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Airport Coordinated System
Airport Coordinated System
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CONTENTS
Airport operations
Modules of airport management software
Airport management software solutions and vendors
Niche vendors: Sabre, ACAMS, Vanderlande, Cognex, iFIDS.com Inc
The future of airport operations management
Imagine an airport. What are the first things that come to mind? A cavernous terminal,
information displays, long queues, baggage claim conveyors, arriving aircraft waiting to be
fueled and catered for imminent departure. Airports have a tight flight schedule with its
associated staff management, passenger processing, attention to minute detail, and much more.
Airport automation speeds up the processes and improves the quality of service.
We have addressed best practices for modernizing airline operations and put our talents to work
for Merlot Aero advance airline management. In this article we will take a detailed look at main
airport operations and the ways integrated software solutions can facilitate them, as well as
describe some integrated airport management suites from key vendors.
Our article consists of two major parts: a general overview of key airport operations, and the
description of some of the most widely used solutions on the market. If you know the basics, just
skip the first part and go straight to the second one.
Airport operations
Before we learn about the software, let’s start with the main airport operations. They can be
divided into four types: landside operations, airside operations, billing and invoicing, and
information management.
Landside operations are aimed at serving passengers and maintenance of terminal buildings,
parking facilities, and vehicular traffic circular drives. Passenger operations include baggage
handling and tagging. Terminal operations comprise resource allocation and staff management.
Airside operations include aircraft landing and navigation, airport traffic management, runway
management, and ground handling safety.
Billing and invoicing operations cover aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenue. Ledger or
accounting systems contain information regarding airport finances: flight bills, handling
invoices, cash, sales within the airport (points-of-sales), staff payrolls, etc.
Information management relates to the collection and distribution of daily flight information,
storing of seasonal and arrival/departure information, as well as the connection with airlines.
Airport management systems, as airport software is often called, serve to optimize all these
operations: passenger processing, baggage tagging and handling, arrival/departure operations,
departure control systems, information distribution, and air traffic control (ATC). Airport
software can also include other solutions, like CRMs and environmental management systems.
Let’s take a closer look at the modules of airport management software.
Each airport has its own central database that stores and updates all necessary data regarding
daily flights, seasonal schedules, available resources, and other flight-related information, like
billing data and flight fees. AODB is a key feature for the functioning of an airport.
This database is connected to the rest of the airport modules: airport information systems,
revenue management systems, and air traffic management. The system can supply different
information for different segments of users: passengers, airport staff, crew, or members of
specific departments, authorities, business partners, or police. AODB represents the information
on a graphical display.
Reference-data processing
Seasonal scheduling
Daily flight schedule processing
Processing of payments
The most important information that this database holds is the seasonal schedule. It displays
information about commercial flight movements for a season. Usually, it contains the flight code,
type of aircraft, their estimated arrival and departure times, multi-stop flights, operation days of
the week, exception dates, and other relevant information. This information entered manually or
downloaded allocates such resources as arrival or departure gates, air-bridges and stands, check-
in desks.
While AODB stands alone and doesn’t belong to any operations, it is the backbone of the airport.
Information stored in AODB facilitates the planning and allocation of the physical and financial
assets of an airport.
Landside operations
Software providers: SITA, Rockwell Collins, NEC, ISO-Gruppe, Vanderlande, Cognex, Sabre
Operations performed by this module include terminal operations and airline departure control:
passenger check-in, customs, baggage handling, screening, etc. Some airports have automated
biometric control. Passenger data is integrated into the border management system that allows
the appropriate personnel to check a passenger in the databases. Let’s look at the services
integrated into the airport management software.
Border control (customs and security services). In airports, security services usually unite
perimeter security, terminal security, and border controls. These services require biometric
authentication and integration into government systems to allow a customs officer to view the
status of a passenger.
Baggage handling. Obviously, a passenger must check a bag before it’s loaded on the aircraft.
The time the baggage is loaded is displayed and tracked until the destination is reached and the
bag is returned to the owners.
Common Use Services (self-service check-in systems). An airport must ensure smooth
passenger flow. Various digital self-services, like check-in kiosks or automated self-service
gates, make it happen. Self-service options, especially check-in kiosks, remain popular.
Worldwide in 2018, passengers used kiosks to check themselves in 88 percent of the time.
Staff management. Staff modules provide the necessary information about ongoing processes in
the airport, such as data on flights (in ICAO or UTC formats) and other important events to keep
responsible staff members updated. Information is distributed through the airport radio system,
or displayed on a PC connected via the airport LAN or on mobile devices.
Reporting. This module allows the staff to see data on screen or in print to understand the effect
of the ongoing processes on business decisions and overall functioning of the airport. Also, it can
include reports from airlines, aircraft, operators, hourly activity of passengers and aircraft,
movement types, etc. They include an aircraft’s timetable, routes, and destinations, as well as
traffic distribution.
Software providers: AIS, Adacel, Transoft, Pacific Controls, SITA, ACAMS Airport Tower
Solutions
Airside operations comprise control and facilitation of aircraft handling and parking. This
includes air traffic control equipment and management solutions for air navigation. Most airside
solutions are oriented toward aeronautics and plane allocation.
Software for aeronautical telecommunications stores flight plans and flight information, entered
in ICAO format and UTC. The information stored can be used for planning and statistical
purposes. For airports, it’s important to understand the aircraft type and its weight to assign it to
the right place on the runway. AFTN systems hold the following information:
Aircraft registration
Runway used
Actual time of landing and departure
Number of circuits
Number and type of approaches
New estimates of arrival and departure
New flight information
ATC Tower. The Air Traffic Control Tower is a structure that delivers air and ground control of
the aircraft. It ensures safety by guiding and navigating the vehicles and aircraft. It is performed
by way of visual signaling, radar, and radio communication in the air and on the ground. The
main focus of the tower is to make sure that all aircraft have been assigned to the right place, that
passengers aren’t at risk, and that the aircraft will have a suitable passenger boarding bridge
allocated on the apron.
The ATC tower has a control room that serves as a channel between landside (terminal) and
airside operations in airports. The control room personnel are tasked with ensuring the security
and safety of the passengers as well as ground handling. Usually, a control room has CCTV
monitors and air traffic control systems that maintain the order in the terminal and on the apron.
Apron Handling. Apron or ground handling deals with aircraft servicing. This includes
passenger boarding and guidance, cargo and mail loading, and apron services. Apron services
include aircraft guiding, cleaning, drainage, deicing, catering, and fueling. At this stage, the
software facilitates dealing with information about the weight of the baggage and cargo load,
number of passengers, boarding bridges parking, and the ground services that must be supplied
to the aircraft. By entering this information into the system, their costs can be calculated and
invoiced through the billing system.
Software providers: Amadeus IT Group, AIS, Damarel Systems International LTD, iFIDS.com
Inc.
Each flight an airport handles generates a defined revenue for the airport paid by the airline
operating the aircraft. Aeronautical invoicing systems make payment possible for any type and
size of aircraft. It accepts payments in cash and credit in multiple currencies. The billing also
extends to ATC services.
Depending on the aircraft type and weight and ground services provided, an airport can calculate
the aeronautical fee and issue an invoice with a bill. It is calculated using the following data:
Aircraft registration
Parking time at the airport
Airport point of departure and/or landing
Times at the different points of entry or departure
The data is entered or integrated from ATC. Based on this information, the airport
calculates the charges and sends the bills.
Airport information systems include flight information display systems (FIDS), airport
announcement or public address (PA) systems, and automatic terminal information service
(ATIS).
Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS) exhibit the status of boarding, gates, aircraft, flight
number, and other flight details. A computer controls the screens that are connected to the data
management systems and display up-to-date information about flights in real time. Some airports
have a digital FIDS in the form of apps or on their websites. Also, the displays may show other
public information such as the weather, news, safety messages, menus, and advertising. Airports
can choose the type, languages, and means of entering the information, whether it be manually or
loaded from a central database.
Airport announcement systems or public address (PA) systems inform passengers and airport
staff about any changes and processes of importance, for instance, gates, times of arrival, calls,
and alerts. Also, information can be communicated to pilots, aircraft staff, crew, etc. PA systems
usually include voice messages broadcasted through loudspeakers.
Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) broadcasts the weather reports, the condition
of the runway, or other local information for pilots and crews.
Some airport software vendors offer off-the-shelf solutions to facilitate particular tasks, like
maintenance, or airport operations. However, most of them provide integrated systems that
comprise modules for several operations. Let’s look at some of them.
There are three solutions for airport management: Ground Handling and Ground Operations
Software, Passenger Handling Software Solutions, and Passenger and Airport Security Software
Solutions.
Ground handling and ground operations software. For airport terminal operations Damarel
Systems International offers FiNDnet Suite, a cloud-based solution. It includes accounting and
flight information systems as well as revenue and management modules. The suite modules are:
Local DCS for airline departure control and a graphical user interface for airline
departure control system called Babel CLF. This module also supports baggage handling.
Embark, a passenger boarding solution with portable version EMBARKmobile, supports
self-boarding gates and is compatible with 2D barcode readers.
LodeStone is a load control solution.
Backup DCS supports passenger check-in processing.
Babel ZIP, a middleware solution, enables native airline applications to run on common
use platforms.
Passenger and airport security software. The vendor offers two border control solutions:
Vanguard, a self-service solution for large airports with biometric scanning and business
intelligence, and Aura, a solution for small and mid-size airports. Aura replaces check-in and
gate facilities with Common Use equipment, which allows for boarding pass scanning and bag
tagging functionality.
Damarel Systems solutions work in compliance with third-party management systems, Common-
Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) and Common Use Passenger Processing Systems (CUPPS).
Depending on airport requirements, the software can be customized.
Collins Aerospace
Collins Aerospace, formerly known as Rockwell Collins, Inc, provides solutions for airport self-
service, baggage handling, and staff management, as well as landside operations. Collins
Aerospace solutions can be easily integrated into existing systems already in use at airports. The
product can be deployed both in the cloud and on-premise. Collins Aerospace offers the
following categories of airport management operations:
ARINC Automated Border Control – a system with facial recognition technology and
biometric authentication, streamlining border crossing and check-in
ARINC Border Management Solutions and ARINC Electronic Borders – solutions for
border control and customs management
ARINC SelfPass – a solutions for biometric authentication and check-in
ARINC AirDB – AODB for data storage, network integration, and information
management
ARINC AirVue FIDS platform and ARINC AirPlan – for scheduling and resource
management
ARINC AirTQM for turnaround management
ARINC AirPlan – planning and resource allocation solution
Security solutions. ARINC AIM Physical Security and ARINC VeriPax, and ARINC airport
cybersecurity
Also, Collins Aerospace offers maintenance and management services with its ARINC
Managed IT services program.
SITA
SITA is a leading vendor of aeronautical software that is used by over 1,000 airports worldwide.
SITA offers solutions for airport commercial management. Airport solutions by SITA are cloud-
based and cover passenger processing, border control, cybersecurity, business intelligence,
airport operations, marketing, day-of-travel services, and near-field communications (NFC).
SITA solutions are available in mobile mode.
Baggage processing – SITA BagDrop for baggage check-ins, tracking and recovery, and
payments. Also, SITA has solutions for baggage control: BagFast for bag tagging, BagJourney
for bag tracking, BagManager for real-time status information, and a BagMessage, which allows
passengers to receive messages about their baggage status.
Enterprise management – SITA Airport MSI (master system integration) monitors the
construction and operations of the terminals. It includes a safety monitoring module.
Passenger processing – SITA Smart Path solution with Airport Self-Service Gates and barcode
reader, as well as biometric information processing and e-passport reading.
NEC, a Japanese vendor that provides solutions for over ten industries, is a leader in biometric
technologies. Their solutions for airports include Civil Aviation Solutions and with the following
solutions:
Air Traffic Control and Airport System. This solution provides modules for such purposes as:
Face recognition
Iris recognition
Fingerprint and palmprint recognition
Finger vein recognition
Voice recognition
Ear acoustic authentication
AIS offers a solution that links the information from FIDS to the airport websites. The vendor
also offers its Fuel System with manual input of oil sold and sales analysis report. The software
accepts carnet cards.
AIS partners with AVIAVOX to provide multi-lingual flight announcements that update in real
time with FIDS.
Amadeus IT Group
One of the leading providers of travel software solutions, Amadeus IT Group offers IT products
for airports. Amadeus offers its own AODB in compliance with the Airport Decision-Making
platform. Besides solutions for landside and airside management, Amadeus provides solutions
for non-aeronautical revenue (passenger sales and advertising) and Airport Collaborative
Decision Making (A-CDM).
Amadeus FIDS
Amadeus Virtual Airfield Management System (VAMS) – ATC tower solution
Amadeus Resource Management System, Amadeus Fixed Resource Management
System (F-RMS) – resource management solutions
Amadeus Baggage Reconciliation Solution (BRS) – baggage processing solution
Amadeus Airport Sequence Manager and Amadeus Turnaround Management –
solutions for ground handling
Amadeus Extended Airline System Environment (EASE) – provisioning environment
to run airline check-in and boarding software
Amadeus Airport Common Use Service (ACUS) – a cloud management solution for
passenger processing
Amadeus Passenger Verification – passenger check-in service with DCS integration
Amadeus PROPworks – payment and administration tools
Also, Amadeus offers Amadeus Airport Link, a service for the integration of their software
solutions. Another solution for airport customer support training is Amadeus Customer
Services for Airports, which offer online training and an online hub where airport employees
can find the necessary information.
Pacific Controls
Pacific Controls developed Converged Integrated Airport Solutions (CIAS) for airport
automation. These solutions cover all airport operations, including safety and security for both
buildings and aircraft. Disparate systems converge on an IP-based platform that facilitates data
mobilization using open standards protocols like BACnet, LonWorks, EIB, OPC, XML/SOAP,
SNMP, Modbus/TCP. The system’s flexibility allows users to add more systems in the future.
CIAS is an integrated system that unites the following modules in one solution:
ISO-Gruppe SKYport
German vendor ISO-Gruppe provides software with an integrated, cloud-based solution for
airport management – SKYport Airport Management Suite. The solution covers air traffic
management, apron handling, aeronautical billing, reporting, cargo and collaborative decision-
making (CDM). SKYport has a mobile version for tablets and other portable devices. A CDM
module features the management and monitoring of aircraft handling and provides a
communication platform for airport staff.
Airport operations solution. The stem of this system is SKYport Airport Operational
Database (AODB), with such modules as:
Sabre AirCentre – a suite for airport management by Sabre that focuses on staff management
(Staff Planner, Staff Manager, Staff Admin), gate planning and allocation (Gate Manager and
Gate Planner), and accounting (Roster Maker and GSE Planner).
ACAMS Airport Tower Solutions – an integrated solution provider for air traffic monitoring
and ATC Tower systems control. It consists of I-TWR, a solution for signal control and air
traffic information distribution, ATIS information system for text/data to speech message
generation, Technical Control & Monitoring (TCMS) for disruption control, and Airfield
Lighting Control & Monitoring (ALCMS).
Vanderlande – solution for baggage tracking and passenger processing. They offer BAGFLOW
and VIBES software suites for baggage handling automation and screening, and a PAX
Checkpoint for passenger processing.