In response to ever-evolving passenger demands, airports across Europe are taking inventive approaches to simplifying and differentiating passenger experiences. Ryan Ghee explores some of the latest innovations.
‘Innovation Space’ wins Frankfurt Airport Innovation Challenge
Fraport has announced the winner of the first Frankfurt Airport Innovation Challenge – a competition that was open to members of the public across the world. The Innovation Challenge was launched to find pioneering ideas that have the potential to make the passenger experience at Frankfurt Airport even more unique.
The members of the jury: Claudia Uhe, Fraport AG; Denis Eser, HYVE Innovation Community GmbH; Konstantin Gänge, Airbus; Johannes Sammann, Heinemann; and Markus Garn, Innovation Expert.
The six best ideas were selected by a five-member jury, which was made up of industry and innovation experts. The diverse selection of entries included the use of augmented reality technology on Frankfurt Airport’s Visitors’ Terrace and baggage carts that use Bluetooth technology to follow passengers. However, the winning entry was the ‘Innovation Space’ – a dedicated room where passengers can meet up at the airport to share and develop creative ideas together.
The Innovation Space is intended to help create added value through personal interaction at the airport, and can bring together the airport operator, local start-ups and passengers to tackle various issues.
“This idea promotes Frankfurt Airport and the entire region as a place for innovation,” said Claudia Uhe, Head of Fraport AG’s Corporate Development, Environment & Sustainability Unit and chairwoman of the jury. “The idea provides an excellent platform for direct customer feedback and the opportunity to exploit the great potential of creative minds from around the globe who come together here at the airport and in the region.”
The six best ideas will now be examined further to explore their practicality, with a view to implementing them at Frankfurt Airport.
Heathrow aims to become world’s first dementia friendly airport
Heathrow Airport is working with the Alzheimer’s Society to learn about dementia and offer the best possible experience for travellers with the illness.
Heathrow Airport is working with the Alzheimer’s Society to change global attitudes towards dementia as part of the charity’s Dementia Friendly Communities programme.
All 76,000 staff at the airport will be made more aware of the illness through various classes and online resources. As part of the programme, Heathrow Airport has been working with Omniserv on several initiatives. Staff will undergo training based on the Alzheimer’s Society courses and the full frontline Special Assistance team will be trained as ‘Dementia Friends’.
Also, STAAR (Senior Trained Additional Assistance Role) teams have been created, to help better serve passengers with hidden disabilities. In addition, help will be provided for passengers with anxiety, with quiet lounges provided in the terminals.
John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive, Heathrow Airport, said: “Our vision is to give passengers the best airport service in the world. Airports can be particularly stressful for passengers with dementia so we are delighted to be working with the Department of Health and Alzheimer’s Society to make sure that they get the support they need. We have started training our colleagues and making improvements so that we can be the world’s first dementia friendly airport.”
ATH Messenger bot provides flight updates and retail offers
Athens International Airport has developed a bespoke Facebook Messenger bot, which passengers can use to access travel related information in real-time.
Passengers can use the ATH Messenger bot to request real-time flight updates, as well as retail offers once they arrive at the airport.
Bots, or chatbots, enable companies to offer automated but natural conversation with their customers, and an increasing number of airports and airlines are starting to exploit their customer service capabilities.
Using the new ATH Messenger bot, passengers flying from Athens can request flight updates and airport retail offers, which are delivered in real-time. Ancillary services, including airport parking, can also be booked.
George Demetriades, Director of Information Systems and Telecommunications Business Unit, Athens International Airport, explained: “The bots are programmes that perform a specific task in an automated manner where human intervention is not necessary.
“It is an application that will revolutionise the way we use our smartphones because the more it evolves, the more it reduces the use of many different applications, as with a simple command we will be able to perform everything we want via the Facebook Messenger.”
Munich Airport digital tours help passengers prepare for travel experiences
Travellers flying from Munich Airport can familiarise themselves with the airport ahead of their journey using a new online virtual tour tool, which has been created using 360° imaging technology.
More than one million panoramic photos were processed to produce the digital maps, which cover around 300,000sqm of space.
A team with a high-tech mobile camera spent months covering every area of the airport, with the exception of the security checkpoints, recording digitised images of approximately 300,000sqm of space in the Munich Airport Center, the two terminals and the Terminal 2 satellite facility.
The result is an online feature that offers passengers a detailed walkthrough of the airport, with more than 1,000 points of interest embedded in the interactive maps. More than one million panoramic photos were processed to produce the digital tour.
The digital maps can be found at: https://navigation.munich-airport.de/
Dublin Airport opens dedicated US Preclearance lounge in T2
Dublin Airport has opened a first-of-its-kind passenger lounge after US Preclearance in Terminal 2. Business class passengers flying with Aer Lingus, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines have complimentary access to the lounge, which is called 51st&Green, and other travellers can pre-pay online for entry.
The 750sqm 51st&Green lounge has seating for 180 people and offers views of the airfield.
It is another differentiator for Dublin Airport, which is one of only two airports in Europe – along with Shannon Airport – to offer US Preclearance, which allows passengers to be treated as domestic travellers upon arrival in the US.
The 750sqm lounge, which is located close to the intersection threshold of runways 34 and 28, is zoned by activity, providing spaces for guests to relax or work following the security and US Preclearance processes. As well as food and beverage facilities, passengers can make use of a concierge service, shower rooms, an entertainment area, free Wi-Fi and charging outlets for electronic devices. Platinum Service customers have access to a dedicated area.
“We are delighted to have this post US Preclearance lounge open for passengers, which is unique as Dublin is the only airport outside of North America to offer a lounge facility once the necessary Preclearance checks are completed,” said Vincent Harrison, Managing Director, Dublin Airport.
