Every airport has a different view of innovation. Airport innovation can be visionary and can help to solve a specific problem or take advantage of opportunities. Airports are committed to providing world-class customer service, and innovation plays an important role in meeting passengers’ needs and expectations. Airports increasingly understand that a customer-centric, creative approach to operational and financial management is critical for success.
Adjusting to and planning for the ever-changing airport environment is increasingly difficult. To move beyond innovation as a mere buzzword and tap into its transformative potential, airports understand that it’s more than just technology – it’s a process centered on people that requires a culture shift and executive-level commitment.
ACI-NA offers a variety of airport innovation resources to help our members stay ahead of the curve to best serve their passengers, customers, and communities.
Airport Data Portal
The Airport Data Portal Program is a data aggregator that enables third parties (such as airlines and travel apps) to access data from airports in a standardized format using a single portal. This benefits both passengers and airports. Passengers want access to accurate and real-time information from airports that is often provided via third parties.
Aviation Innovation Radar
The Aviation Innovation Radar is an aggregator for technology trends in the aviation industry. It provides an overview of aviation relevant inspirations, trends, and startups in one tool. The Radar allows collaboration for the innovation community to harness the full value of aviation innovation. The Radar is an innovation management online tool that can be used in a variety of ways tailored to your needs.
Airport Innovation Insights
The Airport Innovation Insights looks at the various ways airports across North America address innovation successes and challenges from facilitating a culture of innovation, implementation, to the long-term vision. The goal is to provide an overview of innovation case studies and resources that airports can use to meet their needs.
The ACI-NA Airport Data Portal Program is a data aggregator that enables third parties (such as airlines and travel apps) to access data from member airports in a standardized format using a single portal. This benefits both passengers and airports. Passengers want access to accurate and real-time information from airports that is often provided via third parties. Airports create more collective value participating in the ACI-NA Airport Data Portal Program.
Application Programming Interfaces (API) facilitate the easy exchange of electronic data between third parties. Airport data can reach passengers through airlines and other apps via airport APIs. For example, users can pre-book their car parking or view security checkpoint wait times on airline or travel apps. APIs are a flexible way of delivering airport services to current and future passengers. APIs enable airports to innovate faster and reach new passenger audiences. The collective value to third parties is enhanced when there are multiple airports participating in the Airport Data Portal Program.
Benefits for participating airports include:
- Improve passenger experience with airports creating collective value
- Reduce operating and technical costs, as airports don’t have to develop their own airport external data portals
- Leverage common sharing and economies of scale operating under one portal
- Allow airports to increase value from their digital assets and opportunities for data commercialization
- Facilitate operational efficiency while operating within the existing legal framework
- Promote data standardization
ACI-NA developed a prototype Airport Data Portal for security checkpoint wait times APIs with multiple ACI-NA airport members. Learn More >>
Airports and subscribers must accept the ACI-NA Terms & Conditions to participate in the ACI-NA Airport Data Portal Program.
Please contact us at innovation@airportscouncil.org if you have any questions.
The Aviation Innovation Radar is an aggregator for technology trends in the aviation industry. The Radar provides an overview of aviation relevant inspirations, trends, and opportunities in one tool. The platform allows collaboration for the innovation community to harness the full value of aviation innovation. The Radar is an online innovation management tool that can be used in a variety of ways tailored to your needs.
ACI-NA and Detecon Consulting partnered to offer the Aviation Innovation Radar (beta version) for a limited time to ACI-NA Airport and WBP/Associate members.
The Aviation Innovation Radar offers users access to:
- Inspirations – Short introduction to new topics.
- Trends – Assessment of trends in terms of relevance for organizations.
- Opportunities – Information on startups or products which are related to a specific trend.
The benefits of using the Aviation Innovation Radar include:
Trend Scouting: Continuously screen trends, technologies, and startups to provide information on aviation innovations and keep up with innovation pace.
Latest Information: Content is continually updated, especially with relevant startups.
Tailored Content: Specific trends and opportunities can be added by anyone (as required).
Flexibility: New inspirations, trends, and opportunities can be added to the tool and tracked.
Relevant Outputs: View and filter aviation-related content.
Maintaining an overview of the steadily rising number of information sources is an enormous challenge. Merely relying on PowerPoint and Excel alone is behind the times. These traditional tools are neither dynamic nor flexible enough to keep up with the speed of innovation in today’s world. They don’t have the functionality to enable collaborative use in an organization, and that makes them unsuitable for the innovation process. Successful trend and innovation management are important for organizations, but also involves a lot of effort.
With the Aviation Innovation Radar, organizations have access to a valuable digital tool that can unlock the full potential of aviation innovation because individually monitoring the latest inspirations, trends, and opportunities can be challenging for every organization.
ACI-NA Airport and WBP/Associate members can sign up for free to the Aviation Innovation Radar. After signing up, you will receive an email within 24 hours with your login information to access the Aviation Innovation Radar.
The Aviation Innovation Radar is a beta version, please contact us at innovation@airportscouncil.org if you have any feedback or suggestions for improvements that we can make to future versions.
The Airport Innovation Insights looks at the various ways airports across North America address innovation successes and challenges from facilitating a culture of innovation, implementation, to the long-term vision. There are different industry resources focused on airport innovation available to airports, whether an airport has an established innovation program or is at the start of their innovation journey. The Airport Innovation Insights provides case studies and relevant information that can help airports to focus on the organizational and structural variables that are necessary for airports to embrace an innovative culture and the ability to leverage innovation and resources.
Innovation at Airports in North America White Paper
ACI-NA and Detecon Consulting partnered on a white paper to examine airport innovation enablers and barriers. The white paper provides detailed case studies from over 10 ACI-NA member airports, with a focus on internal and external programs or projects at each airport. The white paper assesses airport innovation strategies, innovation culture, organizational structures, resource management, employee engagement innovation programs, and external innovation partnerships. Download the White Paper >>
A Guide to Developing a Culture of Innovation at Airports (ACRP 01-47)
The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) is an industry-driven, applied research program that develops near-term, practical solutions to problems faced by airport operators. ACRP is expected to publish a research report to provide a guide toward fostering and sustaining a culture of innovation within the airport environment. The final report is expected to be released in 2021. Learn More >>
New Experience in Travel and Technologies (NEXTT)
NEXTT is a joint IATA and ACI World initiative and is all about creating a common vision for the future of air transport. Air transport is not just about the flight, it’s about the complete journey from home to the end destination. NEXTT examines the elements that will likely transform the complete end-to-end journey over the next 20 years. Learn More >>
The focus of NEXTT is on three emerging concepts:
- Off-airport activities: NEXTT will explore the possibilities of transferring on-site processes off-site, such as security processing and baggage check and drop-off, to streamline the airport experience.
- Advanced processing technology: NEXTT will investigate how advance processing technology, such as tracking and identification technology, automation and robotics can improve safety, security, the customer experience, and operational efficiency.
- Interactive decision making: NEXTT will promote the better use of data, predictive modeling and artificial intelligence to facilitate real-time decision-making, a key element in improving the passenger experience and optimizing operational efficiency.
