Airport and Air Traffic Management Performance

Overview

The airport industry is a dynamic and continuously changing sector. Recently, after years of strong growth, it has experienced huge challenges as a result of pandemic imposed traffic reductions. Even during such a difficult period, airports have continued to creatively respond to the challenges of social distancing, testing and screening within the terminal, and accommodating the significant increase of grounded aircraft.

Many airports are now starting to plan for the post-pandemic recovery. Efficiency will play a pivotal role during the recovery process as airports will experience significant pressures to be able to handle the returning traffic levels safely with a lower cost and staff base. People will be busier, and “the tyranny of the urgent” will mean that there are risks that costs will spiral out of control due to a lack of focus. It is therefore critical that airports not only understand how their performance will change as traffic recovers, but that they plan proactively how they will respond to accommodate the changes, for example, key investments, recruitment and process changes triggered by certain traffic levels. Resilience will be a key factor within the planning process to ensure successful recovery and the ability to handle future traffic growth safely and efficiently.

What can we do to help?

We are leaders in airport performance, recovery, capacity assessment and optimisation. Our understanding of all aspects of airport performance and broad experience of ATC, airspace, airfield, apron and terminal issues allows us to take a nuanced approach to any of your performance needs. Unlike some suppliers with a simulation tool who see every operational or capacity challenge as something that needs to be simulated, we tailor our approach to each project and client. We understand that each challenge requires a specific approach, therefore, we have a range of flexible, adaptable and customisable tools and methods for investigating airport performance metrics for any airport type and size.

At the core of what we do, is to identify the problem, consider your resources and adapt our strategy to provide you with the most efficient approach and validated solution suitable for your needs and fully based on your requirements:

On the terminal side, we are experienced in performing assessments for small and regional through to large multi-terminal international airports.  We can provide you with different alternatives on how to efficiently purchase biometric technologies for process optimisation as new systems like e.g., EES come into place.  On the same subject, we have helped clients to comply with regulatory standards like e.g. C3.  In addition, we can help work out an optimum strategy for re-opening security lanes or re-assembling the boarding/disembarking process with the required safety measures as traffic builds post-pandemic.  We give our clients a broader range of possible solutions that fit both the needs and the resources of each airport whilst optimise their operations. The aim of an upgrade should be to improve terminal process performance and passenger satisfaction. 

On the airfield and airspace side, we have experience in modelling, simulating, assessing and validating airport developments and ATC solutions in different maturity stages ranging from small infrastructural or procedural changes to a completely new airport. We can help in identifying and overcoming operational challenges on the airfield, establishing the extent of potential performance improvements airport can receive by adopting new ATC systems and technology such as TBS, RECAT, PBN, etc., delivering support in planning for efficient airfield and runway capacity recovery, and providing advice for resilient resource optimisation for the future traffic growth.  

Our assessments are data led, rigorously modelled and assessed by specialists in order to provide you with the most accurate results and better solutions.