Integrating new technologies into continuous airport operations

In the customer-led, highly-regulated world of aviation, airports must take advantage of innovation and technological developments in order to stay competitive and build resilience for the future. Here Mike Hunting, complex programmes director at AtkinsRéalis, looks at how to overcome the challenges of introducing new technlogy systems into a live operating environmemt.

From the management of people, planes and baggage to overseeing safety and security, communication and retail, a vast and interconnected network of technology underpins the high-level operational efficiency required to keep complex airport systems running on a continuous basis.

Maintaining capacity and ensuring uninterrupted operations is essential to the airport business model. Airports must provide a seamless passenger experience, ensure supply chains and global networks are maintained, and get food, medicine and other vital supplies where they need to be.

New technologies are vital for this continuity, but while innovation is essential, introducing it must not compromise operational reliability in a live working environment. There’s a tension between the potential disruption caused by integrating new technologies into the existing ecosystem in order to future-proof it, and the ongoing need for reliability to meet current demands.

Most UK airports were built several decades ago, when the role of technology in aviation looked very different. We’re now installing a range and a quantity of technologies that could not have been foreseen back then. Extensive data cables and server infrastructure required to power a modern airport, for example, demands a footprint beyond what current estates can easily facilitate. We need innovative solutions, meticulous planning and whole-system thinking to retrofit modern capabilities into legacy environments.

The broad spectrum of airport operations, functions and stakeholders adds another layer of complexity. It can be extremely difficult to manage the installation and adoption of any one technology, let alone a suite of products, or a network of interrelated technologies.

The sheer interconnectedness of airport systems means a minor technical issue in one system can create shockwaves throughout wider operations and affect different stakeholders in different ways. Even small changes, like moving an electrical cabinet, can be constrained by competing spatial priorities such as retail units. Creating space for new systems, signage or sensors can require radical physical works and alterations.

An integrated approach

To successfully integrate new technologies, airports need a strategic approach with clear organisational intent. They need to set objectives that align technology specification and implementation at a project level with overarching business goals to deliver a long term vision.

Project leaders need to work closely with stakeholders to build engaged and integrated cross-functional teams that can think holistically, navigate risk and work collaboratively to understand complex problems, scope requirements and shape solutions.

Rather than looking at technology upgrades in isolation, or targeting single problems and  inefficiencies, examining an airport’s needs as a whole, and mapping end-to-end journeys will identify successful joined-up solutions. Approaching a project from the perspective of a passenger or baggage journey, for example, enables airports to look at all the relevant aspects of that journey and consider each interface and every interaction. This will result in a comprehensive understanding of the requirements, as well as the identification of a broader range of risks and opportunities.

By examining horizontal interfaces with every step, we can find new opportunities for streamlining, simplifying or improving systems in ways that deliver multiple benefits, support overarching organisational goals and optimise end-to-end journeys.

An example of this is the capture of certain passenger information at check in, which can be reused at other points in the journey to bring efficiencies. Combining this with an understanding what else is happening for a passenger at a particular time and place can unlock further value. It could benefit the passenger, through improved retail interactions, wayfinding or queue fast-tracking for example, or benefit the airport through gate optimisation or disruption management. It could also help create a better understanding of passenger movements and dwell times in order to optimise energy consumption without impacting comfort.

An evolving solution

Technology is at the centre of all airport operations, up front and behind the scenes. As solutions continue to evolve, technology will increasingly shape every aspect of the airport experience – driving efficiency, safety, connectivity and customer satisfaction. While challenges are inevitable, they can be addressed by finding the right balance between risk and opportunity, and between temporary disruption and lasting value.

To get the most from introducing new technologies, airports need fresh approaches that consider competing priorities and align interventions with business objectives to support decision making. This will pave the way for progress and enable growth without damaging reputation or compromising safety.

Delivering a technology project is not as linear as design-build-install. It requires a multidimensional whole-life approach that evolves along with its moving parts – with changing circumstances, regulations and priorities, and the growth in air travel we’re seeing year-on-year. Airports need to think beyond individual assets and embrace a flexible operational ecosystem. This will create the capability to face up to ever-changing challenges and incorporate new technologies, seamlessly transforming the airports of yesterday into the airports of tomorrow.