Dublin | October 11, 2019–The “Airport Sleeping Pods – Market Analysis, Trends, and Forecasts” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Airport Sleeping Pods market worldwide is projected to grow by US$26.4 Million, driven by a compounded growth of 5.6%.

Airport Single-Occupancy Sleeping Pods, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 5.8%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$52.3 Million by the year 2025, Airport Single-Occupancy Sleeping Pods will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth.

Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 6.4% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$1.2 Million to the region’s size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$1.2 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets.

In Japan, Airport Single-Occupancy Sleeping Pods will reach a market size of US$4.1 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the world’s second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 5.5% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$4.6 Million in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders.

Presented in visually rich graphics are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio. Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies.

Competitors identified in this market include:

• GoSleep
• Minute Suites, LLC
• napcabs GmbH
• Snooze At My Space
• SnoozeCube

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/calzmo

• Thales and its joint venture BEST provide TopSky-ATC to Beijing Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) Control Center. The system, along with the one deployed for Area Control Centers (ACC) and Towers, forms the largest scale Air Traffic Control (ATC) system in the world, covering Beijing Capital International Airport, the newly inaugurated Beijing Daxing International Airport and Tianjin Binhai International Airport, etc.
• Beijing Terminal Maneuvering Area is the first in China to deploy both Thales MAESTRO AMAN and DMAN technology to optimize flight sequencing and airport efficiency.
• Today, 60% of China’s air traffic is managed through Thales’ air traffic management solutions.

France | September 2019–Beijing Daxing International Airport becomes officially operational on September 25. Thales and Beijing EasySky Technology Ltd. (BEST), a joint venture between Thales and Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control Technology & Equipment Development Co. Ltd., are delighted to celebrate this important milestone. This mega-airport relies on Thales and BEST to improve safety support capabilities, expand capacity and enhance the operational efficiency of air traffic management.

The past decade has witnessed a tremendous growth of the aviation activity in China with the number of airline passengers nearly tripling. For Beijing, China’s capital as well as political, economic and cultural center, this trend has been even more challenging, with the existing Beijing Capital International Airport hitting full capacity in 2018. Located 46 km south of downtown Beijing, Beijing Daxing International Airport is designed to relieve the pressure on the existing airport and serves as the capital’s second international airport. It is the world’s largest single-terminal airport, covering an area of 700,000 square meters. With seven runways planned, the airport will ultimately handle more than 100 million passengers a year.

As a consortium, Thales and BEST were selected by North China ATMB (Air Traffic Management Bureau) in 2016 to modernize the Beijing Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) Control Center by providing an ATC (Air Traffic Control) automation system which will play a pivotal role in harmonizing the air traffic in this region. The whole project automates Beijing TMA, Beijing Area Control Center (ACC), ATC Towers in Beijing Capital International Airport, ATC Towers in the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, Tianjin Approach and ATC Tower in Tianjin Binhai International Airport. By enabling seamless synchronization with Beijing ACC ATC system, the overall ATC system will become the largest in the world, with a total of 290 controller working positions covering the northern China region.

To support Daxing airport, Thales and BEST delivered TopSky-ATC, the most advanced air traffic management system in the world, to help improve air traffic operation efficiency and improve safety. The system features advanced redundant capability including complete fallback flight data processing and flight plan synchronization, as well as multi-sensor processing and alerting to enable consistent operations.

The Beijing Terminal Maneuvering Area control center is the first in China to deploy Thales MAESTRO AMAN and DMAN technology at the same time to sequence and balance the traffic flow of the airport and airspace. This fully integrated arrival and departure management system helps to reduce flight delays and increase the air capacity. MAESTRO will provide seamless integration between area control, approach control and tower systems – so that all controllers share the same sequence information and can manage airport configuration changes collaboratively, including Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) regulation times. Additionally, it will support the integration of required arrival delay absorption into sector displays to enable efficient traffic sequencing and reduced airborne holding. Furthermore, advanced runway allocation processing will enable efficient airline operations and reduce taxi times.

Under a very tight schedule, experts and engineers from Thales and BEST worked day and night to support North China ATMB to complete the hardware installation, software integration and on-site acceptance tests for the newly-constructed airport. Leveraging Thales’ leading technology in Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems, coupled with a quick response to customer requirements through the local presence of BEST, Thales has shown excellent project delivery capabilities in securing the smooth operation of the air traffic management for Daxing International Airport.

In addition to the ATC system, Thales also provided navaids and ATM radars to contribute to the safety surveillance and navigation service for airplane take-off and landing at Daxing International Airport.

“Thales congratulates Beijing Daxing International Airport on its official operation. The successful delivery of our ATM systems to North ATMB demonstrates the seamless cooperation between Thales, BEST and ATMB. Thales has been partnering with China aerospace industry on traffic management technology since the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China. The Group is proud of its history in the country and of having helped the growth of Sino-French cooperation in aerospace. Thales’s long-term engagement in China is once again reaffirmed. The Group is a committed, and key partner in China’s journey to becoming a more digitalized and innovative country.”

Jérôme Bendell, Vice President, North Asia and CEO of Thales in China

Ensuring the safety and efficiency of 60% of China’s air traffic, Thales has deployed 43 radars, 20 ATC automation systems (including 12 provided by BEST), more than 677 navaids, as well as one set of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcasts (ADS-B) and two multilateration systems in the country. With its digital transformation, Thales commits to delivering more innovative and cyber-secured technologies to empower China’s civil aviation industry’s booming future development.

Islip, Long Island | August 30, 2019– As part of its continuous attention to improve customer experience, Long Island MacArthur Airport, owned by the Town of Islip, is investing in world-class passenger information systems from IT provider SITA. The new systems will include sophisticated flight information screens and voice paging throughout the airport.

SITA, which is the global IT provider to airlines and airports, is a long-standing partner of the airport and a close neighbor. SITA’s New York office and technology lab are located in Bohemia, less than a mile from the airport.

SITA is installing new displays that are bigger, brighter and easier to see. There will also be a new large double-sided video wall with the latest information for passengers as they leave the secure area.  Displays at the ticket counter are also being upgraded.

Angie Carpenter, Supervisor Town of Islip, said: “Long Island MacArthur Airport continues to invest in services that improve the passenger experience. SITA’s AirportVision and AirportVoice technology will work together so that any flight information updates will automatically be displayed on all screens and announced in real time over the public address system. We also plan to roll out updates on our website and to give passengers the choice to receive them via email or SMS. Having the latest updates provides our passengers with the information they need to feel relaxed at the airport.”

Anthony Natale, SITA Vice President, Northeast United States, said: “We work with airports across the world but particularly enjoy our local partnerships, like we have with the Town of Islip and Long Island MacArthur Airport. Our team working in Bohemia, New York, drives much of the development and innovation that helps airlines and airports optimize operations and improve the passenger experience. Having our technology in the airport on our doorstep is a proud moment for this team. SITA AirportVision and AirportVoice will help improve the passenger journey for everyone as they travel here.”

SITA’s Bohemia facility, which has more than 100 employees, is home to a certification facility where international airlines work closely with the SITA team to ensure their airport deployments meet required industry standards. It also houses a display center and airport echo lab which showcases numerous SITA products in an environment that physically resembles an airport.

All the new SITA systems are planned to be up and running at Long Island MacArthur Airport before the end of the year and in time for the busy holiday season.

New SITA report shows tech savvy travelers demand more automated, seamless journeys

World Aviation Festival, London | September 3, 2019– Airport and airline IT executives believe that the growing number of tech-savvy travelers will have the biggest impact on their digital plans over the next six years to 2025. This is revealed in a new report published today by SITA, the leading IT provider to the air transport industry.

The report, 2025: Air Travel for a Digital Age, shows that by 2025, 68% of all passengers will be digital travelersand will expect to manage their travel in much the same way they do every other aspect of their daily lives – using their mobile phones.

This demographic shift has created digital travelers who are demanding more automation and hands-on control over each step of their journey. In particular, they expect to use their mobile phone to access services ranging from baggage location notifications, to boarding and payments. They also expect their trip to be delivered as a single, unified experience across airports, airlines, border control and other modes of transport – from the moment they leave home to when they arrive at their destination.

Barbara Dalibard, SITA CEO, said: “This demographic shift brings with it the expectation to use technology everywhere – including during travel. This will have a profound impact on how passengers interact with airports and airlines by 2025. In fact, 83% of airport and airline IT leaders surveyed by SITA believe that this demographic shift will be the most important influence on their passenger solutions strategy by 2025.”

Dalibard maintains that this shift requires more efficient operations and collaboration between airlines, airports and other stakeholders responsible for delivering that experience. Baggage is a prime example. For a single journey, a bag can change hands a dozen times between the airline, airport, the ground handler and customs agencies. If the right data is not shared between the entities, it is difficult to keep track of that bag or to provide the information the passenger seeks on their whereabouts of their bag.

“Without this collaboration, we will not be able to deliver the journey digital travelers want.”

Biometric technology is one of the key enablers to delivering more automation as well as smoothly linking each step in the journey. This technology is already being used at airports for border control and boarding aircraft andthat is set to grow significantly, both in terms of geographic spread and functionality. According to SITA’s research, more than over half of the industry’s IT leaders believe biometric travel tokens will be the key driver for the future passenger experience.

To date, the focus has largely been on using biometric identity across a single journey or airport but more and more the industry is shifting its focus to providing a persistent digital identity that can be used across multiple journeys.

Dalibard said: “To truly benefit from biometric technology, we as an industry need to work together to develop and agree a digital identity that not only provides passengers control over their identity but is accepted in any airport and across borders, much like passports are today. This cannot be done in isolation and requires a high degree of collaboration to make it a reality.”

SITA is already working with industry organizations such as IATA, ICAO and ACI and is founding steward of the Sovrin Foundation, a private-sector, international non-profit whose mission is to enable self-sovereign identity online.

Barcelona | June 28, 2019– The Immfly Lounge service is part of a unique customer journey platform Immfly provides airports and airlines. It is designed to enable seamless extension of the customer experience end-to-end: from lounge, to gate, to inflight and post arrival. The Immfly Lounge service is now available in one of the largest airports in the Carribean, serving VIP lounges in Santo Domingo’s AILA airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas). AILA handles 3.5 million customers annually and the airport’s top 10 routes include direct flights to hubs in the USA, Europe and South America served by carriers including American Airlines, Iberia, Delta, Avianca, Spirit, Air Europa, Jet Blue and United Airlines.

Barcelona, Spain | June 25, 2019– The Immfly Lounge service is part of a unique customer journey platform Immfly provides airports and airlines. It is designed to enable seamless extension of the customer experience end-to-end: from lounge, to gate, to inflight and post arrival. The Immfly Lounge service is now available in one of the largest airports in the Carribean, serving VIP lounges in Santo Domingo’s AILA airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas). AILA handles 3.5 million customers annually and the airport’s top 10 routes include direct flights to hubs in the USA, Europe and South America served by carriers including American Airlines, Iberia, Delta, Avianca, Spirit, Air Europa, Jet Blue and United Airlines.

Istanbul | April 16, 2019–

The world’s largest airport is open for business and DMD Turkey is the go-to provider for a wide range of print and digital media services to airlines operating there.

Our established Istanbul-based operation delivers the full DMD range of airline services at major national airports including the prestigious Istanbul Airport, where our service portfolio now reaches multiple passenger experience touchpoints:

• In premium airside lounges
• At departure gates
• Onboard
• At home pre-departure (digital)

Our unique service offered to airlines operating at Istanbul Airport includes:

• Discounted prices for local and international newspapers & magazines
• Airside access for direct delivery to aircraft, gate or lounge – as well as to any landside location
• A selection of complimentary magazine titles for gate and lounge services
• One single monthly invoice for all services and products
• Locally managed 24/7 customer service

“Our operational capacity in Turkey has increased greatly with migration to the new airport, enabling us to offer an even more timely and responsive service to clients there”, says Cihan Akkartal of DMD Turkey. “We’re proud to be there for any carriers serving Istanbul, from new friends to more than a few of our major global customers.”

The new Istanbul Airport stands at the centre of an extensive flight network as one of the most important hubs in the world. The first phase terminal hosts an annual capacity of 90 million passengers and when complete the airport will service over 300 destinations with an amazing 200 million capacity.

As a world leading travel media provider, DMD works with airlines and other travel operators globally to give them premium access to the very best printed publications and digital content.

To find out more about how DMD Turkey can help you offer your passengers a bespoke range of superb newspapers, magazines and digital titles at this fantastic new airport contact our Istanbul office today.

Expanded functionality in Lido/AMM Airport Moving Map / External Bad Elf GPS receiver successfully tested with KLM on flight deck

Raunheim, Germany | February 26, 2019– Displaying one’s own aircraft position on airport maps helps pilots navigate between the gate and the runway. This function in the Lido/AMM Airport Moving Map from Lufthansa Systems can now be combined with the external Bluetooth GPS receiver from Bad Elf. This GPS is easy to install on the flight deck and considerably cheaper than using GPS information from conventional avionics systems. The small Bad Elf GPS devices accurately show the own-ship position on the airport map. This helps pilots, especially when navigating unfamiliar airports, and improves their situational awareness.

The new function was successfully tested with the customer KLM Royal Dutch Airlines during live operations between March and October 2018. “Since 2015 we have been using the digital Lido/mPilot maps across our entire fleet,” said Maarten Koudijs, Manager Digitizing & Navigation Support at KLM. “The Lido/AMM tests with the Bad Elf GPS device continually improved our setup. We also had test flights on different aircraft types, including B737, B777, B787 and A330. We are very pleased with the result of the field tests and are currently reviewing whether to introduce Lido/AMM with GPS-based own-ship position.”

Taken together, the navigation applications from Lufthansa Systems have thus far supported the following aircraft interface devices (AIDs) for integrating GPS information: the AID from Boeing ONS, the UTC Aerospace Systems Tablet Interface Module® (UTAS TIM) and GroundLink AID+ from Teledyne. Other cheaper GPS solutions, by contrast, are often not precise enough for use at airports. This new cooperation with Bad Elf led to the solution: a portable, external GPS device that is smaller than a conventional smartphone and can be simply certified for use on the flight deck. The Bad Elf GPS connects to the digital maps either via Bluetooth or cable, and no further installation is necessary. The new function has already been integrated into Lido/mPilot for iOS and Lido/eRouteManual for Windows. All that an airline needs to use it is the Bad Elf GPS Pro+ accessory.

“Displaying the own-ship position in Lido/AMM is not new in itself, but it has not often been requested by customers to date. We are therefore delighted that, thanks to our cooperation with Bad Elf, we can offer a more cost-efficient solution that is also fast and easy to integrate,” explained Dr. Bernd Jurisch, Head of Flight & Navigation Solutions at Lufthansa Systems. “We are confident that more airlines will now use this feature, which will further improve safety while navigating at airports.”

Lido/mPilot is Lido´s mapping solution for the iPad. Lido/eRouteManual is the Windows-based app for navigation maps. Both applications include all important route information, including altitude data, airways and airport information. The systems can access data such as GPS information, speed and the direction of the airport in order to display the position and orientation of the aircraft on the integrated Airport Moving Map (Lido/AMM).

Bad Elf has been offering external GPS receivers for improved situational awareness in electronic flight bag applications to private, military, and commercial pilots since 2010. Further information about Bad Elf can be found online at https://bad-elf.com/airlines

Record breaking passenger numbers driven by increased air services as YVR embarks on $9.1 billion expansion program to keep pace

Richmond, B.C. | February 13, 2019–Today, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) released final passenger numbers for 2018, confirming another year of record-breaking growth. YVR welcomed more than 25.9 million passengers, a 7.3 per cent increase over 2017, reaching its 25 million passenger milestone two years ahead of forecast.

“This is an exciting time of incredible growth at YVR. We look forward to unveiling some of the projects under our current multi-billion-dollar construction program to address this growth and build the airport of the future,” said Craig Richmond, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “We continue to work with our airline partners and entire airport community to position YVR as a world-class connecting hub, providing greater access for people and products to global destinations, all while driving economic benefits for our region.”

The airport’s passenger growth is fuelled by expanded services from its airline partners, including significant continued growth from Air Canada who has chosen YVR as its premier trans-Pacific hub. In 2018, the airline introduced new flights to 10 destinations, including Paris and Zurich, and increased service on five existing routes, including making their popular non-stop service to Delhi year-round. New services such as these are made possible by YVR’s rates and charges program, ConnectYVR. The program provides a highly competitive rate structure and includes rates lower than any other major airport in Canada and competing US airports.

YVR is on track to serve more than 29 million passengers in 2020, with projections indicating the airport will serve 32 million by 2022. To facilitate recent and projected growth, YVR is investing $9.1 billion in its expansion program, which includes 75 major capital improvement projects scheduled over the next 20 years. Once complete, the expansion will enhance the airport experience, improve the speed and ease of passenger and bag movements, and further YVR’s position as a leading international hub.

YVR’s multi-year expansion plans are made possible by its unique, not-for-profit operating model, which ensures all profits generated at YVR are reinvested back into the airport for the benefit of its customers, partners and communities. To learn more about YVR’s unique not-for-profit operation model, please click here.

Passenger Growth Highlights: January – December 2018

> 25.9 million passengers, a 7.3 per cent increase over the same period in 2017

> An 8.5 per cent increase in international traffic

> A 6.1 per cent increase in domestic traffic

> A 5.5 per cent increase in transborder (US) traffic

> YVR moved 338,000 tonnes of cargo, an 8.1 per cent increase from 2017

October 18, 2018– Oriens Aviation, the exclusive British Isles Pilatus Centre and sales distributor for the PC-12, and London Biggin Hill Airport were pleased to welcome Jetfly’s Pilatus PC-24 (LX-PCA) on 18^th October, as part of the fractional operator’s European tour.

The Luxembourg-based operator, European launch customer of the PC-24, flew in the first of its four newly-accepted versatile light jets, plus one of its 22 Pilatus PC-12NGs, to showcase to a private audience gathered at Oriens Aviation’s new maintenance base.

Its London Biggin Hill showing followed appearances of the aircraft at Geneva’s Annemasse Airport and Toussus Le Noble Airport in Paris.

“Oriens Aviation offers an extensive maintenance facility at Biggin Hill, so its smart hangar was the perfect backdrop to showcase our amazing, one month-old Super Versatile Jet in the UK,” said Jetfly CEO Cédric Lescop.

Jonathan Clough, Jetfly Sales Director for the UK, hosted the October event for current members and new prospects interested in seeing the new jet, up close and personal.  Oriens was represented by Craig Lammiman, Sales Director.

Jetfly is looking forward to accepting its second PC-24 this month.  It takes one more next June and another in December.

Game-changing PC-24 gives our members “a competitive edge.”

“The eight-seater PC-24 is a real game-changer, capable of landing on smaller airstrips, including grass, that other comparable light jets cannot.  The PC-24 gives our members a competitive advantage and such is the demand for Pilatus’ new jet, with its increased range, speed and large cargo door, just like the best-selling PC-12 turboprop, we have already filled up the flying slots for most of 2019,” Lescop added.

“London Biggin Hill Airport is regularly requested by our PC-12 membership, owing to its good proximity to central London; generous opening hours and attractive facilities. We expect our new jets will be regular visitors at this popular London airport too,” he said.

Andy Patsalides, Marketing Manager at London Biggin Hill Airport commented: “We’re delighted that Jetfly chose Oriens Aviation’s London Biggin Hill facility toshowcase this remarkable new aircraft to a UK audience for the first time.  “Since opening its doors to its Pilatus-authorised MRO Service Centre at the airport in February this year, Oriens Aviation has enjoyed a busy nine months supporting a large number of customers here.  This underlines our popularity as a home base to a growing number of aircraft owners and other industry customers.”

Cyprus | August 13, 2018–Hermes Airports welcomes LEVEL to Cyprus, part of the established IAG (International Airlines Group) and one of the world’s largest airlines family. LEVEL is a new low-cost airline, that commenced operations in June 2017.

The new airline inaugurates its presence in Cyprus by introducing the route Vienna-Larnaka.

In a statement, Ms Maria Kouroupi, Senior Manager Aviation Development, Marketing and Communication, said that «we are delighted to welcome LEVEL to Larnaka airport. Our flight schedule is continuously enriched as a result of our aviation development strategy to expand our network, both in regard to its routes frequency and destinations. The selection of Cyprus by LEVEL reconfirms the confidence vote that Cyprus enjoys by many airlines and tour operators, especially during the last few years. We are confident that the Cypriot travelling public will embrace this great opportunity offered by LEVEL and use this connection with Vienna and schedule memorable trips to one of the most popular and exiting tourist destinations of Europe».     

The flights by LEVEL started on August 11^th, 2018 and will be operated with an Airbus A321 three times weekly. More precisely, the airline will conduct flights every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport uses SITA technology to manage surge in passenger numbers

Moscow | August 3, 2018–Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) and technology provider SITA today summed up the success of new automated gates which were introduced for passengers in time for the 2018 World Cup. In just over a month around the championship, more than 1.2 million passengers took advantage of the new technology to speed their way through the airport. In total,since the beginning of the year, 3.3 million people have used SITA’s Airport Self-Service Gates at Domodedovo.

Gennady Zalutsky, CEO, Domodedovo Integration, said: “SITA’s technology showed its effectiveness during the peaks of traffic when soccer fans from all over the world flew through Domodedovo for the matches. We are confident that this landmark project, which makes use of modern technologies, will raise the quality of passenger services at DME to a new level.”

Domodedovo was the first airport in Russia to introduce SITA’s sophisticated passenger flow management which uses smart validation and the automated gates for secure access control. Theyallow passengers to independently pass the security controls at the entrance to the departure zone,or to board the aircraft, by simply scanning their mobile or paper boarding pass.

In total, more than 150 automated gates will be installed in Terminals 1 and 2 in Domodedovo. SITA studies show that the use of its self-service gates can cut boarding times by as much as 50% reducing the risk of flight delays and improving passenger service. SITA’s automated gates and Airport iValidate technology are in use at leading airports across the world.

Dmitry Krasnov, SITA VP Russia and CIS, said: “We have helped many countries manage major events by introducing technology that automates the flow of passenger through major airports. From the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and this year in Russia. While these events are often the catalysts for introducing new technology, we continue to see the benefit of these investments well after the final whistle has gone. This is particularly the case in fast growth markets such Brazil and Russia where the number of passengers continues to grow rapidly.”

The introduction of SITA’s automated gates and Airport iValidate technology for passengers at Domodedovo Airport was a finalist in the Moscow Urban Forum Community Awards. This is an annual award for city communities, independent projects, private initiatives and start-ups that make a significant contribution to the development of Moscow. The introduction of the airport self-service gates was among the best in the “Urban Technologies” nomination.

President Erdoğan’s plane makes first ever landing at Istanbul New Airport

Turkey, Istanbul | June 21, 2018– On June 21^st the Turkish presidential aircraft TC-ANK carrying President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan touched down at Istanbul New Airport. It was a historic moment, marking the first ever landing by a passenger aircraft, and was greeted with a water salute on the runway. The airport is due to open on 29 October.

President Erdoğan was met by ground crew and workers. “Today is a very, very meaningful day for us,” he said in a statement after the landing, being pleased about the construction of “a magnificent airport”, which will be a leading hub for global air traffic. Istanbul’s new airport will be one of the three biggest airports in the world with the annual capacity of 90 million passengers in the first phase, he said, adding the airport would be a brand for the country. Erdoğan also announced that after the launch of the new airport, Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport will be replaced by a huge park named ‘People’s Garden’.

The construction of the airport, which is situated over an area of 76.5 million square meters to the north of Istanbul, in 35km distance to the city center of Istanbul, will be carried out in four phases. When all phases are completed, it is projected that the number of passengers will rise to 200 million. The airport will host nearly 100 airline companies flying to more than 300 destinations.

 

Brussels | June 27, 2018– SITA, the air transport industry’s technology provider, today announced the launch of a major industry research project to explore the potential of blockchain. More than 100 top IT executives, attending SITA’s Customer Innovation Forum, were the first to be invited to join the Aviation Blockchain Sandbox.

SITA is investing in the infrastructure to accelerate industry-specific research into the viability of running multi-enterprise apps using distributed ledger technology, more commonly known as blockchain. The company is welcoming interested industry players to use the Aviation Blockchain Sandbox at no cost to them.

Barbara Dalibard, CEO, SITA, said: “Today we are inviting air transport organizations to work together so that we can collectively see how blockchain could work across our industry. Blockchain holds many promises but exploring these in individual organizations is not the most productive. As the technology company owned by airlines, SITA is in a position to work neutrally with multiple stakeholders to explore and test multi-enterprise applications. Through this collaborative innovation we will accelerate the learning for all.”

The airline industry has a long history of sharing information across multiple stakeholders to increase efficiency. At times, however, it faces difficulties when proprietary business information needs to be extracted or multiple data sources conflict. One of the key benefits of blockchain technology is the ability to have multi-enterprise applications. These work across multiple organizations locking data immutably into the blockchain rather than having individual applications running separately and exchanging data on a case-by-case basis. This is how this technology can provide a ‘single source of truth’ to all stakeholders.

The Aviation Blockchain Sandbox will be led and managed by SITA Lab, SITA’s technology research team, and will develop in three stages. To start, SITA is opening the FlightChain project to airlines and airports in September. FlightChain was SITA’s blockchain trial, with British Airways, Heathrow, Geneva Airport and Miami International Airport, using smart contracts for shared control of data. It stored flight information on the blockchain to provide a single source of truth. Now SITA is making it easy for other airlines and airports to join this research and test FlightChain for their own use.

For the second stage of this collaborative innovation, SITA will work with organizations that wish to test smart contracts across a number of airline and airport operational use cases. During the third stage of the research, which is expected to start in late 2018, SITA will enable participants to run their own node. This will give the organizations the opportunity to become more involved and to participate in the running of the network, including becoming custodians. Throughout all stages the participating organizations can be assured that the data being used in the blockchain sandbox will be stored confidentially.

Dalibard concluded: “Since we published the results of the FlightChain research, many of our airline and airport customers have expressed an interest in exploring the opportunities of blockchain with us and some have already committed to the Aviation Blockchain Sandbox. We encourage airlines, airports, ground handlers, governments and other organizations with a role in the air transport industry to take advantage of this opportunity to innovate together.”

Further details are available for interested organizations on Developer.aero.

Seoul | May 30, 2018–Incheon International Airport has deployed SITA’s award-winning self-service bag drop technology at its new Terminal 2, effectively serving the influx of visitors to the recent Winter Olympics and in preparation for the 100 million passengers projected by 2030. Drop&Fly simplifies the bag drop process, cutting time for passengers and improving their experience. This technology also makes more efficient use of terminal capacity and ensures more accurate baggage handling.

Incheon International Airport has been named the World’s Best Airport for 12 consecutive years by the Airport Council International (ACI) and Drop&Fly has been in operation at the airport’s Terminal 1 since 2016. Today, 48 Drop&Fly units (14 at T1 and 34 at T2) are available to passengers with 30 more on the way.

Sang-il Kim, Executive Director of Smart Airport Group at Incheon International Airport said: “We want to give our passengers a fantastic experience when they travel through our airport and that means using the very best technology. Deploying SITA Drop&Fly is part of our extensive modernization program that will help ensure Incheon International remains on top of the list of the world’s best airports.”

Drop&Fly provides a safe and secure self-bag drop area. A sliding door and advanced sensors prevent tampering and the intrusion of unauthorized objects. It is fully customizable to the individual needs of the airport and is equipped with technology such as payment devices, baggage facing cameras and more. It can also provide live status and notifications on all bag drop units for ground agents, and real-time statistics to analyze trends and generate reports.

Drop&Fly won the prestigious 2017 iF Design Award: Public Product, in recognition of its state-of-the-art design and intuitive user interface.

Sumesh Patel, SITA President, Asia Pacific, said: “We know passengers want self-service options because they like having control over their journey and it saves time. Self-bag drop is a win for the airport because it makes very efficient use of the available space and makes the baggage process more accurate and efficient.”

Patel added: “With IATA projecting that routes to, from and within Asia-Pacific will see an extra 2.1 billion annual passengers by 2036, there is no doubt Incheon International Airport has exactly the right approach. As Incheon Airport consolidates its position as one of the best airports in the world, we hope to continue being a part of the airport’s success.”

Incheon International Airport had a record year in 2017, with over 60 million passengers using the airport. The introduction of Terminal 2 has increased capacity by a further 18 million passengers per year and the airport has ambitions to reach 100 million passengers by 2030.

SITA is the world leader in self bag drop with more than 55 airlines connected to SITA BagDrop at more than 40 airports worldwide.

Vision-Box has just implemented a paperless biometric self-boarding
solution to expedite passenger flow and improve traveler experience

Princeton, NJ | December 20, 2017– Los Angeles Airport is trialing an advanced biometric self-boarding solution by Vision-Box to clear travelers flying out of the USA in a contactless, quick and secure way.
The new passenger flow solution allows travelers to board their aircraft in just a few seconds simply by looking into a high-resolution face capture system at the traveler- friendly flow-control gateway. No need to present their travel document or boarding pass anymore. The system deployed by Vision-Box captures a live, high quality image of the traveler’s unique biometric facial traits, for US Customs and Border Protection to match it against the passenger’s file containing the digital facial token captured at the initial immigration process. This process permits as well to virtualize the process of sending the boarding-pass details to the Airline Departure Control System, using face as a token to reconcile the passenger and his flight. After assuring the identity and eligibility of the passenger on that specific flight, the gateway then opens and the traveler can swiftly board the aircraft.

The solution combines an effective human-factor centric design along with key security features, such as biometric data capture of superior quality in a complex environment in seconds. This combination consequently delivers high-performance reliable match against the authorities’ biometric database, pre-processed by Vision-Box anti-spoofing and liveness checks technology. In spite of the fact that the solution is ready to rely solely on biometrics, it accommodates other possible workflows that include boarding-pass scan, seat re-assignment or multiple additional verification modalities.

Security, safety, efficiency, and a unique, traveler-centric experience are the cornerstone of the project developed in the scope of a partnership between LAX and Vision-Box, supported by US Customs and Border Protection Agency under the umbrella of the US Biometric Exit trial program. British Airways was the first airline to begin expediting boarding procedures using the new contactless technology.

Justin Erbacci, chief innovation and technology officer at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the airport oversight and operations department, said, “This industry-first deployment of innovative solutions from the US Customs and Border Protection and Vision-Box, shows the amazing potential of using biometrics to speed up the boarding process while maintaining safety and security. We have been very impressed with the results thus far, and love to see the passengers’ excitement at being some of the first in the world to use facial recognition”.

Miguel Leitmann, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at Vision-Box explained the reasons for success: “Vision-Box made use of state-of- the-art biometric technology, able to deliver high quality data that drastically enhance matching accuracy, sustained by in-house developed Deep Machine Learning engines for superior facial capture. The results present a solution that addresses current security, efficiency and flow-control challenges in a relevant, revolutionary way. We are very proud to have come up with an industry- changing solution that all stakeholders involved in the process rely on. In the end, it’s about collaboratively raising the security and efficiency standards while eliminating obstacles from the traveler’s way, offering frictionless interactions and the best experience to guests until they’re comfortably seating in the aircraft.

The new contactless platform has been installed on three stands of Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles Airport and will be tested by a number of other airlines after New Year’s Eve.

Air Senegal becomes the newest airline to use SITA’s Horizon

Kigali | November 13, 2017–Air Senegal SA has become the latest airline in Africa to introduce SITA’s passenger services system (PSS) to manage every aspect of their operation – from reservations and pricing to ticketing and departure control.
The airline is one of a growing number of carriers on the continent that have turned to SITA to provide technology solutions to better manage their passenger operations. Already 15 airlines and ground handlers in Africa use SITA’s Horizon^® Passenger Management and Distribution solution while 100 airlines and ground handlers around the globe have used it to board more than 123 million passengers and check in 158 million travelers each year.

Horizon offers the most comprehensive, integrated range of passenger management services available today. Its infrastructure is built on a flexible platform of core systems required by every airline, allowing each carrier to customize the system to meet their specific business requirements and to accommodate future growth.

Air Senegal, the west African country’s new national airline, has turned to SITA to provide a full suite of services – including reservations, ticketing, airfare distribution and departure control – that will support the launch of the airline’s first flights later this year.

Philippe Bohn, CEO of Air Senegal, said: “We have an ambition to establish Air Senegal as a key carrier in West Africa and make our presence felt across the continent. In order to achieve this ambition, it is important that we have a passenger management system that takes care of every aspect of operating the airline and delivers a smooth experience for our passengers every step of the way. SITA is a key partner in providing this technology and we are in the process of implementing this solution ahead of our launch flights later this year.”

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India & Africa, said: “The air transport industry in Africa is emerging as a major growth market in terms of passenger growth. Our presence and experience on the continent, together with the real business value offered by Horizon, has placed us in an ideal position to support both the continent’s emerging and established airlines, using a passenger management platform that can accommodate airlines of any size, fleet or operating model.”

SITA will deliver the most advanced airport experience when the world’s largest airport opens in 2018

Istanbul | November 1, 2018–Istanbul New Airport, one of the world’s most ambitious airport projects, has appointed global IT provider SITA to bring the region’s most advanced airport to life. SITA will deliver a wide range of airport, passenger and baggage processing solutions to deliver a world-class experience, showcasing the future of air travel.

İGA, the contractor and designated operator of the new airport, has brought SITA on board to design and deliver IT solutions that will manage everything from landing to take off as well as all passenger processing and baggage management systems from check-in through to boarding. SITA’s systems will be required to support 75 flight departures per hour, 3,500 flight operations per day and 1,000 bags per flight. Upon completion of all phases of the project, the capacity will reach over 200 million passengers annually, making it one of the world’s biggest airports.

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India and Africa said: “Airports are without a doubt one of the most connected public spaces. SITA’s role is to provide and integrate all these systems to provide effortless airport management while elevating the passenger experience and satisfaction. We remove the complexity so that İGA can focus on what is really important: the passenger.”

In the first phase of the infrastructure development, SITA will deploy passenger processing systems to provide a smooth and efficient experience for passengers. This includes SITA’s departure control system and common-use platform, allowing multiple airlines to connect and use the same check-in and boarding infrastructure. SITA will also implement automated passenger access control that will validate all types of boarding passes against travel documents at key touchpoints such as security and boarding. In total, SITA will provide 1,041 check-in and boarding workstations and 90 touchpoints where passengers can validate their boarding passes.

SITA’s state of the art baggage management technology will also ensure airlines flying to the airport are able to track their bags at every stage of the journey, meeting IATA’s Resolution 753 requirements from day one.

In parallel, SITA will deploy key airport management solutions that will allow İGA to proactively manage and oversee every aspect of the airport operation. SITA’s Airport Management Solution will make it possible for İGA to centralize flight data information collected from all the systems in the airport and to proactively take smart decisions in managing the resources in the airport. SITA will help İGA take collaboration a step further through the sharing of common airport operational objectives across stakeholders such as airlines, ground handlers and control authorities.

Yusuf Akçayoğlu, CEO of İGA Airports Construction said: “We fully understand that having the right technology will be essential to the successful operation of the new airport and future-proofing it for decades to come.

It is also critical to ensuring our passengers fully benefit from our new, world-class facilities by providing innovative systems that make the journey through the airport enjoyable and effortless. We are confident that we will conclude this co-operation successfully.”

Ersin İnankul, CIO of İGA Airports Construction said: “In building a new facility, we have the opportunity to implement technology or the capacity to accommodate new technologies, thereby ensuring we are well prepared to accommodate changing requirements over time. Working with SITA, we have implemented passenger and operational systems that support those evolving demands, assuring the long-term future of Istanbul New Airport.”

Read the interview with Ersin İnankul, CIO of İGA Airports Construction in SITA’s Air Transport IT Review online

The construction of the new airport will be carried out in four phases. The first phase will be finalized in 2018 with the opening of three runways and a main terminal building with a capacity of 90 million passengers a year. Close to 100 airlines have committed to begin using the airport once it opens for operations.