UK AIRPORTS HAVE AMBITIOUS VISION - to achieve net zero - The Airport Operators ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
THE AIRPORT
OPERATOR
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AIRPORT OPERATORS ASSOCIATION
UK AIRPORTS
HAVE
AMBITIOUS
VISION
to achieve net zero.
Features
LONDON CITY AIRPORT HOW BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT
chief optimistic about helped thousands of evacuees
economic recovery from Afghanistan to the UK
SMART AIRPORTS NEWCASTLE AIRPORT
How innovative solutions are describes how it will achieve
AUTUMN 2021 shaping the future of airports net zero by 2035
2
THE AOA IS PLEASED TO WORK
WITH ITS CORPORATE PARTNERS,
GOLD AND SILVER MEMBERS
Corporate Partners
Gold Members
Silver Members
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK
3
KAREN DEE
Introduction to The Airport Operator
THE AIRPORT
Welcome to of the UK.
OPERATOR
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AIRPORT OPERATORS ASSOCIATION
this edition of Looking ahead, we are keen that the
Government should work with us on
The Airport the policies and financial mechanisms
that should be put into place to
AIRPORT OPERATORS ASSOCIATION
Operator, help the aviation industry drive its
own recovery and to deliver on the
The Baroness Ruby
McGregor-Smith CBE
which is being Government’s objectives on improving
connectivity, levelling up, securing
Chair published to global Britain and bringing forward
Karen Dee the build back better sustainability
Chief Executive
coincide with our annual agenda.
Henk van Klaveren conference on the theme “Back I have been struck, pleased and
Head of Public Affairs & PR genuinely impressed by how clear
to the Future”. airports are about their commitment
Christopher Snelling to that agenda, even under what
Policy Director This year’s conference title reflects our
have been extremely difficult
hope that UK airports can now start
Rupinder Pamme circumstances. Our forthcoming
to contemplate a future which might
Policy Manager report on aviation decarbonisation
be more like the normality that we
will demonstrate that UK airports
Patricia Page lost so suddenly in the spring of 2020.
are implementing an innovative and
Executive Assistant Last month the aviation industry was
wide range of measures as their
relieved to finally see the Government
& Office Manager contribution to emission reduction.
announcing some significant easing
Richard Atkin There is a very clear role for
of international travel restrictions. We
Government to set a framework, to
Finance Executive hope that will make a real difference to
lead and to invest to help bring that
consumer confidence and encourage
Tania Roca agenda forward and to turn it into a
people to bring forward their
Regulation & Partnerships Director reality. With a bit of pump-priming to
bookings. That in turn should have a
get sustainable aviation fuels going,
positive impact on our airlines as we
for example, the UK could really
move into the more difficult winter
AIRPORT OPERATORS ASSOCIATION become a leader in the field.
period.
3 Birdcage Walk
I am really looking forward to
London SW1H 9JJ Even so, we have told Government
discussing these themes of zero
United Kingdom that this doesn’t count as “job done”
emissions and powering the recovery
for our industry. We see this very
T: +44 (0)20 7799 3171 at this year’s AOA conference. It will
much as just getting to a point of
E: info@aoa.org.uk again be an online event, but I very
restart, but it is not yet recovery. We
W: www.aoa.org.uk much hope that over the coming
have emphasised to Government that
months we can get back to a more
they still need to produce a trajectory
normal AOA programme, including
back towards zero restriction travel
face-to-face meetings with our
Michael Burrell when the pandemic circumstances
members.
allow. That should be the aim. We
Editor
shouldn’t just accept that we will Meanwhile I hope that you will enjoy
forever have restrictions. As soon the conference and find much of
as they are no longer needed, they interest in this issue of our magazine.
should be removed. It includes reflections on the last 18
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR months and on sustainability from
MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY For now, we are still in a place where
the leaders of Birmingham, Bristol,
UK restrictions are more onerous
London City and Newcastle airports.
than they are across the EU and all
There is also a view from a General
the data shows that these additional
Aviation airport, as well as some
restrictions have not delivered any
Shimon Speigel forward-looking articles from some
benefit in health. We see figures that
Creative Director of the leaders of the companies that
suggest that EU passenger numbers
support and supply our industry, led
Natalia Lacerda are 60 to 70% of 2019 levels, while we
by our Corporate Partners, Intel and
Graphic Designer are still in the 20s and 30s – in some
cases lower. We haven’t had a good Thales.
GENIUM explanation for the extra restrictions
114 Cricklewood Lane and we have also struggled to bring Karen Dee, Chief Executive
London, NW2 2DP all four nations of the UK together so
that the rules are the same across the
T: +44 (0)20 7089 2622 country. The nature of aviation means
E: hello@geniumcreative.com that it makes no sense at all to impose
different regulations in different parts
W: www.geniumcreative.com
4 WWW.AOA.ORG.UK
5
CITY AIRPORT
CHIEF OPTIMISTIC
ABOUT RECOVERY
– INCLUDING IN
BUSINESS TRAVEL
London City Airport CEO, Robert Sinclair,
has told The Airport Operator that he is more
optimistic about the airport’s recovery than at any
time in the last 18 months.
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 2021
6
more fuel-efficient aircraft, were
been unjustified by evidence. He completed in 2020.
urged the Government to move
H
e expressed an absolute further to an EU-style regime with Today, Sinclair’s optimism for
conviction that as people start no testing requirements at all for the the future is based partly on the
to return to their offices there fully vaccinated, except for those Government’s decision to simplify its
will also be a rebound in the business travelling from red-list countries. international travel rules and partly
travel which has given the airport its on the growing pace of the airport’s
unique profile. Before the pandemic hit, London recovery over recent weeks. With
City Airport had been celebrating its the highest proportion of domestic
Asked about Government help for 2019 achievement of reaching the passenger volumes of any London
UK airports, Sinclair said that the milestone of 5 million passengers airport, routes to Belfast, Edinburgh
most important thing that the UK a year and had been confident and Glasgow have performed well
Government could do would be to that growth would continue in and the July/August period also
develop a roadmap for the return of 2020. Instead, the airport closed to saw some recovery in travel to
restriction-free international travel commercial passengers completely
for all in the months ahead to enable for three months in spring 2020
airports to trade their way back
to profitability. He welcomed the
and saw an 82% decline in annual
passenger numbers compared to
“The most important
Government’s decision to ease travel 2019. Due to the delayed restart thing that the UK
restrictions from this month and said to international travel this summer,
the replacement of the traffic light Sinclair expects that the 2021 Government could do
system “with a simpler and more risk-
based approach based on the health
numbers will be even less.
would be to develop a
status of passengers is a confidence Meanwhile, the number of full- roadmap for the return
boost for London City and our time equivalent employees at the
airlines heading into the autumn”. airport has been reduced by over of restriction-free
Like many other airport and airline
40%. The airport’s ambitious £500
million development programme has
international travel for
chief executives, he had been critical been put on hold until a sustained all in the months ahead
about the effect of the Government’s recovery is in place, though key
constantly changing traffic light airside infrastructure improvements, to enable airports to
system for international travel which,
he said, had been hugely damaging
including a full-length parallel
taxiway and eight new stands
trade their way back to
to passenger confidence and had capable of handling larger and profitability”.
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK
7
traditional Mediterranean summer
leisure destinations. Looking ahead
the airport’s focus is increasingly
on prospects for the resumption of
international business travel, with the
popular KLM route to Amsterdam
already restored, Lufthansa
restarting its flights to Frankfurt,
SWISS returning on Zurich and
British Airways restarting services
to Amsterdam, Dublin, Geneva and
Rotterdam.
Sinclair said he did not agree
with those who have predicted
the end of business travel, citing
survey evidence from business Robert Sinclair, CEO,
London City Airport
leaders, the views of corporate
clients and forward bookings. He
acknowledged that business travel
would be slower to resume than
leisure and travel to visit friends and part of our longer-term ambitions”. are working, as part of a consortium,
relatives and he also believes that in to explore the feasibility of electric
future many businesses will operate Sinclair and his colleagues believe vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL)
a hybrid model that will continue to that the airport is “the perfect test aircraft, or “air taxis”, to operate in
include virtual meetings. However, bed for sustainable flights into the London with Sinclair anticipating that
he said he was convinced that travel next decade and beyond”, thanks trials could begin “within a matter of
for client meetings, internal strategy to its central urban location, its years”.
meetings and conferences will dependence on short-haul flights and
rebound and will be seen as vital for London’s innovation track record. Meanwhile, in September London
businesses to thrive. It is already involved in several City Airport celebrated the arrival of
experimental projects, including a new aircraft that is emblematic of
A key focus for London City Airport a government-sponsored project its hopes for more sustainable flying,
in the future, as it has been for nearly to look at the supply and use of for the recovery of business aviation
a decade, will be the role that it plays hydrogen at the airport as a power and for potential new routes in the
in sustainable aviation, both in terms source and a project with Heathrow, future. Embraer said that thanks to
of its own ground infrastructure and Rolls Royce and others to facilitate a reduction of almost 20% in fuel
the contribution that it could make domestic electric aviation. consumption and a noise footprint
to sustainable flights. A strategy 63% smaller than previous generation
in place since 2013 has halved the A key sustainability partner for aircraft, the E190-E2 would deliver
airport’s own carbon footprint, London City Airport is Embraer, not only significant reductions in
thanks partly to the use of low the global aerospace company emissions but also a much quieter
energy lighting and heating, sourcing headquartered in Brazil which experience for local residents.
electricity from renewable sources accounts for nearly 90% of all
and the introduction of on-site solar movements at the airport. The two The airport described the SWISS
energy. flight operated by Helvetic Airways
from Zurich as “a significant
The airport is also proud of its status milestone”, demonstrating its
as the UK airport that has the highest The airport is also proud collaboration with manufacturers
proportion of passengers (nearly of its status as the UK and airlines to introduce more low-
70%) coming to the airport by public emission, low-noise aircraft to the
and sustainable transport modes, airport that has the airport as well as re-establishing
thanks largely to the Docklands Light
Railway. “Very frustratingly”, Sinclair
highest proportion of a vital business connection. The
E190-E2 could almost double
notes, London’s new east-west rail passengers (nearly 70%) the available range from London
line, the Elizabeth Line, will pass only
150 metres away from City Airport’s
coming to the airport by City Airport to more than 4,000
kilometres, bringing destinations
terminal building without stopping. public and sustainable such as Casablanca, Istanbul and
He says that building a station on the Moscow within reach for the first
line to serve the airport is “absolutely transport modes. time.
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 2021
8
AOA CHAIR SAYS
GOVERNMENT MUST
WORK WITH THE
AVIATION SECTOR TO
SPEED THE RECOVERY
When I became AOA Chair in 2019, I could not have
imagined the crisis that would engulf our sector due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Through this unimaginably difficult
time, airports have showed resilience and fortitude to keep
going even with the lack of a specific financial package and
the continual chopping and changing of rules concerning
international travel.
A As we now hold this
irports have dealt with this that we can look forward. This is very
unprecedented challenge much an opportunity to turn these
by taking steps to safeguard awful 19 months towards rejuvenation second virtual AOA
operations, their financial future and re-growth for the sector.
and staff, although given the scale Annual Conference,
of the pandemic’s impact, airports
have also had to make difficult
This will only be possible through
Government working together
I am hoping that we
decisions around redundancies. Even with the sector. The Government’s can look forward.
This is very much
amidst the crisis, airports continued economic plans must and will need
to provide lifeline services to the to include aviation for our mutual
Highlands & Islands communities
and the UK Crown Dependencies
success. For example, it is vital that
international trade opens up as this
an opportunity to
and freight services to ensure vital provides opportunities for bringing turn these awful
supplies (including medical supplies)
arrived in the UK.
investment to the UK. Aviation
plays its role in that, while also 19 months towards
As we now hold this second virtual
benefiting from the travel and freight
movements that are necessary for
rejuvenation and re-
AOA Annual Conference, I am hoping trade. The reverse is also true: a slow growth for the sector.
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK
9
“Through the
Sustainable
Aviation coalition,
UK aviation has
committed to net
zero by 2050 – a
world first for a
national aviation
industry”.
recovery of connectivity generally
and business-focused destinations
in particular will have a significant
negative impact on employment
and the economy, including the
aviation sector.
Furthermore, the Government’s
agenda on levelling-up will require
aviation. It has already been
hampered as English regions
outside London and the South-East
along with the devolved nations
have seen a disproportionate
reduction in capacity (especially on
long-haul routes) during 2020.
It is in the interest of the UK and
devolved governments’ own
ambitions that aviation recovery is
actively encouraged and supported.
As an industry that is vital to
the UK’s future prosperity, given
our role in connecting the UK to
Baroness McGregor-Smith
global trading and investment CBE – Chair, Airport
opportunities that bring growth to Operators Association
regions across the UK, it is aviation
that provides an investment in the
UK’s future. Airports are committed
to playing their part in implementing
this. around airports. Most of these would our audience and hope that we will
normally be (part-)funded by airports leave inspired and ready to rise up
Finally, the UK aviation industry is a and the wider aviation industry. from the depths of the pandemic.
global leader in sustainable aviation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic
Through the Sustainable Aviation will result in lower levels of capital Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith
coalition, UK aviation has committed investment. This should not lead to CBE is Chair of the Airport
to net zero by 2050 – a world first a hiatus in the industry’s steps to Operators Association.
for a national aviation industry. Now reduce its environmental impact –
should be an opportunity to build these cannot be lost years.
back better, returning hopefully to
2019 passenger levels but not 2019 These, and other topics, will be
carbon emissions and noise impacts. discussed at the AOA Annual
There are further opportunities Conference. I look forward to hearing
to build back sustainably in and the contributions of our speakers and
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 2021
10
GENERAL AVIATION
AIRPORT ON TRACK
FOR DUAL USE WITH
VEHICLE TESTING
CENTRE
A Nottinghamshire General Aviation airport is likely to become
the new home of a vehicle testing centre next year, with the
runway to be used both for flying and car safety testing.
G “During the first
amston Airport, near Retford, Thatcham Research will strengthen
is on course to be acquired by Gamston Airport’s position, both
Thatcham Research later this
year, with vehicle testing operations
strategically and technologically”. lockdown, when
expected to start in spring 2022 Thatcham Research, the motor private flying and
alongside the airport’s existing flying
operations.
insurers’ research centre, said the
proposed development would “allow flight training were
Airport Manager, Evangalene
us to increase the already significant
contribution we make to vehicle and
both severely restricted,
McLeod, told The Airport Operator road safety and secure a sustainable aircraft movements
that she was “excited about the future for aviation. Our investment
opportunity” and believed that it will create a dual-purpose facility that and fuel sales fell by
would “take Gamston from strength
to strength”. She was “optimistic that
North Nottinghamshire can be proud
of, and it will also secure a future
around 80%”.
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK11
Gamston which allowed McLeod to
bring back all the members of the
team who had been furloughed. “The
staff were very keen to come back”
she said. “Everybody who works
here at Gamston does so because
they are passionate about aviation
and were pleased to see the sector
pick up again. The turning point was
the return of flight training. As soon
training could resume, we knew the
Evangalene McLeod, airfield would become busy again
Airport Manager, which is when we brought our full
Gamston Airport team back into work”.
The part of the business that has
been slowest to recover has been
recreational private flying, with
half of the hangars at Gamston
being occupied by privately-owned
aircraft. McLeod speculates that
the slow recovery of this sector is
partly a reflection of some individuals
facing pandemic-related financial
difficulties but mainly because of
the current high cost of Avgas100LL
– the type of aviation fuel used
in small piston engine powered
aircraft by the General Aviation
community. She hopes that as the
price of Avgas100LL stabilises post-
whereby aviation will continue to She said that the airport had been pandemic, recreational flyers will
have a home at the site”. fortunate that it is convenient for return.
the emergency services and military
Gamston Airport, originally built training aircraft. “It meant that we In conversation with her, it becomes
as a Royal Air Force aerodrome could stay open. We remained busy very apparent that McLeod, still just
during the Second World War, because everywhere else was forced 28, loves the atmosphere of a General
describes itself as “the friendliest to close. Myself and the staff felt it Aviation aerodrome. She studied
and most flexible General Aviation was critical to continue. We are here Mechanical Engineering at Sheffield
facility in the UK”. It has had a to provide a service and none of Hallam University, where she was
challenging 18 months during the those obligations disappeared”. the Female UK undergraduate
Covid-19 pandemic but decided at mechanical engineering student with
the outset to stay open throughout. Charter flights and other overseas the highest mark in their final year
commercial activity began to recover of study. From there she went to
McLeod said that during the first from the spring of this year as the FTSE 100 aerospace company,
lockdown, when private flying and restrictions on foreign travel started Meggitt, joining their global graduate
flight training were both severely to be lifted, but McLeod said the big engineering programme, and then on
restricted, aircraft movements and surprise had been a boom in flight to Gamston early in 2020.
fuel sales fell by around 80%. In training. She attributes that to a
normal times the airport is busy variety of factors, including pent-up Explaining the move, she said: “I was
with training flights every day, so demand from people who had been pursuing a job somewhere which had
at the beginning of the pandemic prevented from training during the a vibrant, varied atmosphere every
she said it was “quiet and strange” lockdowns as well as “an influx” from day. The sense of community here is
with half of her team on furlough. commercial pilots who have returned strong, resilient and passionate. No
While all the private aircraft were to flight training, having been two days are the same. Gamston
grounded and the flying schools furloughed or unfortunately made has an amazing community spirit,
closed, what kept the airport redundant. filled with great people who are
operational were the emergency all motivated by their passion for
services, other critical and military The reopening of the private flying aviation. That has surpassed all of my
flights. schools was the turning point for expectations”.
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202112
HOW THE AOA BOARD
SOUGHT TO HELP ITS
AIRPORT MEMBERS
THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC – A VIEW
FROM DEPUTY CHAIR,
NICK BARTON
Useful and frustrating are the two contrasting words that
Nick Barton reaches for as he describes the work of the AOA
Board during the 18 months of the pandemic.
B
arton, CEO of Birmingham contact with government, appeared
Airport and current Deputy “The AOA’s to be extremely limited, with 10
Chair of the Board, has mixed management Downing Street, the Treasury
feelings about the Board’s work
during the most challenging crisis team, led by Chief and the Department of Health all
apparently more influential.
that UK airports have ever faced. Executive, Karen
On the positive side, he said that
Dee, always had Barton said that, although the
Board had been forced to switch
the weekly meetings had been an up-to-date sense to virtual meetings, the frequency
very useful in providing a forum
for airport leaders to exchange
of the airports’ of meetings (every Monday) and
the unusually high attendance rates
experiences as the crisis unfolded priorities”. (+90%) meant that Board meetings
and in ensuring that the AOA’s had offered tangible benefits in
management team, led by Chief helping airport CEOs to exchange
Executive, Karen Dee, always had views and to better understand
an up-to-date sense of the airports’ had been frustrating for the Board to rapidly changing events. Speaking
priorities. realise that the influence on decision- personally, he said that he had
making of the Department for found it “very helpful” to be able to
On the negative side, he said that it Transport, the AOA’s main point of speak to other CEOs and to check
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK13
that what they were doing was for Transport had listened to said he saw no evidence that was
in line with his own approach in the concerns that airports had the case, “but the net result was
finding a way through “the fog of expressed, but what was much less that the trust between us and
war”. clear was how far those concerns Government for some reason
were appreciated by others in evaporated”. The result, he said,
He also had praise for Dee and her Government who appeared to had been much less effective
small team who, he said, had been have a greater influence. Another dialogue and “not the way we
“steadfast and resilient” throughout challenge had been that, because should be communicating with
the crisis and had shown a high health is a devolved issue, the Government at all”.
level of understanding of airport problems facing airports in
concerns. A larger and better Scotland, Wales and Northern On a more optimistic note, he said
resourced team might have been Ireland were not always the same that the AOA Board welcomed the
able to achieve even more, but, as those facing English airports, changes to the UK’s international
given the financial challenges making it harder for the AOA to travel rules announced by
that all airports were facing, he speak with a single voice. Transport Secretary, Grant
acknowledged that the team had Shapps, in September and
adopted “a balanced approach Most frustrating of all, he said, had was hopeful that they would
based on the realities of life” been the moment when people “strengthen consumer confidence
in Government had discontinued and allow the UK aviation industry
Reflecting on the AOA’s bilateral engagement with the to finally start to recover”.
representations to Government, aviation sector because they felt
he said it was clear that Ministers that the sector was leaking the
and officials at the Department content of discussions. Barton
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202114
BIRMINGHAM
AIRPORT CEO TELLS
THE STORY OF HOW
HIS AIRPORT HELPED
THOUSANDS OF
EVACUEES FROM
AFGHANISTAN
ARRIVING TO THE UK
It was, recalls Birmingham Airport CEO, Nick
Barton, an “Alice in Wonderland moment”.
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK15
Nick Barton, CEO,
Birmingham Airport
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202116
O
n one side of the airport
passengers were flying off
for their summer holidays,
setting off to visit friends and
relatives or leaving on business trips,
completely unaware that “down the
rabbit hole” on the other side of the
airport thousands of exhausted and
anxious evacuees from Afghanistan
were arriving on a series of rescue
flights from Kabul Airport.
Over a two-week period in the
second half of August the airport
remained open around the clock to
provide a warm welcome to over
8,000 non-military Afghan and
British nationals escaping from the
chaos that had engulfed the airport
at Kabul.
It was a complex operation that at
the time was conducted “under a
cloak of secrecy”. Barton said he
took the decision not to talk about
it to the media in August partly
because “it was not our story. We
were simply welcoming them to
the UK. It was their story to tell. majority of the total civilian opportunity to do something really
Also, we didn’t know what state the evacuees that were brought into the worthwhile”.
individuals would be in because of UK, is complete and Barton is keen
the carnage that we all saw unfolding to pay tribute to the tireless efforts Looking back on the airport’s
at Kabul. Finally, I didn’t want to put of the airport community and the experience of the coronavirus
my team under any more pressure voluntary, charity and government pandemic over 18 months, Barton
than was necessary to deal with what agencies who coordinated it. said that at the outset Birmingham
was already a very difficult and trying Airport had faced a “nightmare
situation”. Around 100 volunteers signed up to scenario”. In terms of passenger
ensure that the needs of the arriving volume, 99% of it had disappeared,
Now the complex and sensitive evacuees were met 24 hours a day yet the airport still had to maintain
operation, which welcomed a and seven days a week. Together the operating capability that
the airport and the voluntary sector would initially allow it to serve the
provided thousands of hot meals, remaining 1% and then to support
Over a two-week snacks and fruit. The volunteers set a long and slow recovery. Nearly
period in the second up a prayer room and gave blankets,
baby products, clothing, toiletries
300 airport jobs have been lost, with
the original 860 airport staff now
half of August the and first aid support to the new pared back to 587, a figure which
arrivals. Barton does not anticipate will rise
airport remained significantly, reflecting permanent
open around the clock Barton said that the volunteers had
given “incredible levels of support”
steps that the airport has taken to
improve efficiency. “We need to be
to provide a warm for a project that had been both open” he said “about the fact that
welcome to over 8,000 time-consuming and emotionally
draining. It was, he said “a very
the future is going to be tough. Yes,
we have survived, but now we have
non-military Afghan impressive team and it actually to recover”.
and British nationals became a team-building event.
People got really caught up with Barton himself took some comfort
escaping from the chaos the idea of helping the evacuees at the outset of the pandemic from
that had engulfed the against a background of 18 months
of endless challenge for the airport
his recollections that over 30 years
the aviation sector had recovered
airport at Kabul. and then here they were having the eventually from multiple crises,
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK17
including previous flu epidemics,
volcanic ash, the Gulf War and
financial crashes. “You name it” he We welcome plans for the phased relaxation of
said “and the industry has always
prevailed in the end. We will do so
travel rules, which incorporates the benefits that
again, even if, at this stage, we can’t vaccinations provide and will make international
be certain how long it will take”.
travel more affordable and straightforward
His expectation is that this year
Birmingham Airport’s passenger
for travellers.
numbers will be down to about a
quarter of its pre-pandemic total
of just under 13 million passengers
a year – in line with the overall infection rates decline. for its new office, finally settling on
performance of UK airports, but well Birmingham because of the strength
below current passenger levels in the Looking ahead a few years of its talent base – a decision which
rest of Europe and the United States. Barton expresses confidence that West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street
The discrepancy can be explained, Birmingham Airport will eventually described as “an incredible vote
Barton believes, primarily by the be able to “pick up where we left of confidence for the city and the
simplicity of the EU’s vaccine pass off”, referencing growth through to region”.
and the continuing strength of the 18 million passengers a year and the
domestic market in the US. prospect of securing significant new Beyond the airport’s recovery
destinations, including New York and from the pandemic, Barton said
Asked to comment on the ever- Hong Kong. that Birmingham Airport’s biggest
changing and costly UK international priority over the next decade will
travel rules, Barton opts to be His optimism for the future is built on be delivering on the promise that
diplomatic, merely noting dryly that a series of considerations, including it made in 2019 to achieve net zero
by insisting until this month on PCR the airport’s huge catchment carbon emissions by 2033. He said
tests for all arriving international area – 38 million people live within that the details of how the target
passengers the Government two hours’ drive of the airport, a will be delivered are still being
had introduced “a spectacularly number bigger than any other UK worked on, but no-one at the airport
expensive regime which has been airport. There is also the pending is “anything other than crystal clear”
funded by the travelling public”. The arrival of HS2, which will cut the that a plan will be worked out and
tiny volume of genomic sequencing rail journey time from the airport to implemented and that the target
carried out had come at “an central London to just 37 minutes. will be met. He said that the plan
extraordinary cost”, with Barton As Barton put it: “HS2 has come will certainly include a series of
estimating that over half a billion along and dramatically improved the investments in green power sources
pounds had been wasted on PCR appeal of development in the region. and there will also be consideration
tests that had not been sequenced It is literally on our doorstep. We of how the airport’s infrastructure
for variants of concern. have got a foreign direct investment will need to change in the future to
case being driven by HS2’s mere accommodate electric aircraft.
That said, he responds positively existence, even though it is not
to the rule changes announced in operating yet and won’t be for a
September, saying: “We welcome number of years. The fact that it has
plans for the phased relaxation of got diggers on the ground is driving Birmingham
travel rules, which incorporates the investment already into this region”. Airport’s biggest
benefits that vaccinations provide
and will make international travel According to the Office of National priority over the
more affordable and straightforward Statistics, no region in the UK next decade will be
for travellers. Having more simplified suffered a bigger hit to its economy
rules with a single red list and during the pandemic than the delivering on the
cheaper testing will strengthen West Midlands, but Barton says promise that it made
consumer confidence and allow the there is now a remarkable sense
UK aviation industry to finally start of confidence about the region’s in 2019 to achieve
to recover”. Barton said that beyond economic prospects, symbolised net zero carbon
these changes he would like to see by the September opening of
the complete removal of double a new Goldman Sachs office in emissions by 2033.
testing for vaccinated travellers and Birmingham city centre. Goldman
a continual review of the red list to considered 10 cities across the UK
open more global destinations as
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202118
PRISON TO
PROTECTION? WORLD
LEADER IN AIRPORT
COUNTER-DRONE
SOLUTIONS ORIGINATED
IN A MEXICAN PRISON
CELL
D-Fend Solutions, the AOA’s newest Gold Member, is
currently a leading provider of innovative counter-drone
defences to airports around the world – but it all started in
a prison cell in Mexico.
F
ive years ago, the company’s Before co-founding D-Fend
Israeli co-founder and CEO, Solutions, Halachmi was the
Zohar Halachmi, was on founder and CEO of two mobile
a business trip to Mexico, in an and enterprise application start-up
unrelated industry, when a prison companies and held senior positions
official he was pitching to threw open in global and public corporations.
a door to reveal a room full of drones, He is a graduate of both the Haifa-
explaining that they had been used based Technion - Israel Institute of
for drug smuggling into the prison. technology, rated the top university
in both Israel and the Middle East,
Zohar Halachmi, CEO,
Halachmi told The Airport Operator and Tel Aviv University, Israel’s
D-Fend Solutions
that the visit had inspired him to largest, and was a lecturer at both.
investigate the fast growth in the use
of drones worldwide across business Explaining D-Fend Solutions’ rapid
sectors. Eventually, he concluded growth, Halachmi said that the
that there was a significant gap in the and neutralise dangerous drones, Israeli-headquartered business
market for drone-defence technology while ensuring both passenger safety benefits from Israel’s reputation for
that would enable airports to identify and business continuity. innovation and its cluster of highly
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK19
creative technologists as well as
the company’s commitment to a
multi-disciplinary approach. These
factors taken together represented,
Halachmi said, D-Fend Solutions’
“secret sauce”.
Today D-Fend Solutions’ flagship
offering, EnforceAir, is deployed in
airports of all sizes around the world.
EnforceAir automatically executes
radio frequency, cyber-takeover of
rogue drones for safe landings and
safe outcomes. Along with ease of
operation, one of the most important
benefits is the preservation of
continuity. Airports’ communication
systems and approaching planes are
unaffected and airports can continue
to use their own authorised drones
for perimeter surveillance and aircraft
inspection, with no disruption.
Halachmi said that the 2018 drone safety issues. As they seek to “Security agencies
scare at Gatwick Airport, which shut
down the runway for more than 33
rebuild their businesses after the
pandemic, Halachmi is convinced
around the world
hours and cost over £50 million, had that this commitment to safety recognised the need
been a “wakeup call” for airports
around the world. Three weeks after
and an understanding of the vital
importance of business continuity for new solutions for
Gatwick, Heathrow had to be shut would ensure that they would direct sensitive environments
down for an hour following drone
sightings. Since then, there have
their teams to continue to prioritise
cost-effective counter-drone without the drawbacks
been incidents across the UK. Last measures. of conventional
year, an Airbus A320 aircraft flying
at 8,000 feet, close to Manchester In all the countries in which it jamming and kinetic
Airport, was involved in one of the operates D-Fend Solutions, whose technologies”.
UK’s closest recorded near misses Advisory Board includes Michael
with a drone and this summer Huerta, the former head of the US
police were scrambled after an Federal Aviation Administration,
unauthorised drone came within 100 seeks to work closely with both technology, which will become
feet of a plane near Glasgow Airport. regulators and law enforcement increasingly important to deliver
agencies. Halachmi emphasised that control, safety and continuity
Such incidents have undoubtedly advantages of D-Fend’s technology to airports worldwide as drones
helped UK airport leaders to are that it is simple to use, does proliferate”.
understand the importance of not require technical training and
detecting unauthorised drone flights, offers multiple deployment options: In the UK, D-Fend Solution’s business
Halachmi said, but he believed there stationary, vehicular and tactical. is led by Martin Broomhead, a
was still work to be done with drone This includes a long-range directional veteran aviation and aerospace
mitigation to ensure full control option designed for airports. executive, who previously had
and business continuity. He also senior roles at Thales, QinetiQ and
emphasised that the drone threat is Huerta said that security agencies Boeing. Broomhead is supported by
constantly evolving with an increased around the world recognised the Simon Foreman, previously head of
frequency of events involving need for new solutions for sensitive International Business at Babcock,
multiple drones flying simultaneously environments without the drawbacks whose earlier career included 16
(drone swarms). of conventional jamming and kinetic years in the Royal Navy and three
technologies. He described D-Fend years at the Ministry of Defence.
Halachmi, who often advises airport as “an early leader and pioneer
top personnel, said he was deeply in counter-drone systems with Zohar Halachmi is CEO of D-Fend
impressed by the importance that its one-of-a-kind radio frequency Solutions, a Gold Member of the
airports across the UK attach to cyber-takeover and safe landing Airport Operators Association.
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202120
HOW THE PANDEMIC
IS ACCELERATING THE
INTRODUCTION OF NEW
TECHNOLOGY AT UK
AIRPORTS – THE VIEW
FROM THALES
UK airport and airline investment in the touchless
passenger experience is growing significantly as a recovering
sector focuses increasingly on making life easier for returning
passengers according to aerospace giant, Thales.
J
ulia Jiggins, Head of Strategic checking in and obtaining boarding
Marketing for Aviation and passes to the moment when they
Space at Thales UK has seen arrive at the airport will soon be in
some slowdown in in big high- the minority.
risk infrastructure investment and
in refreshing old technology at For Thales, the French multinational
airports. By contrast, she reports that describes its mission as “building
a growing focus on investment in a future we can all trust”, that has
new technology that improves the meant an increasing focus on the
experience of t from pre-registration biometric touchless passenger
at home, through their entire airport Julia Jiggins, Head of Strategic journey, enabled by investment
Marketing for Aviation and
journey to the boarding of their Space, Thales UK
in kiosks at key airport transition
aircraft. points, as well as state-of-the-art
temperature monitoring equipment.
That has been encouraged and proof of vaccination status. She Jiggins says that these are all
enabled by people’s experience cites her own parents as typical of relatively easy to install and popular
of using digital technology during a generation that had been wedded with most passengers. Perhaps
the pandemic, Jiggins suggests, to paper but is now increasingly at surprisingly, she notes that it is
including using smart phones to ease with digital technology. Jiggins the UK’s smaller airports that have
access the NHS app with its vital predicts that passengers who leave been at the forefront of this kind
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK21
of technology investment. As a “By 2030 there will twins, enabling them to use digital
replication of airport systems to
be 70,000 commercial
result, Jiggins says, the passenger
experience at many UK airports experiment, trial and test. That
today is already “like night and day,
compared to what it was ten years’
drones flying in the will enable them to analyse data
and look at the implications of new
ago”. UK, which will present investments at much lower cost
Meanwhile, a combination of
many challenges for than a traditional pilot project-
based approach, de-risking
pressure to increase efficiency and airports since they and accelerating approvals and
the green agenda is also encouraging
airports to look at how they can are the key part of regulatory endorsement.
use new technology to improve the infrastructure Meanwhile, as technology
continues to evolve, Jiggins,
ground support for their airline
customers. She gives the example that needs protection who has spent her working life
of the increasing use of IoT devices
for ground support equipment to
from drones”. in the aviation sector, has also
observed changes in her working
enable airport operators to track the environment. She spent 13 years
deployment of equipment, cut out introduction into the UK’s aviation in the Royal Air Force and then
unnecessary journeys and reduce eco-system will only be possible six years at Boeing before joining
carbon emissions. at scale by modernising airspace Thales in 2008, stepping into her
to connect unmanned traffic current role at the beginning of this
Jiggins says that while the immediate management with manned traffic year.
focus for Thales has necessarily management.
been on helping airports and their Over 30 years in aviation she has
passengers and customers to Jiggins notes estimates that by 2030 never had a female boss and has,
recover from the crisis of the last 18 there will be 70,000 commercial she says, long felt like a woman
months, it has continued to invest drones flying in the UK, which in a man’s world. More recently,
in collaborative research projects will present many challenges for however, she has seen female
that will help airports to meet airports since they are the key part representation in key aviation roles
the challenges of the future. She of the infrastructure that needs increasing significantly. Among
highlights both the Digital Aviation protection from drones. Similarly, other factors, she believes that the
Research and Technology Centre the emergence of a completely new growing importance of the green
(DARTEC) at Cranfield University and urban air mobility sector based on and digital agendas has helped to
the Future Flight Challenge. flying taxis will present challenges encourage more women and more
of integration of the new customers young people to join, stay in and
Thales is one of the founding with traditional commercial flights at enjoy the fast-changing world of
members of DARTEC with a airports serving large cities. aviation.
particular focus on how future
innovations could help the As airports start to consider Julia Jiggins is Head of Strategic
traditionally segmented elements of the implications of such future Marketing – Aviation & Space at
the aviation system (airports, airlines, developments on their own Thales UK. Thales is a Corporate
airspace managers and aircraft operations and investments, Jiggins Partner of the Airport Operators
manufacturers) to work more closely is convinced that they will be greatly Association.
together to further improve both helped by the growing use of digital
passenger safety and the passenger
experience. Three laboratories at
Cranfield, covering the passenger
experience, connectivity and vehicle
health monitoring, will enable the
centre to trial and observe a variety
of new tools and techniques.
The Airspace of the Future
Consortium and the Future Flight
Challenge is another area where
Thales is playing a central role, with
a special focus on three innovative
aircraft types – drones, flying taxis
and small electrical or hydrogen-
fuelled regional aircraft. Their
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202122
AVIATION SECURITY
SPECIALISTS BACK
LONG-TERM THINKING
BY UK AIRPORTS TO
SOLVE POST-PANDEMIC
ISSUES
Aviation security solutions provider, ICTS, is working
collaboratively with leading UK airports and airlines to
find scalable and enduring answers to challenges created by
the coronavirus pandemic.
T
erry Sallas, the company’s something that he had not seen to
Vice President of Technology the same extent in other industries.
and Group Products, told The
Airport Operator that he had been By contrast, a similarity that he had
impressed to observe the aviation noticed with successful businesses in
industry avoiding knee-jerk reactions other industries that had faced other
to issues thrown up by the pandemic crises, was an understanding by
and opting instead for solutions that aviation businesses of the importance
would endure over time and continue of avoiding “knee-jerk reactions” and
to be effective and efficient as adopting instead “a more reflective
passenger volumes grow. and thoughtful approach” to the
technologies they invested in. He
Sallas, a technology specialist who said that was encouraging and had
worked across several different the advantage that investment
sectors before joining ICTS Europe decisions based on these approaches
formally in April 2020, just as were more likely to prove successful
the pandemic was starting, said and commercially beneficial over the Terry Sallas, Vice President
that he had been very struck by long term. of Technology and Group
the collegiate approach of many Products, ICTS
aviation industry leaders, which was Asked how airports that had suffered
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK23
huge financial losses could be Rather than rush to product had been really simple –
persuaded to invest more in ICTS
services and products now, Sallas market with a product “Let’s solve the problem, let’s get
it right and provide something that
said that, in his experience, business developed in haste, that offers a degree of permanence
leaders were “pragmatists first and for the passengers and the airlines.
foremost”. They would support ICTS had chosen Also, our solution had to be scalable
investment decisions that deliver “a
material and tangible value”, giving
instead to develop a and work seamlessly with traditional
check-in and booking processes
the green light to proposals “if the solution that would already trusted by airports, airlines
benefits and the returns are real”. have enduring value. and passengers globally. Those
were the key drivers for designing
Sallas said that travel requirements the solution”.
varying by destination will be with quite a simple one. If you don’t get
us for a while, so investment in the passengers cleared before they arrive ICTS, which describes its mission,
right solution to address increased at the airport it means that you are as “rising to meet tomorrow’s
operational costs and deliver value spending more time operationally challenges”, was founded in 1987.
is an inevitable necessity for airlines clearing them at the desks. This Today its UK airport clients include
and airports, and particularly isn’t good for passengers, because Aberdeen, Belfast International,
important in tough financial obviously they arrive uncertain Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Gatwick,
conditions. about whether they have everything Glasgow, Heathrow, Manchester and
they need to go. It means that a lot Southampton. During the pandemic
He said that the ICTS ethos of more money is spent on staff at the it has expanded its airports offer to
delivering value through innovation airport and the check-in desks and include Covid-19 testing, working
and working collaboratively with its passengers face queues, as well as with the Francis Crick Institute
customers to solve their important the uncertainty. The value of Ready and Imperial College London to
challenges was one that had been to Go for the airlines of course is that identify the most effective and
embedded in the company by they can streamline operations to efficient ways to conduct tests
Oren Sapir, the ICTS Europe CEO address those passengers that need and to deliver accurate results.
to whom Sallas reports. Sapir’s attention”. It currently provides Covid-19
approach of focusing on solving testing at Aberdeen, Glasgow and
these challenges rather than on Some competitors had “not solved Southampton airports.
short-term wins was, Sallas said, the dominant problem”, Sallas
one that had proven to be well- suggested, by going early with a Terry Sallas is Vice President
suited to the conditions that the wallet-based offer that was great at Technology and Group Products
pandemic has presented to the digitising and gathering documents and Managing Director ICTS
aviation sector. but didn’t do anything about clearing Systems Europe. ICTS UK & Ireland
passengers before travel. He said is a Silver Member of the Airport
ICTS Europe Systems’ “landmark that the ICTS design ethos for the Operators Association.
innovation”, “Ready to Go”, its
fully automated travel verification
platform for airlines, launched in
July, is a good example, Sallas
suggested, of a product that has
been carefully developed through
collaboration with long-standing
ICTS customers. Rather than
rush to market with a product
developed in haste, ICTS had
chosen instead to develop a
solution that would have enduring
value. The company’s market-
leading live library of travel rules
and regulations, encompassing
health and immigration, had been
“the key capability” allowing it to
build the platform.
Sallas said that the problem that it
was designed to solve for airlines
and their passengers was “really
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 202124
HOW INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS ARE
SHAPING THE FUTURE
OF SMART AIRPORTS
By Sameer Sharma, Intel Global GM for New IOT
Markets (Smart Cities & Intelligent Transportation)
T
he past couple of years have heavily trafficked terminals, long
been especially challenging for security lines and lost baggage, the
global industries, with the travel current state of data collection and
industry being one of the hardest hit. analysis offers new hope. In many
The impact from air travel restrictions ways, the Covid-19 pandemic has
has been devastating. While the served as a catalyst for airports
near-term impact will be deeply felt, to engage more fully with smart
technology can help provide a path technology solutions. In the short
forward through this difficult time. term, solutions enabled by the
At Intel, we believe in the power of Internet of Things (IoT), edge
creating world-changing technology computing, and Artificial Intelligence
that enables global progress and (AI) have helped airports respond
enriches lives. It is with this mission Sameer Sharma, Intel Global and recover from the pandemic.
in mind that we are working with GM for New IOT Markets These connected technologies can
airport solution providers to uplift help with identifying and managing
the passenger experience. But how traveller health checks, social
does a company most known for Together, Intel and distancing, queue management
its semiconductors engage with
airports? Broadly, Intel engages the airport solutions and more. Airports may soon be
able to offer a more seamless
with airports in many ways, from ecosystem are working passenger journey from start to
providing the computing foundation
for IT systems to powering high- to help realise a new finish, beginning with touchless
check-in and biometric-enabled
performance data centre and era of travel. ticketing; moving to contactless and
cloud solutions, to optimising user- personalised retail in the terminal,
specific workloads to help increase kept safer with disinfecting robots;
performance and efficiency. More current and future technologies may and finally, touchless customs and
specifically, within the Smart Cities provide long-term solutions that are integrated personalised services
& Intelligent Transportation sector, key for airport digital transformation. at the destination, both within the
we work with partners across the airport and beyond.
ecosystem to understand challenges While air travel has long been
at the industry and end-user levels associated with stress for travellers, Realising this vision will require the
and collaborate to define how conjuring images of navigating coordination of many ecosystem
WWW.AOA.ORG.UK25
contributors. Intel participates by Intel software and hardware These solutions include Intelligent
closely across multiple aspects of supported systems may be used to Transportation, AI/Video, Air
the ecosystem to ensure solutions help monitor and manage wildlife Quality Monitoring and Smart
for airports are optimised and on runways, provide inspection Lighting.
efficiently enabled for specific end of runways and the surrounding
user needs. The Intel IoT Solutions environment, and digitise air traffic Intel is a Corporate Partner of the
Community includes over 4,500 management. Airport Operators Association.
solutions and enables collaboration
across the ecosystem in areas We are excited to join AOA as a Intel is committed to respecting human rights
ranging from engineering and Corporate Partner and look forward and avoiding complicity in human rights
software, to matchmaking with to collaborating with members abuses. See Intel’s Global Human Rights
other partners to solve end-user to help enhance the traveller Principles. Intel’s products and software are
problems. For example, over the past experience, increase revenue, and intended only to be used in applications that
several months we have continued drive operational efficiencies. Our do not cause or contribute to a violation of an
to conduct trials with ecosystem team welcomes the opportunity to internationally recognized human right. Intel
partners and airports to demonstrate engage with you to solve current technologies may require
how AI can be used to improve and future challenges. enabled hardware, software or service
passenger wait times, help identify activation. No product or component can
security risks, and improve auto Sameer Sharma is the Global GM be absolutely secure. © Intel Corporation.
traffic flow on the land side. (Smart Cities & Transformation) for Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks
IoT Solutions at Intel and a thought are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its
Together, Intel and the airport leader in the IoT/AI ecosystem, subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be
solutions ecosystem are working having driven multiple strategic claimed as the property of others.
to help realise a new era of travel. initiatives to scale over the past
On land and in the terminal, smart 20+ years. Sameer’s team focuses
technologies can supply real- on establishing leadership across
time information and options to the industry, playing a pivotal
personalise the passenger journey, role in deploying solutions for the
helping to enable safe, fast, and development of smart cities around
contactless transportation, traffic the world – an important effort in
management, parking and airport furthering the goal of sustainability.
access. Airport operators can use
IoT solutions to manage usage of
energy for lighting, air conditioning/
heating and transport systems,
with data-driven, real-time, and
predictive adjustments based on
demand. Airside, AI, and autonomous
aircraft will one day make air
travel more safe and efficient. For
example, AI capabilities provided
We are excited to
join AOA as a
Corporate Partner
and look forward
to collaborating
with members to
help enhance the
traveller experience,
increase revenue, and
drive operational
efficiencies.
THE AIRPORT OPERATOR AUTUMN 2021You can also read
