The Future of Airports - A customer-centric experience - Arcadis
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Contents 03 – Introduction 04 – Airports aren’t islands 06 – Customer champions count 08 – Mobility matters 10 – Customer-centric design 12 – Serious about sustainability 14 – Mildura Regional Airport Master Plan 16 – Tyabb Airfield Precinct Plan 18 – Making it happen
The case for customer-centric airports The world has never been so accessible. The invention of flight has turned into one of humankind’s greatest enablers - connecting people, communities and companies - and opened up the world to those that can afford the price of a simple plane ticket. In 2018, airlines alone created This white paper explores how around $821bn of revenue on airport owners and operators 46.1m flights, according to ITAT, can balance the competing and ATAG estimates that the needs of preparing for the future total aviation industry employs while catering for the customer over 65m people with a global expectations of today. economic impact of around $2.7trillion from its many We examine the industry through associated services. the lens of five major trends: • Enabling the airport city: These economic benefits don’t although airports have positively come without costs, however. The enabled globalization, they can highly competitive nature of the only survive and thrive if they airline industry and the continued have the support of their local pressure on airport infrastructure community; both new and old means that airport operators are facing • Championing the customer: by Nick Hutchinson unprecedented challenges. embracing the opportunities Global Leader - Airport Solutions of digitization, passenger pain To meet the expected growth points and frustrations can be forecasts (a potential doubling of alleviated and even eliminated; demand within the next 20 years) • Embracing the challenge of airport operators need to deliver mobility: by integrating airports their infrastructure upgrade with as many different modes and expansion programmes of transport as possible, and as efficiently as possible – and embracing the efficiency manage their existing assets more opportunities of autonomous effectively – against a backdrop of vehicles, airports can falling retail revenue, downward revolutionize how passengers pressure on fees earned through get to airports, how they travel airlines, and a revolution in the around it, and how they get to expectations of passengers on their final destination; the experience they expect from an airport. • Customer-centric airport terminal design: it’s not enough Within the constraints of this to be innovative, efficient and competitive environment, airports sustainable; airport operators need to focus just as hard on must also integrate the needs of attracting customers – to become customers into their terminal- an airport of choice – as they must design decisions; on sustaining their infrastructure • Being serious about and adapting or improving their sustainability: the obligations existing business models. and regulatory requirements on the global aviation industry will only increase as the world confronts the climate-change challenge. 3
Airports aren’t islands In this new way of thinking, airports are no longer sterile, transactional places for waiting Very few airports exist in isolation. Despite and passing through. Instead, they are more like smart cities, their status as enablers of globalization, most where place-making, entertaining, and information access is just airports can only survive and thrive with the as important as the provision of economic benefits and support of their local communities. long-distance travel. And, like cities, they will only thrive if the metropolitan areas around them This conundrum is at the heart can also flourish. of the challenge facing airport operators as they plan for the Airports need to consider what future. Unless an airport’s facilities it will be like to work, live and drive the local economy forward travel in the surrounding area, and provide benefits back to the and how it can drive and support community, local politics can technology-based economic hamper or even stop progress in development within a surrounding its tracks. smart city region. This means addressing not just the Airports are already significant obvious issues of noise, pollution, employers for the local community air quality and congestion, but – potentially up to 50,000 people it also means tackling human in some of the largest – but factors head-on. By embracing the infrastructure that these positive community outreach, places create can also provide airports can show how the significant community benefits. community can feel connected By taking a long-term view of an to the airport – and not just airport’s infrastructure upgrade feel the jet blast of arriving and programme, communities can be departing planes. brought into an airport’s sphere Mastering planning of influence in a beneficial way. Think of the positive impact that To thrive in the future, airports interconnecting metropolitan need to view themselves in a railways can have on improving different way. They need to think regional connectivity. of themselves within the context of an airport city – or ‘aerotropolis’ Enabling regional powerhouses – where the area surrounding Like cities, airports will need the airport is just as important to interconnect with the as the airport itself, enabled by region around it and become the airport’s infrastructure and a catalyst for aviation-related economy. Schiphol Airport in economic development, high the Netherlands, for example, value employment and regional earns as much as 80 percent of competitiveness. There is a its operating revenue from areas real opportunity for airports to other than aviation – retail, hotels, move away from being simply leisure and entertainment, R&D a functional and transactional Schiphol Airport parks, light industry and logistics – transport hub to become an and it is not alone in this. engaging, high-quality experience for passengers and citizens alike. Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport’s vast land mass is being exploited to create new commercial developments that are affiliated with the airport’s economy. 5
Customer champions count It’s not often you find someone who actively looks forward to going to an airport. Perhaps this would be different if every trip to the airport today was queue and crowd-free. But for airports to succeed in the next 20 years, they will need to find ways to make the whole customer experience much more positive than it is today. Global customer satisfaction surveys reveal that the most important factors affecting customer satisfaction today are security, retail, food and beverage, infrastructure, wayfinding, check- in and access. These issues are likely to dominate in the future too. But airports have a clear opportunity to champion the customer by taking advantage of digitization to reduce or even eliminate the most pressing passenger pain points and frustrations. Facing forward One particular source of innovation is the use of facial “There are those airports which make you feel better, and recognition technology and biometrics. Apple’s new range there are those airports that, when you go there, your of iPhones have brought Face ID heart sinks: you can’t wait to get out of there. They both technology into the mainstream, function as airports, but it’s the things that you can’t and some airports have already begun embracing biometrics to measure that make them different.” reduce check-in and security- Norman Foster check times. These same biometric technologies will also be linked with baggage, allowing for a lower-risk, lower-stress baggage drop-off and collection routine. The check-in process is already automated at most airports, with passengers able to check-in beforehand, reserve and change seats, and this has resulted in significant reductions in check- in queues within some airports. There’s room for major progress, though. Airports such as LAX and Schiphol Airport have implemented biometric check- ins, but the approach is far from common. 6
will also be made more efficient through biometrics and bag- tracking technology, including onward delivery of baggage to the passenger’s final destination. The Process Problem These solutions are not without their challenges. Legislation in different countries will need to be coordinated to allow for seamless security and immigration checks, and a degree of pre-screening and trusted traveller programmes “Where did I put Less screen-time will need to be implemented in order to speed up the process. my bags?” Security screening is another However, these are largely process Airports such as those in area that will take advantage of improvements than significant Copenhagen, Switzerland and biometric technology to realize technological challenges, and Hong Kong have embraced efficiency benefits. Already, there is no doubt that airports will the process of de-coupling airports such as Dubai Airport continue to rely on digitization for passengers from their baggage are using face-scanning to allow their aviation operations. by using electronic RFID tagging for a more transparent security and linking this with the check-in process. Using a combination of Digitization will help passengers process. In this way, passengers sensor techniques, passengers are too. Digital wayfinding will can drop their baggage off in scanned as they pass, speeding become commonplace, with downtown (in the case of Hong up the process and improving handheld devices containing Kong, it’s the MTR subway system the passenger experience. These real-time flight information, that connects with the airport) tunnels can contain a number of departure gate information, or within linked transport hubs, different screening technologies landing cards, wayfinding and meaning that passengers can turn – body scanners, metal detectors baggage collection. Automated up to the airport only carrying and liquid detection – and more gate systems will also make hassle-free hand luggage. technologies will be integrated use of these digital wayfinding in the future. The IATA estimates apps, helping to improve the use Longer term, baggage pickups will that biometrics will reduce waiting of valuable airport space and become even more flexible once times at security gates by 40%. reduce personnel costs – while airports partner with established also improving the passenger courier companies to collect bags As the systems become more experience. from wherever the passenger sophisticated, security and needs it, delivered in whatever immigration can be linked, The technology to do all of this mode is most appropriate. especially when the underlying exists today, but the challenge for passenger databases for the its use is one of real-time trusted Mobile app technology and airport and immigration systems information. After all, the only way real-time monitoring and are integrated. The industry is that passengers will truly relax at communications means that already working on the process an airport is if they know that the customers will be able to get real- of integrating all data in an information they are receiving is time positioning on where their airport into a single database, trustworthy – and that the steps baggage is, which will also have structured in a standard way and they need to take to reach their the benefit of improving lost- used much more efficiently. The final destination will be friction luggage reporting and processing. same biometric and screening free. But despite today’s mixed technology will make it much results in delivering this vision, it There are still issues to overcome easier to board the plane at the will be a reality sooner rather – security of baggage when departure gate. than later. it is picked-up at hotels, for example, and the laws governing This also benefits passengers security checks with biometrics when they arrive at their currently differ from country to destination, where biometrics and country – but there is a clear trend common databases will lead to a towards separating baggage and massive reduction in immigration passengers. bureaucracy. Baggage return 7
“The problem with airports is that we go there when we need to catch a plane - and because it’s so difficult to find the way to the gate, we tend not to look around at our surroundings.” Alain de Botton Philosopher and Author Mobility matters One of the biggest challenges passengers have with airports has to do with mobility - getting to the airport, travelling around the airport, and then finding their way to their final destination after landing. This is especially true now that airports are getting larger. However, airports have the opportunity over the next 20 years to fundamentally transform this passenger pain point - and they will need to, because passengers will actively seek out airports with the fastest, easiest and cheapest transport routes. 8
This should not be surprising, because of the in-built precision There’s another reason that as it is only a continuation of of self-driving vehicles, parking airports should embrace multi- the trend towards digitization spaces can be smaller, freeing up modal transport services – and convenience that has more valuable land for other uses. customers expect choice. By revolutionized – and upended – This shift in the technology of considering travel to and from the world of retail. It’s clear that parking may well create greater the airport through the lens of airports must continue to work bottlenecks closer to the airport the customer, not just through hard on being as efficient and terminal buildings, as the demand the lens of capital cost efficiency, delay free as possible. for ‘Kiss and Fly’ increases. airports can proactively try to Passenger drop-off zones will eliminate single points of failure in “To the airport, driver” therefore need to be larger, and as the airport transport environment. Within the airport environment, close to the terminal as possible. This will be a crucial step forward. automated vehicle technology is already being embraced to help Transit as a competitive Optimized travel move passengers to and from advantage There is one more trend that car parks and terminal buildings, Fundamentally, airports will should have a transformative but this trend will continue apace need to embrace a much more impact on transport to and from as the underlying technology integrated approach to mobility airports: Mobility as a Service becomes mass market and even planning in and around their (MaaS). MaaS is currently being more efficient. estate than is currently the case, piloted in a business district in as each mobility transition will Amsterdam in the Netherlands, By 2037, mass electrification of impact upon the other. Airports and uses an integrated approach the world’s vehicular transport will also need to act as a catalyst to sustainable transport by infrastructure will have become a by creating integrated transport combining multiple modes of reality, and airports can lead the master plans with their feeder transport into a single delivery way on promoting the benefits of cities. platform – in this case an app. In automated and driverless vehicles the same way that Uber or Lyft as a way of alleviating congestion One of the most important provides access to drivers and cars around the terminal buildings and principles underpinning these where and when you want them, the airport estate. masterplans is the need to the Mobility as a Service trial integrate airport infrastructure enables users to plan journeys, Parking planning with as many modes of transport buy travel tickets, reserve car There are other automation as are economically and financially shares or bikes, and pay for each drivers too. As airports get bigger, feasible. This may mean taking instance of transport with a single the distance between terminals a long-sighted approach to seamless payment system. The and parking lots is increasing – integrating airports with high- ultimate aim is to try to change with journeys of several kilometres speed rail systems, for example, travel behaviour and shift people or more from long-term parking which will help displace a number towards more sustainable modes now commonplace. This does of short-haul flight options onto of transport. In the not too distant nothing to improve customer more efficient high-speed rail future, all available transport satisfaction survey results. But networks. Airports can therefore options will be digitally connected by using self-driving autonomous proactively choose to cooperate into one seamless experience on vehicles – as used at Heathrow – rather than compete – with one app. T5 in the UK, and several other high-speed rail in the provision of airports around the world – or short to medium distance travel Within the airport context, driverless light rail solutions, services, before they’re forced to, Mobility as a Service would no airports can give passengers an either by regulation or by carbon doubt improve the passenger alternative to the near-ubiquitous emissions reduction targets. experience when travelling to and irregular or unreliable shuttle bus from the terminal. solution. Light rail connections are also good additions to the mobility Parking will change in other ways systems surrounding airports. In too over the next 20 years. When cases such as Heathrow in the UK cars incorporate self-driving or Schiphol in the Netherlands, technology, they will be able to the travel time savings en route park themselves in more remote to the airports make a very good locations, separating airport business case for dedicated airport infrastructure even further from transit elsewhere. parking infrastructure. And 9
Customer-centric The ongoing consolidation in the airline industry – creating ever-larger airline carriers – has Given the projected growth in flight led to a significant reduction in landing fees. The airlines are numbers, airports will have to invest in taking advantage of their greater buying power to drive down fees expanding their physical infrastructure. In and airport operators are not in a position to say no. They need a a ‘business as usual’ approach to expansion, new approach. waiting areas will need to be expanded, Design as competitive along with baggage handling infrastructure advantage There are a small but growing and ticket processing in order to overcome number of airports – led by Changi Airport in Singapore congestion within the terminal building. – that are showing the way in But a business as usual approach is no terminal design. They’re creating better passenger experiences by longer enough. providing features such as quiet zones, sleep pods and multi- generational entertainment areas Nor is innovation, efficiency or – suitable for young and old alike even sustainability in airport – which could have the effect of design. To become the airport reducing passenger stress. of choice, airport operators must also integrate the needs Changi’s new Jewel complex of customers into their terminal brings Singapore’s “City in a design decisions. garden” concept to life in a vast indoor garden, retail, hotel and This is also a hard-nosed business leisure destination just outside decision. By creating spaces that the airport’s terminal building. passengers enjoy being in, airport It’s a destination that airport operators can give themselves a passengers and local citizens alike fighting chance of overturning the can enjoy, including the 40-meter trend of declining revenues from high indoor waterfall and indoor non-aviation activities. tropical rain forest environment. Handbags and gladrags Other airports – Orlando, Doha, Indianapolis, for example – talk of There are a number of reasons for ‘Town Squares’ and ‘Civic Plazas’, this decline. With duty-free and and are unashamedly focusing on luxury goods outlets selling the leisure and entertainment. Doha, same things the world over, many in particular, has created a cultural passengers feel unexcited by the experience based around major range of goods on offer. Also, the pieces of art – both bought and demographics of regular flyers are specially commissioned. These shifting towards those with less airports want to create a sense disposable income, meaning fewer of place, where it’s pleasant to retail purchases within airports. stay, creating ‘experiences’ for Revenues from parking and car passengers that include arts and rental services are also falling as culture, music, movies, fine dining, services such as Uber and Lyft hotels and digital entertainment. displace those formerly reliable When done correctly, this design sources of revenue. approach should create a virtuous circle, where better passenger This revenue shortfall is likely experiences provide a greater to continue, and is happening opportunity to relax, which also at a time when airports are also bring about a greater willingness facing another cash squeeze. to spend. 10
Finding your way All of these ‘experiential’ design features would be undermined if the processes guiding passengers to their planes weren’t similarly pleasurable. This is where digital technology can genuinely bring benefits to terminal design. By integrating in-terminal GPS and making use of augmented reality and automated gate-wayfinding, passengers will begin to trust that they are going where they need to in a timely manner. “It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression, ‘As pretty as an airport’.” Douglas Adams (The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul) Singapore’s “City in a garden” 11
Serious about sustainability The aviation industry is under pressure to play a full role in the global effort to reduce CO2 emissions. From 2021 until 2026, the sector will be encouraged to voluntarily implement the ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), with all member States expected to be on-board from 2027 through to 2035. And following the COP21 meeting in Paris in 2015, an initial target was set for creating 50 carbon neutral airports around the world by 2030, a target which was increased in 2017 to 100. Together with the airport equation right from day one, but specific requirements coming long-established airports also from the UN’s Sustainable have significant opportunities Development Goals, it’s clear that to reduce their energy loads. the obligations and regulatory Given the increasing demand for pressures on the global aviation electricity, airports are introducing industry will only increase as more resilient utility operations the world confronts the climate through improved energy storage change challenge. technology, smart metering and smart grids to build resilience Global impact, local against major outages. pressure In Australia, for example, As well as these global initiatives, Brisbane Airport has installed a airports are under increasing major rooftop solar system that pressure from more stringent includes 22,000 solar panels local operating environments, across a 36,000 square meter where licenses to operate – and area spread across six sites. And passenger preferences – are Cochin International Airport in increasingly based upon meeting the Indian state of Kerala became very local sustainability targets. the first airport in the world to These include local air quality, be entirely powered by solar surface access, climate change, energy. 46,000 on-site solar use of natural resources, noise panels produce 12 megawatts of impact and waste management. energy, enabling it to power all of the airport’s operations from There is also a dual focus by renewable sources. Initiatives airport operators on reducing their such as these can give airports energy costs and increasing the energy independence as well use of renewable sources within as showcasing sustainability their energy supplies. Terminal credentials. buildings are by far an airport’s greatest energy consuming assets, with the greatest energy consuming elements within being baggage handling, lights, cooling and IT infrastructure. New-build airports have the upper hand in getting the energy 12
Four to the floor a virtual air traffic control room which relies on multiple cameras There are at least four major to provide a 360 degree view of opportunities for improving the the airport and which can overlay overall sustainability in the airport radar information on-screen. The arena. Within pre-flight transport, audio visual information is piped emissions from cars driving to and to a control room 120 miles away from the airport can be mitigated from the airport, where air traffic by encouraging car sharing, controllers can zoom in to get a electric vehicle use, building much more comprehensive – an electric vehicle charging and more detailed – view on infrastructure, and encouraging the skies above. multi-modal public transport. Within landside and terminal operations, energy independence can be improved by installing major solar panelling arrays. Airside operations can improve congestion issues and wasted fuel on the ground by improving air traffic control operations and electrifying the taxiing process and implementing smart pavement. While flying, problems of aircraft noise, extreme carbon emissions and kerosene composition can be mitigated by using more efficient aircraft, more efficient flight routing, and finding more sustainable fuel sources. Eyes on the sky Longer term, improvements in aircraft engine technology – including hybrid electric propulsion systems being developed by NASA, and similar alternatives being developed by a consortium including Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce – will improve carbon emissions, fuel efficiency and noise levels in commercial aircraft. Test flights “When you realize that are likely to take place from 2020. aviation, if it were a country, would be the Flights will also become much more efficient with the continued 21st largest economy in evolution of air traffic control, the world, supporting which is transitioning to an era 62.7 million jobs and nearly of air traffic management. The combination of high definition three trillion dollars in cameras and improvements in economic impact, remote sensing make it possible to use predictive technologies you really see the scale within air traffic management of air transport.” that will improve operations and Michael Gill overall safety. Already, some Executive Director of ATAG airports – including City Airport in London – have implemented 13
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA CASE STUDY Mildura Regional Airport Master Plan Mildura Regional Airport plays a key role in the movement of people and goods to and from the Sunraysia Region, eastern parts of South Australia and south-western NSW. 14
The Master Plan designates discrete precincts and a suite of airside and landside projects and initiatives as the basis for future development and operations at Mildura Regional Airport. The projects and initiatives provide a comprehensive infrastructure development program both within and beyond the life of the Master Plan. With 120 people currently working in aviation and non-aviation related business at the airport, the Master Plan will help drive and sustain growth while providing the community with a high-quality transport gateway. 20-year MASTER PLAN Sustainable GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Airside AND LANDSIDE ASSET PLANS It is unique for a regional airport Arcadis was engaged to develop a in Australia in that it currently has 20-year Master Plan for the airport 220,000 passenger movements that would provide a sustainable and services a total of three capital and long-term planning cities and four destinations. The framework, while also reinforcing airport is also a regional hub for the airport as a core pillar of the general aviation activity including Mildura economy and community. a diverse range of aviation businesses, pilot training and The development of the Master recreational flying. With increased Plan involved consultation with passengers and flights expected stakeholders including planning in the coming years, a plan was and regulatory bodies as well as needed to guide the growth of the airport users. Key foundations airport. of the Master Plan are the aeronautical growth projections and ongoing safety and security requirements. 15
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA CASE STUDY Tyabb Airfield Precinct Plan Tyabb airfield is a privately-owned aviation facility located on the Mornington Peninsula, approximately 84 km south east of Melbourne. Opened in the 1960’s, it is located directly adjacent to the western edge of central Tyabb township. 16
Following an intensive community consultation program, as well as an analysis of regulatory and planning requirements, the Tyabb Airfield Precinct Plan was developed to provide a comprehensive plan for the community and airfield to coexist. It included: • The Airfield Area Plan • The Off-Airfield Plan including recommended Airspace Protection Areas and Public Safety Zones • A recommended “road map” to establish appropriate planning policies and controls including the development of an Airfield Master Plan and Airfield Noise Management Plan – incorporating a review of an existing Fly Neighbourly advice • Proposed establishment of a Community Reference Group • Advice regarding further investigation of areas with high aircraft noise exposure • Implementation Plan The plan outlines a balanced way forward for both the airfield’s operators and the local community to continue to grow, develop and enjoy the high quality of life offered by Tyabb and the Mornington Peninsula. The airfield and town have grown significantly over the years, and and sustainable co-existence between the airfield and the local 1 a plan was needed to ensure community. both could continue to grow and PRECINT PLAN coexist. This presents a number Tyabb Airfield is a general aviation of challenges due to the close facility, supporting primarily proximity of the township, the surrounding topography and recreational use but caters for a diverse mix of aviation uses Over 100 uncertainty regarding both future including a flight school, charters, COMMUNITY plans for the airfield and the engineering services for aircraft, SUBMISSIONS regulatory framework. the restoration and maintenance of historic aircraft, and support for In this context, Arcadis and project emergency-services. It also hosts partner Kneebush Planning were the biennial Tyabb air-show. Tyabb Actions and appointed by the Mornington Airfield has the largest collection recommendations Peninsula Shire Council to develop of ex-military aircraft (“warbirds”) the Tyabb Airfield Precinct Plan and historic aircraft in Australia. PLAN DEVELOPED to allow for a balanced, fair 17
Making it happen Amid all of the challenges facing airports today, it’s clear that airport operators will need to carefully consider how they manage their existing business, and how they plan for the future anticipated growth in passenger numbers. Infrastructure upgrades and expansion programmes will need to be managed as efficiently as possible – and existing assets managed more effectively– while revenue gaps from ‘business as usual’ activities such as retail and landing fees will need to be filled by airports looking afresh at becoming customer champions, and airports of choice. If properly designed and the latest digital infrastructure is leveraged, airports are in a unique position to not only satisfy the world’s growing demand for flying, but also deliver significant economic benefits in the form of tourism, trade and business services. The potential of airports as an asset is significant, but they can also become a hub of innovation and opportunity as well as a gateway to the world. By becoming an airport city – or ‘aerotropolis’ – they can bring far-greater economic and social benefits to a region than if they were to act in isolation. We owe it to our future generations to get the planning and design right. 18
Schiphol Airport 19
About Arcadis Arcadis is the leading global Design & Consultancy firm for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 27,000 people, active in over 70 countries that generate €3.3 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. CONTRIBUTOR AND CONTACT Greg Harrison National Infrastructure and Business Advisory Leader +61 (0) 3 8623 4081 Greg Harrison LEAD AUTHOR Nick Hutchinson Global Leader - Airport Solutions Nick Hutchinson Find out more: www.arcadis.com/au @ArcadisGlobal @ArcadisGlobal @ArcadisGlobal Arcadis Australia Pacific Arcadis. Improving quality of life.
You can also read