Author: RaechelRucker

Created by Philstacks iMIS SSO. Member Type = Member. Last updated on 2025-10-20 12:09:14

Kindness in the Air Leads to Kindness Everywhere: Let Kindness Be Your Carry On

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Kevin Tuerff, Founder/President, Pay It Forward 9/11

 

Airports are more than transit hubs—they’re places of anticipation, stress, and emotion. In such high-pressure environments, even small acts of kindness can have a profound impact.

Inspired by the compassion shown to stranded passengers in Newfoundland on September 11, 2001, I founded Pay It Forward 9/11.

After experiencing the selfless hospitality in Gander, I was moved to create a movement to spread kindness—especially in stressful settings like airports. You may have seen my travel anxiety story as “Kevin T” in the hit Broadway musical Come From Away.

Recently, I shared this mission with airport industry leaders at the ACI-NA/AAAE Airport Customer Experience Symposium. The response was enthusiastic, with plans now in motion to pilot “11 Days of Kindness” campaigns at Kansas City International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport in 2025. In busy terminals, our volunteers will encourage passengers and airport staff to perform simple acts of kindness—sharing smiles, helping with luggage, or offering kind words.

All airports are invited to join us this year as we work together to find an appropriate remembrance and service effort to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 next year.

Airport workers, the unsung heroes of travel, often go unrecognized. A simple thank you or smile can make their day and boost morale. Travelers, too, carry unseen burdens. Offering support fosters connection and reminds us we’re not alone.

Kindness is contagious. By encouraging people to honor those lost on 9/11 through positive actions, we aim to make airports a launching point for empathy and generosity. Whether at 30,000 feet or Gate B27, kindness can bring us together.

Let kindness be your carry-on. To learn more, email kevin@payitforward911.org or visit payitforward911.org.

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Learnings from Attending ACI-NA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Tyler Subasic, US Airport Lead, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Prior to working at AWS, Tyler led airport affairs for Amazon Air, where he increased network destinations by 500% and led selection criteria and negotiation for four nine-figure projects.

 

 

 

For the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to attend Airports Council International-North America’s (ACI-NA) Annual Conference and Exhibition. These conferences attract airport leaders and solution providers from across the globe, initiating transformational changes and presenting cutting edge technologies.

While much progress is being made, it’s clear from my time at the 2023 Annual Conference that the collective participants want to move faster. Conference participants – which include airport CIOs, CTOs, and other leaders – frequently face headwinds from three topics: procurement, staffing, and risk tolerance. These common challenges are sometimes accepted as the nature of doing business.

The following three sections focus on ideas to improve common organizational roadblocks that can enable faster technology adoption and organizational advancements.

Reducing the Administrative Burden on Staff

Staffing shortages are common challenges, especially in government. Cloud-based technology can alleviate some staffing challenges by offloading repetitive and often mundane tasks. This creates more time for staff to tackle differentiated problems.

The Amazon retail platform uses cloud technology and automation extensively to improve efficiency and operate at scale. Amazon has been using artificial intelligence (AI) for over 25 years for items like product placement, package sortation, and delivery routing. Amazon’s technology infrastructure scales to meet the volume of customer demand, enabling staff to focus on business differentiators like invention and customer obsession.

AWS Managed Services (AMS) can provide similar benefits to organizations migrating to the cloud. AMS offers complete services to provision, run, and support your infrastructure. Common tasks like change requests, monitoring, patch management, and cost optimization are automated. This reduces the training and staffing worries that many organizations have about migrating to the cloud. Because AWS is pay as you go, organizations can use AMS for a few months while training staff or longer.

In addition to AMS, there are other managed service providers like eCloud Managed Solutions, a woman owned small business. eCloud Managed Solutions provides cloud and data center managed services and has shown success at Punta Gorda Airport.

Airports are common users of managed services, whether it be parking, janitorial, or legacy on-premise IT management. Similarly, airports should look at automated cloud management for improved efficiency and security. Most importantly, managed cloud services can free up IT staff, increasing focus on strategic airport initiatives.

Simplifying Procurement

E-commerce has changed the way we buy. Consumers can now shop from the comfort of their own homes, and have items delivered to their door. This convenience has transformed customer expectations and drastically changed the retail landscape.

Meanwhile, most procurement rules and regulations stem from a time when contracts were based on time and materials. As software solutions have proliferated, the procurement process has mostly stayed the same.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace is an e-commerce like experience for software solutions. AWS Marketplace is a digital store that offers thousands of software listings from independent software vendors (ISVs). These listings make it easy to find, try, and buy software solutions. Organizations can compare solutions, read reviews, and quickly deploy software with just a few clicks. Cooperative purchasing contracts, such as Omnia Partners, are also available via AWS Marketplace.

Six U.S. airports, including large hub airports, have used AWS Marketplace today. This convenience saves airports time and money, and make it easier to find, trial, and purchase the software they need.

Risk Tolerance

Quick decision making is crucial to ensure effective resource allocation and prompt response to changing needs. By fostering a culture and toolset that enable prompt decision-making, organizations can streamline their operations and enhance their ability to meet public expectations.

Amazon’s decision-making philosophy can be summarized as one-way and two-way door decisions. This philosophy is derived from an analogy originally coined by Jeff Bezos. The one-way door refers to a decision where, once made, there is no going back. It is a decision that will have long-term implications and requires careful thinking.  The two-way door decision, on the other hand, refers to a decision that can easily be reversed or changed at a later date. Two-way door decisions should be made quickly to prioritize an organization’s valuable resources.

AWS enables two-way door decisions for organizations to experiment and innovate with IT infrastructure. Cloud services allow organizations to quickly build, test, and securely deploy new applications and services, without having to invest in expensive infrastructure. Similarly, AWS Marketplace allows organizations to trial a software solution the same day. Organizations can quickly try a new idea and see which ones add value, without having to commit to long-term contracts or spend a lot of money upfront.

If you’re interested in learning more about AWS Marketplace, AWS Managed Services, AWS Artificial Intelligence, please contact awsairports@amazon.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Customizing Common Use at Boston Logan International

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Colleen Hamilton, Principal, Art of Context

Colleen Hamilton is a principal with Art of Context, a Boston-based technology firm helping airports improve passenger experience through innovative technology solutions that reduce client administration and ensure extension for future innovations. Art of Context has recently been certified as a DBE.

 

The long-awaited expansion of Boston’s International gateway, Logan Airport Terminal E, has finally arrived, and with it, the next generation of airline operations and passenger experience. The project saw a significant expansion of the terminal that included a variety of improvements in energy efficiency, the use of more natural light, and a statement making façade complete with custom prismatic paint, a striking color known as Boston Red. The expanded terminal also adds four long-awaited gates.

As part of the team responsible for the evolution of the terminal, Art of Context worked with stakeholders to create and implement a boarding control app for Common Use gates. The interface is part of Art of Context’s Airport Display Platform (ADP). It is web-based with an intuitive interface driven by robust, secure technology. The app can be used from common use terminals or stand-alone on a tablet. It was rolled out terminal-wide in early August.

Customizing Common Use

All of the gates in Terminal E are Common Use gates. ADP’s Sign Studio module drives the suite of displays that figure prominently in the boarding podium and within the gate pier. The ADP templates tie into both flight data and the boarding control app interface to display the correct complex scenario.

This template-driven approach provides consistency while also allowing airlines the freedom to customize messaging to accommodate their specific boarding practices.

From the Common Use terminal, agents log into an intuitive interface and can select necessary boarding groups (even boarding out of order if desired) and choose which doors are used. The signage within the gate pier adjusts for domestic or international arrivals or departures depending on whether travelers need passport control. If arriving travelers require customs clearance, signage directs them to the appropriate path.  There are sign groups for international departures, domestic arrivals and international arrivals.

The new gates are “swing gates”/”flex gates” They can accommodate one large wide body jet or the simultaneous boarding of two smaller planes. The process is data driven, so the signage will accommodate either scenario automatically.

 

 

Customs and Border Protection Compliance

The system accommodates the CBP Biometric Facial Comparison technology. Upon login, the gate agent selects standard or biometric boarding. If biometric boarding is chosen, the boarding process instructions and privacy notices are displayed on a totem sign satisfying Customs and Border Protection mandates.

It’s a complex system, but, by taking the time to understand stakeholders’ needs, and combining that with our depth of experience, AOC excels at making the complex simple.

More than 43,000 international flights departed from Boston in 2022. This new process will allow airlines to customize the experience to their standards while providing an informative, expedient boarding process.

To learn more about how Art of Context can help you improve your passenger experience with Airport Display Platform please visit us at www.artofcontext.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

U.S. Airports Turning to Executive Program Management as Capital Programs Move into High Gear

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By R. Clay Paslay

Clay Paslay is Managing Partner and CEO of the Paslay Group, the premiere, full-service airport consultancy providing Executive Program Management, Business Advisory, and Development services for a wide array of airports implementing capital programs. Founded in 2006, PG has assisted owners in delivering airport projects valued at $21 billion and is currently managing an additional $11 billion in investments. Visit paslaygroup.com to learn more.

Fresh off what the Transportation Security Administration has called the “busiest summer travel period on record,” U.S. airport owners and federal security officers deserve our commendations.

They processed more than 14 million passengers over the Labor Day holiday weekend, up almost 11 percent over the same period in 2022. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports that the airline industry has mostly recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and is operating at 94% of what it was in June 2019.

Much of this has taken place at U.S. airports with outdated security checkpoints, terminal buildings beyond their useful life, aging baggage handling systems, and airport infrastructure that ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin Burke has estimated averages 40 years or older.

The good news is that new Federal Aviation Administration grant options and flexible infrastructure funding for terminals and construction projects have given municipal governments and airport authorities renewed confidence to move long-awaited capital programs into high gear.

More often, airport owners are issuing procurements that seek proposals for Executive Program Management, the model our firm introduced to the industry almost two decades ago, to ensure their programs are planned, implemented, and executed in the most efficient and timely way. Among the recent examples are requests for EPM services from Cleveland Airport Systems and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.

For many airport leaders, capital programs are generational investments and the largest the airport has ever experienced. It’s not business-as-usual. The program’s magnitude requires a paradigm shift in the way airport leaders think given the number of people who will be involved, the speed of spending required, and the volume of contracts to manage. All while managing an operating airport.

Large-scale development programs come with risks. Cost and schedule are constant challenges, but reputation and community perception are as important. Executive Program Management helps owners navigate potential pitfalls.

The model works best with a small team of highly experienced development leaders who are integrated with the airport’s executive team and expand the owner’s ability to manage the development program.

Typical EPM teams include a senior Executive Program Manager, a Project Controls Manager, Construction Manager, and Design Manager. Other roles depend on the unique needs of the airport and program – an Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) manager, for example, or an Automated People Mover system specialist.

We’ve learned the benefits of separating leadership from the boots on the ground. The firm that provides Executive Program Management should not staff other functions, and augmentation staff should typically be procured separately. The EPM team’s only motivation should be the owner’s success.

Airport development programs are challenging. But they are also incredibly rewarding and appreciated by the traveling public.

Just look at Kansas City International’s new $1.5 billion Build KCI program that opened in February. Paslay Group’s EPM efforts allowed the owner to increase the program scope by five gates to a total of 40 and reduce costs more than $400 million from the original contractor pricing.

In 2022, JD Power ranked the 1972 MCI terminals as the worst U.S. airport for passenger satisfaction. This June, MCI was named the best airport in America by TravelAwaits.com, an online travel news magazine.

Now that’s something to celebrate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

It’s Time for Airports to Evolve Beyond Traditional Data Sources

Posted on | by RaechelRucker


By Mark Summers, General Manager/Airports at Zartico

We are in the midst of a data renaissance — one that has the potential to be as disruptive to the aviation industry as any technological innovation we’ve seen in the 21st century.

Let’s face it — traditional airport data has changed little over the years. It may be more timely and accessible, thanks to automated systems improvements, but the truth is that the operational data airports receive from the DOT, TSA, airport systems, air traffic control, and airlines is static, disconnected, and best used to manage costs.

Meanwhile, the proliferation of big data has made powerful consumer insights available to organizations of all sizes. For airports, these new insights into human movement and behavior are the key to unlocking untapped revenue opportunities and making data-led strategic decisions that will shape the future of aviation in our communities.

While legacy data is and will continue to be a critical component of running a successful airport, it’s time to ask yourself if it’s really enough to grow a thriving airport in a world where passengers have more choices than ever before.

In order to drive new revenue streams, innovate processes, and compete with nearby airports, you need a new source of data that can give you a clearer picture of your passengers, who they are, and where they go.

These are the insights that Zartico provides partners. By drawing on the largest commercially available geolocation data stream and pairing it with event intelligence data, we offer a level of visibility that goes miles beyond what airports have traditionally seen.

Consider a few questions:

  • Do you know who is moving through your airport? Where they live? What they do after arriving through your gates? Understanding passengers’ home markets and seeing where they go after flying into your airport opens new opportunities to target marketing efforts and grow footfall.
  • Do you have an eye on future impacts to airport traffic? A single sporting event, festival, or even solar eclipse (hello, April 2024!) can bring a sudden swell of passengers. Knowing what’s ahead gives you time to increase air service or staff up accordingly.
  • How do you measure up against your competitors? How many passengers in your catchment area are choosing a nearby airport instead of yours? And how many inbound fliers are landing elsewhere and driving the final leg to your destination?
  • What about parking? Even small incremental gains in parking utilization can have a big impact on revenue.

Answers to all of these questions and more are now accessible in Zartico’s latest Destination Operating System, ZDOS™ Airport. This strategic planning tool is purpose-built for airports with brand-new insights that address airports’ unique needs.

Our passenger-specific data model facilitates fast, meaningful analysis without the need for technical staff or complex data processing. And ZDOS™ Airport is the only service available that applies machine learning to airport usage data sets to guide marketing, air service development, and content creation.

Get the insights your airport needs for future-focused decision-making — reach out to book a demo of ZDOS™ Airport today.

Mark Summers is Zartico’s General Manager for Airports. He has been involved in commercial aviation for his entire professional career, working with Eastern Airlines, SITA, and Rockwell/Collins Airport Services. He is a former ACI committee member and resides in the Atlanta metro area.

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Overcoming the Challenges of Airport Marketing: Embracing Innovation for Success

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Steve Romme, Co-founder of Airport One, LLC

As a marketer specializing in helping airports grow, I understand the significant challenges airport marketers face. Through this blog post, I will recount my personal journey from frustration to innovation as an airport marketer.

Many years ago, I received a request to assist my local airport to improve its marketing. They needed to reduce leakage and gain more routes. At first, as a consumer-driven marketing expert, I didn’t feel particularly enthusiastic about the idea of marketing an airport. But then, a friend educated me about the immense impact that airports have on their community. She emphasized the direct correlation between the community’s prosperity and the volume of people, commerce, and ideas that flow through its airport.  This realization opened my eyes to the vital role airport directors and marketers play in their communities.  It also motivated me to join them as an airport marketer.

During my early days as an airport marketer, I encountered a significant and recurring frustration. There was no ideal online platform to direct consumers that could effectively guide them towards making an airport-loyal purchase. On one hand, sending consumers directly to a single airline limits their awareness of all the convenient flight options available from the airport and prompts many to explore other airports instead. On the other hand, directing them to online travel agents (OTAs) introduces the risk of promoting rival airports and other uncertainties. Unfortunately, these tradeoffs also inherently diminished the effectiveness of every marketing dollar we invested.

Furthermore, overseeing marketing investments became increasingly challenging due to the lack of purchase data sharing from both airlines and OTAs. This left us unaware of the actual effectiveness of our marketing efforts, and myself even more frustrated as a data-driven marketer.  Without good data, I’ve learned throughout my career that it’s impossible to optimize your advertising creative and placements.

Innovation often emerges from a mix of frustration, motivation, and a stroke of luck. Such was the case when I crossed paths with my co-founder, Stephen Heyes.  We shared a profound passion for travel and a common mission to support local communities. However, unlike me, Stephen was an expert at identifying and applying relevant technologies to everyday business problems. United by our diverse expertise, we created FlyMyAirport™ – an innovative new online platform designed to empower local airports and satisfy consumers. By educating consumers about their best local flight choices, and providing valuable insights to airport marketers through purchase attribution, FlyMyAirport is designed to completely change the way airports market themselves to their local community.  The name itself, “FlyMyAirport,” was deliberately chosen to spark a conversation between airports and their community, including local businesses, urging them to embrace the idea of flying local and contributing to their community’s prosperity.  In summary, creating FlyMyAirport was my way of saying “take that” to all my frustrations as an airport marketer.  Frustration can lead to innovation if you embrace a growth mindset and challenge the status quo no matter what industry you are in.

FlyMyAirport was recently showcased by Aviation Pros in an article titled “Appleton Airport Launches FlyMyAirport | Aviation Pros.” Since then, more airports have chosen FlyMyAirport which you can experience here: FlyMyAirport Demo – Airport One LLC.

 

About the author

Steve Romme is the cofounder of Airport One, LLC, a company operating at the intersection of Marketing & Technology, specializing in helping airports grow and their communities thrive.  They are on a mission to get more people to fly locally, reshaping how consumers think about airports and how airports engage consumers.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Airport 5G Update: Leveraging CBRS for Smart Operations

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Stephanie Czaplicki, Boingo Wireless Vice President of Account Management

The next generation of airport wireless is here, improving the passenger experience and accelerating innovation. From biometric ticketing to digital signage, security cameras, mobile concessions and more, airports are undergoing monumental change.

To keep up with passenger demands and operational efficiencies, private 5G has emerged as a go-to solution for airport IT teams. Airports must provide reliable, secure and fast connectivity for passengers and staff. Private 5G, leveraging CBRS spectrum, rises to the challenge. Providing extensive bandwidth and increased latency—working alongside existing public cellular distributed antenna systems (DAS) and Wi-Fi—private 5G enables secure on-premise data management and uninterrupted coverage for critical operations.

While Wi-Fi has solidified its rightful place in an airport’s network infrastructure, Wi-Fi alone can no longer handle the multifaceted demands of passenger mobile traffic and myriad connected IoT devices. And, when it comes to connected devices for critical airport operations such as biometric checkpoints and advanced cameras, security is a chief concern.

Private 5G networks complement existing public Wi-Fi networks, providing the added security and bandwidth needed. The 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) shared spectrum plays an essential role in unlocking the full potential of private wireless. Utilizing the shared spectrum, airports can quickly and cost-effectively isolate mission-critical connectivity solutions, keeping public networks separate from private ones. Private CBRS networks are flexible, scalable and fully optimizable for unique demands. Furthermore, the favorable mid-band spectrum can be more cost effective than traditional licensed LTE.

With the right technology, 5G can bring an environment to life. Take, for example, the state-of-the-art converged network Boingo designed and deployed at Newark Liberty International Airport’s new Terminal A, featuring Wi-Fi 6, cellular DAS, and private LTE over CBRS. The Boingo Private Network supports daily activity on the airport apron, including airside and outdoor areas where aircraft are parked, loaded and unloaded, refueled, boarded and maintained. This network solution provides a cost-effective deployment for outdoor connectivity in a tough to access area requiring extensive bandwidth for connected devices.

Private networks are much-talked about today by airport IT teams nationwide. They are also a network solution with a history of proven success. Boingo Wireless launched the first CBRS airport private network at Dallas Love Field in 2018. Since then, private 5G and LTE networks have been successfully launched by Boingo at several large venues including: Petco Park, home to the MLB San Diego Padres, to power outdoor mobile point-of-sale transactions; Chicago O’Hare Airport for touchless wayfinding; and, the United States Naval Air Station Whidbey Island where a private 5G network is supporting Department of Defense base operations and mission-critical naval functions.

An airport’s 5G network should be designed to offer fast, reliable, and secure connectivity to passengers and airport staff, while also being flexible, scalable, and able to integrate with existing systems. While these requirements may sound lofty and difficult to achieve simultaneously, CBRS private networks check all the boxes and make airport digital transformation possible. Learn how private 5G and CBRS can benefit your airport by visiting  boingo.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

 

ACI-NA Private Wireless Working Group

The ACI-NA Private Wireless Working Group provides a platform for ACI-NA members to discuss the existing Private Wireless landscape, share information on CBRS technology, review use cases for this technology, and consider some potential collaboration between airports and other stakeholders to position the airport industry for the future.

 

Airports Council International – North America Airport Insights Report

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Isaac Pato, Data Analyst; Jon Jager, Solutions Engineer; and Loretta Manning, Digital Marketing at Cirium.

 

Airports Council International – North America regularly provides industry intelligence: research, reports and resources which helps its members stay ahead of the curve and better serve their passengers, customers, and communities. Toward that end, Cirium, in collaboration with ACI-NA, utilizes comprehensive data sets such as schedules, flight status, aircraft configuration, ownership data and many more, to produce the Airports Council International – North America Airport Insights Report. Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics for travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines and financial institutions, among others. The aim of this Report is to bring in-depth insights to the airport community.

With this monthly report, it is ACI-NA’s and Cirium’s goal to provide useful insights which will equip airports with information needed to see trends and comparisons as a snapshot now, and recent trends over time, as well as forecasts.

With this data, airport stakeholders will better understand flight schedules, operations, and airport and airline trends focused on the region with a global snapshot for comparison. The report includes:

  • Top 4 U.S. and Top Canadian Airports and Airlines by Seat Volume
  • Seats by Week trends
  • % of Daily Flights Cancelled
  • New Routes added and Seats by Cabin Class trends
  • Forecast seats for the next two months broken down by regional and global seats

Sample Report insights

From the April 2023 report

In the above graph we see that global cancellations have trended significantly lower in response to China’s COVID recovery.

Of course, a large factor of the cancellation trend is seen in the above non-NA airlines seat volumes graph above. (The report also includes Top NA airline seat volumes.)

Three Chinese airlines, China Southern Airlines (CZ), China Eastern Airlines (MU), and Air China Limited (CA), have doubled their seat capacity year-over-year, as shown by the black line (100% difference). Meanwhile, the bar charts indicate that these three carriers are adding seat volume on a week-over-week basis, likely indicating that Chinese recovery is still in progress.

In comparison, IndiGo (6E) and Ryanair (FR) both show modest year-over-year growth, consistent with normal operations.

 

Airlines continue to grow

This chart shows new direct flight routes added this month in North America. It is helpful to see where carriers are focused on expanding their networks.

Because we use an entire 12-month period preceding the current month, these route additions are more likely attributable to genuine expansion rather than seasonal operations.

 

 

 

 

Forecasting seats


In the report, we also show seats forecasted – two months ahead. We see how agile airlines are making changes all the time up to the last minute.

Airports need to see forecasts for many reasons, including:

  • billing
  • budgeting
  • planning
  • staffing
  • and more

Look for the Airports Council International – North America Airport Insights Report each month in the Centerlines newsletter. Download the May Report now.

Meeting Sustainability Goals with Innovative Financing Models

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Ramsey Nuwar, Johnson Controls

Airports across North America and on a global scale have committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but securing the funding to achieve that goal can feel daunting to airport leaders and stakeholders with competing priorities capturing their attention and resources. Through conversations with leaders at airports of varying sizes, I’ve come to realize that the funding options available for sustainable infrastructure upgrades are not common knowledge.

As airports work to get their budgets back up to speed following a major drop in air travel in 2020 and as they brace for a potential economic recession, many facilities don’t have the financial capabilities to fund large-scale projects completely out of pocket. Ironically, it’s these projects that improve airport efficiency, comfortability, safety and sustainability that will attract more travelers in the long run.

Working with a trusted partner for guidance and expertise can help decisionmakers understand their options and their eligibility for non-traditional funding mechanisms, how best to leverage available funding options and how to attain the best possible return on investment.

Project funding can come in many shapes and forms and can be catered to each airport’s unique needs. Some options include:

  • Performance contracting: Under a performance contract, guaranteed energy savings are used to fund infrastructure improvement projects over a set period of time.
  • A transfer of project ownership: This would allow an airport to transfer ownership and the associated risks of their energy management program to a partner’s team of experts.
  • Private-public partnership (P3): P3 agreements allow publicly funded organizations to collaborate with a partner to maintain a fixed cost of occupancy throughout the contract.
  • Contingent payment program: Under a contingent payment program, the partner would take on the risk of financing infrastructure projects. Upon completion, airports can make scheduled quarterly payments over a set term to maintain a flatlined budget.

With aging infrastructure, comes higher greenhouse gas emissions and greater environmental impacts. Through retrofitting projects with a trusted partner on board, airports are able to assess where their immediate needs are through an intake on the state of their heating, cooling, lighting systems and beyond and address the most urgent updates first for the greatest impact and return on investment.

The Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport in Rome for example, is on track to meet their 2030 decarbonization goals with the help of Johnson Controls guidance and solutions. Through this partnership, the airport has achieved a 52% reduction in energy consumption. Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport was also the first airport in Europe to receive its ISO 50001:2018 energy management certification and reach the highest level of Airport Carbon Accreditation, Level 4+ ‘Transition’.

As we all know, inflation isn’t slowing down and the price of materials will continue to rise. Don’t cut your project short or wait until you’ve generated enough capital to fully fund projects outright, consider all of the funding opportunities available to meet set sustainability goals and create a healthier space for your travelers, employees and community to enjoy for years to come.

To learn more about Johnson Controls transportation offerings, contact Ramsey Nuwar at ramsey.nuwar@jci.com, or visit https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/industries/transportation.

 

Director of Johnson Controls Transportation Market, Ramsey Nuwar has spent the last 15 years focused on North American airports, providing leading edge building technology, passenger solutions and support systems.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Passive Optical Network offers high-speed, future-proof and energy-efficient connectivity at Orlando International Airport’s new terminal

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By John Hoover, Marketing Director, Tellabs

Orlando International Airport’s new Terminal C had an initial opening in September 2022, greater fanfare in the December 2022 time frame and has been in full flight ever since. They have published a few announcements touting how they are “one of the first North American airports to install a Passive Optical Network (PON), utilizing fiber-optic technology to create a high-speed, future-proofed, energy-efficient IT system.”

As the PON equipment provider at DFW, ORD, LGA, CDG and MCO, it seems fitting to expand on the reasons why this innovative fiber-based network is high-speed, future-proof and energy-efficient.

  • High-Speed – This fiber-first design promotes the use of optical cables to transmit data across far reaching distances and significantly limits the use of traditional copper cables. Orlando International Airport is one of the first airports to use an Optical LAN with symmetrical 10 gigabit speeds to extend Ethernet connectivity miles across a passive network. Better yet, all that fiber cabling installed today at the airport has no known theoretical bandwidth capacity limitation. Now that’s high-speed and from a sustainability standpoint, that cable will never need to be replaced (i.e., think back and remember all the times copper CATx cable had to be removed in favor of a newer faster CATx – never more!). Now that segues nicely into our next topic.
  • Future-Proof – The 10 gigabit PON technology is based on wave-division-multiplexing that can stack optical transmission over different colors of light without interference. That allows for 1 gigabit and 10 gigabit PON to use the same fiber cable and infrastructure, plus future 40 gigabit and 100 gigabit versions can be added without conflict. Additionally, the optical to electrical endpoints are equipped today with multi-gigabit Ethernet pluggable optics, so they can grow from 1 gig to 2.5 gig to 5 gig and even 10 gigs as needed in the future (i.e., now think of the future bandwidth needed to connect Wi-Fi 7 access points).
  • Energy-Efficient – It has been well documented how these optical LANs can reduce energy consumption, both electrical consumption and the rippling effect of lowering impact on building air conditioning. For Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C, as a result of the extended reach over fiber optic cabling, they were able to reduce the number of communications rooms required for their IT systems. With fewer communications rooms, the airport is saving energy on both lower power and less HVAC. Even better yet, the airport was able to convert that real estate footprint, saved by eliminating communications rooms, to revenue generating purposes (e.g., lease that space back to retailers and vendors).

If you’d like to learn more about airports’ use of Passive Optical LANs, be sure to speak with one of the Tellabs’ airport connectivity specialists (table 18) at the 2023 Airports@Work conference at the Sheraton Grande Seattle in Seattle, Washington from April 24 – 27.

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About the author

John Hoover is a marketing director at Tellabs and board director for the Association for Promoting Optical LAN (APOLAN). Over the past 20 years, John has influenced industry milestones such as early passive optical network deployments, video implementations, and now Passive Optical LAN adoption into enterprise markets.  John Hoover LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.