Features - Airport Technology

Europe’s Capacity Crisis

Cesare Bernabei — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

The period of uncertainty about the volume of air traffic in the aftermath of 9/11 is over, and the airline industry is facing one apparent certainty – volume is set to keep rising steadily, year after year.

The post Europe’s Capacity Crisis appeared first on Airport Technology.

Cooperating in Competition

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

After another year of major losses, the fiercely competitive airline industry is finding some consensus around at least one issue. Every major stakeholder realises that somehow their businesses must be more efficient, less expensive to deliver and yet also of a higher quality.

The post Cooperating in Competition appeared first on Airport Technology.

A Clean Slate for IT

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

If one thing has been learnt since the information age dawned on the airline industry, it is that IT is the key enabler of all the processes that make airport operations possible. It seems logical, therefore, that any new airport with the chance to build its IT architecture from scratch would benefit from the experience of others.

The post A Clean Slate for IT appeared first on Airport Technology.

Take Off for a Low-Cost Airport

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

In the last seven years, Frankfurt-Hahn has been developed from a small provincial airport into a competitive centre for low-cost aviation in Germany. Half-year results released in August 2005 show that Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn GmbH, the airport’s operating company, is well on its way to achieving profitability, with growth in both passenger and cargo traffic.

The post Take Off for a Low-Cost Airport appeared first on Airport Technology.

Beyond the Terminal

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

No one needs reminding of the shockwaves that the terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center buildings sent around the world. The events that we have all come to know simply as 9/11 have affected many kinds of business, but none more severely than the air travel industry.

The post Beyond the Terminal appeared first on Airport Technology.

Budgetary Control

Marion Blakey — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

These are challenging times for the airline industry and the entire aviation community – including the FAA and its employees. As we all can appreciate, we are currently experiencing the safest period in aviation history. But despite the rise in traffic, the industry that we oversee is continuing to experience massive losses. The figures do not bear repeating. Declining industry revenues have also meant declining receipts for the major source of FAA funding, our aviation trust fund.

The post Budgetary Control appeared first on Airport Technology.

Controlling Interests

Marion Blakey — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

Today, the aviation industry needs not only to look at where we are, but to keep looking at the horizon. While it is important to have an accurate picture of where we stand, you cannot afford to be myopic. The fact of the matter is that we're being flooded with new information and ideas, which represent new ways of taking the Wright brothers' idea a little bit higher and a little bit faster.

The post Controlling Interests appeared first on Airport Technology.

Creating Capacity in China

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

China has been quietly moving to the front of the civil aviation pack for a number of years now. Yet only recently has the rest of the world begun to take notice. The most recent Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) statistics indicate that more than a third of the China’s 133 airports are now capable of handling one million passengers a year. And with a further 55 hubs expected by 2020, it is expected that China will usurp Japan to become the world's second largest national aviation market as early as 2010, with projected passenger figures of 950 million by 2020.

The post Creating Capacity in China appeared first on Airport Technology.

Efficiency – In the Bag

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

When the British Airports Authority (BAA) first put forward plans for a fifth terminal at London Heathrow, it was clear that a large number of systems would have to coexist within its structure. T5's fully integrated design and development team have therefore worked closely with a multitude of end users, each with different requirements. From British Airways through to retail and customs, the terminal has to meet with their aspirations as well as BAA's.

The post Efficiency – In the Bag appeared first on Airport Technology.

Taking Pride in Passenger Protection

Jean-Louis Blanchou — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

The sharp emphasis on airport security that followed the terrorist attacks of 9/11 has not abated in the ensuing years. Revised strategy and increased investment in training, planning and technology has led to significant improvements in security measures at the world’s busiest airports.

The post Taking Pride in Passenger Protection appeared first on Airport Technology.

Slow Progress for US Baggage Checking Systems

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

Mandated to screen all checked baggage using explosive detection systems at airports by 31 December 2003, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) deployed two types of screening equipment: explosives detection systems (EDS), which use computer-aided tomography x-rays to recognise the characteristics of explosives, and explosives trace detection (ETD) systems, which use chemical analysis to detect traces of explosive material vapours or residues.

The post Slow Progress for US Baggage Checking Systems appeared first on Airport Technology.

Snap Decisions

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

As with any equipment in operation near a runway, approach lighting, instrument or microwave landing systems and wind direction indicators can be hazards. Though there have thankfully been few incidents of major damage caused by aircraft striking these structures, the potential for problems during the crucial phases of take-off and landing are seen as serious enough to demand proactive management.

The post Snap Decisions appeared first on Airport Technology.

Treading Carefully

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

Airfield runways must provide adequate skid resistance to ensure the safe braking of aircraft operating on the surface. The degree of skid resistance provided by a pavement is expressed in terms of the surface coefficient of friction (COF), which is defined simply as the ratio of the measured horizontal (braking) to the vertical (loading) forces acting on a test wheel, braked to give a predefined percentage of slip, as the wheel passes over the surface.

The post Treading Carefully appeared first on Airport Technology.

Turbulent Times for Air Cargo

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

Cargo is a fundamental part of many airports' business model; although it often goes unnoticed, the cargo industry far outstrips that of passenger airlines. Yet the current growth figures for the respective sectors indicate a market considerably affected by high oil prices. While these undoubtedly have an effect on passenger figures via ticket price increases, the viability of more cost-effective freight methods impacts directly on cargo figures.

The post Turbulent Times for Air Cargo appeared first on Airport Technology.

Weather Watching

cmsadmin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:30:00 +0000

Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport (CLK) is located on partly reclaimed land adjacent to Lantau Island, whose rugged terrain has a maximum elevation of nearly 1000m. Consequently, aircraft operating at the new airport may be affected by significant terrain-induced windshear and turbulence under certain meteorological conditions. In order to enhance safety and operational efficiency at the airport, a windshear and turbulence warning system (WTWS) was installed and tested, and has been operational since the airport opened.

The post Weather Watching appeared first on Airport Technology.

A380 Operations Ready for Take-off

cmsadmin — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:30:00 +0000

More than 60 airports worldwide are preparing for A380 commercial operations, which begin in less than six months. With its extra capacity and its unparalleled environmental characteristics (it will generate half the noise energy of existing large aircraft), airports recognise that the A380 represents the most socially responsible solution to air traffic growth.

The post A380 Operations Ready for Take-off appeared first on Airport Technology.

Change on the Horizon

Giovanni Bisignani — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:30:00 +0000

The air transport industry is changing rapidly, and IATA is taking the lead in pushing forward these changes. Simplifying the business is at the heart of its efforts to bring cost-efficiency and convenience to the industry's outdated processes.

The post Change on the Horizon appeared first on Airport Technology.

Common IT Platform Delivers Star Performance

cmsadmin — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:30:00 +0000

For an airline, it is just as important to have robust computer systems as it is to have a modern fleet – and it is equally important for the airline's passengers. Creating flight schedules, providing fare information, making reservations, electronic ticketing, check-in, changing a booking or giving credit for frequent flyer miles would all be impossible without sophisticated IT systems.

The post Common IT Platform Delivers Star Performance appeared first on Airport Technology.

From Make-weight to High-flyer

cmsadmin — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:30:00 +0000

In the early 1990s, people travelling through Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) did not have many options if they wanted to eat, drink or buy something while waiting to board a flight.

The post From Make-weight to High-flyer appeared first on Airport Technology.

Driving Down Delays

George Paulson — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:30:00 +0000

The European air traffic network continues to grow in volume and complexity. Managing it demands that many priorities are dealt with simultaneously, with the need for greater efficiency balanced by the need to maintain – or improve – levels of security and safety.

The post Driving Down Delays appeared first on Airport Technology.