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Airports incorporate high-tech

Airports incorporate high-tech. If we are talking about technological innovations, airports worldwide already enjoy the installation of technological devices that have been designed to improve the airport experience, from the moment you arrive at the terminal until you reach your destination. 

That’s right, in the past we could mention biometric structures, changes, and new trends in air terminals. 

However, today we will talk about security screening at Leonardo Da Vinci Airport in Rome and, about the implementation of autonomous capsules for people with limited mobility at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, United States. 

Secure carry-on baggage screening…

At Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Rome, the installation of high-tech scanners capable of detecting explosives and narcotics began. Conducted under the Smiths Detection organization, 30 inspection systems will be set up at Leonardo Da Vinci at different checkpoints. 

Smiths Detection’s HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX X-ray technology is capable of producing high-resolution volumetric 3D images to visualize the contents of carry-on baggage. This raises efficiency standards and will help reduce false alarms. 

In addition, with this technology, it will not be necessary to remove electronic items and liquids from baggage, which makes passenger screening optimal and less time-consuming. 

Autonomy for passengers with reduced mobility…

To enable users with reduced mobility to move around the airport with peace of mind, A&K Robotics and Southwest Airlines carried out tests of robotic capsules to assist passengers with limited mobility. 

The tests were conducted in Concourse C at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), USA. This is undoubtedly a great improvement in the travel experience for passengers, where now, thanks to these autonomous electric modules, they will be able to move safely through the airport, reach boarding gates or move around the facilities.

These are just some of the technological innovations that are taken into account worldwide. That is why, to keep pace with the new era, it is necessary to improve and optimize the user experience in air terminals.

Likewise, the administrative infrastructure is also considered fundamental for the development of airports. To this effect, GP NAUTICALS has developed software that can be integrated to meet the needs of air terminals. 

If you want to know more just go to the products section and get to know the AIMS SUITE.

 

The use of biometrics in the aeronautical sector

The future is already here and thanks to the technological advances we are living today, we can use biometrics as a control and access system. Analyzing our facial features or body measurements that make each person a unique human being with specific characteristics.

But what does this process consist of? 

To identify a subject, all that is needed is to compare an incoming image with an image in the database. However, in the aeronautical field, this is a process that must be carried out in real-time and supported by software and a database that provides sufficient security to airport facilities.

 

For this reason, airports that have already implemented technologies like this support it with government databases that support their security personnel while streamlining their passenger check-in processes.

 

Using a passenger access control system with biometrics brings many advantages to the aviation industry, such as speeding up the entry process, making it faster and more efficient, and reducing the probability of identity fraud, since the system will identify the passenger’s features by comparing them with certified databases. 

 

Software without human manipulation, this type of technology and devices used to provide access cannot be manipulated, so the information handled here is secure and reliable. And last but not least hygiene, as the type of devices used for biometric identification or facial recognition, does not require any kind of contact, so it is ideal in these times of pandemic.

 

According to Annet Steenbergen, chair of the passenger facilitation working group at IATA, “The use of the human body as an authentication system will be the salvation to speed up the movement of people in air terminals”. Especially when it is expected that by 2037, more than 8 million passengers will be using airplanes for their transfers, more than twice as many as today.

 

Identification solutions using biometrics or facial recognition not only eliminate manual processes, offer a more satisfactory service for passengers, and reduce their waiting times at the airport but also help airlines and air terminals to comply with government and border agency regulations.

 

So far, the main use of facial recognition technology has been in the check-in areas of airports. However, within the same air terminals, it can also be used to provide privileged access to VIP lounges for frequent travelers, access to restricted areas for airport workers, or to offer specific premium services for those passengers who wish to pay for a more pleasant trip. 

 

At the moment, the implementation of facial recognition in the aviation industry is in its early stages, but we are sure that it will revolutionize the sector and replace many processes that are not so friendly so far.

 

Airport recovery in America

In the middle of the worldwide vacation season, the airport industry in Latin America is looking forward to the growth of airport traffic and the opening of new routes, after a turbulent few years. 

Airports in Central and Latin America such as El Dorado in Colombia, Tocumen Airport in Panama, and airports in Mexico (Cancun, Tijuana, and Los Cabos) are participating in a recovery that increases rapidly during the summer season. 

In addition, airports such as Bariloche Airport in Argentina are also recovering concerning 2019, with rates that exceed the pre-pandemic period. 

The recovery has been 85% in relation to 2019, this is undoubtedly the right time to be able to recover one hundred percent of airport operations, especially during the holiday season. 

As we mentioned in our previous article, the high traffic demand at airports worldwide has generated some chaos, cancellations, lost luggage, long queues, and delays. 

 

And now the big question is, are airports in America prepared in terms of infrastructure?

With the increase in flights and traffic, the facilities are becoming small and outdated. Two years ago, the deterioration of the infrastructure was already visible, so it became a new challenge to improve and update the functionality of airports. 

Some airports, such as Bariloche and El Dorado, are already showing updates in their infrastructure and technological development. Others are already operating to make the necessary improvements. 

That is why, to face the new challenges GP Nauticals presents high-quality technological solutions, which provide specific results in real-time, to make financial and operational decisions optimally. 

This software can be integrated to offer optimal service and manage in the best way the administrative development of an airport, concessions, and airlines. 

Software such as PAX AIMS is ideal for the development and control of passenger traffic through any port facility, using checkpoints to validate the number of passengers entering the airport and generate accurate billing. 

It can also be integrated with other AIMS SUITE products such as AERO AIMS and PAY AIMS, to improve the billing and collection process, through data management and easy-to-use applications. 

 

If you want to know more about our products click HERE

 

Digital transformation in the airport industry

With a continuously growing annual traffic volume, airport facilities commit to digital transformation. But this is not always very easy to implement for a sector that should not stand still, so how do make these changes most optimally without affecting daily operations? 

 

It is the human capital that experiences and addresses firsthand the implementation of technology that is reflected in the mutation and evolution of processes. For this reason, there must be a lot of organization, integration, and continuous collaboration between the board, the workforce, and the technology service provider to make a correct transfer of knowledge thus reducing resistance to change and encouraging active participation in the improvements to be implemented.

 

The continuous training of human capital is a key factor for the success of the digital transformation. Because it allows the management to ensure that all staff have the skills and willingness to work with the proposed new technologies and thus are willing to offer a better service to the end customer.

 

The ally providing the technology services must have extensive knowledge about the aeronautical industry and its standards, as this way they can anticipate their needs and facilitate the process, understanding in advance what is best for them, their times, and their current processes to thus offer the best recommendations related to the sector or even detect new opportunities and market niches.

 

An excellent ally for the aviation industry, for example, is the company GP Nauticals, a U.S. company that develops specialized software for the sector that also has a multidisciplinary team capable of making a correct technology transfer, in addition to guiding managers on the right path by detecting growth opportunities for the industry and offering implementation plans so that new processes do not affect the daily operations of the port or airport. So we invite you to enter their website and get to know everything GP Nauticals has to offer in terms of digital transformation for the aviation sector.

 

WEB: gpnauticals.com

 

AIMS Suite – software dedicated to aeronautics

Today there are great technological advances that provide a great opportunity to introduce important changes in the aviation industry and, that not only affect the manufacture of newer aircraft.

But rather the airport management processes, the administration of resources, and the possibility of offering a more efficient service that can benefit the airport itself and of course the airlines and their passengers.

Imagine the enormous amount of data that an airport handles: the number of passengers transiting through its facilities, routes, number of airlines, contracts, concessions, and employees, of the airport and each airline. This is one of the main reasons why it is important to have specialized software developed to satisfy a specific market niche.

We already know that data management, and analysis can mean the success or failure of a business and in the case of airports specifically helps to optimize processes better. Manage their resources, and even collection platforms, which undoubtedly becomes a better service for passengers. And of course greater benefits for employees, while decreasing their losses.

GP Nauticals is one of these software development companies dedicated to the management of ports and airports, creating a series of products that allow airports to perform a digital transformation with virtually no impact on the airport’s daily activities.

GP Nauticals presented the AIMS Suite, a range of products that can be used together to create a large port management software.

Also, can used individually to meet the needs of a specific niche that requires attention and among all, it can offer the following software.

AERO AIMS: is a software that allows you to collect, manage and process aeronautical operations data, such as radio aids, gates, handling, fuel, permits, visual flights or handle non-aeronautical operations such as contracts, concessions, leases, fixed and variable commissions and taxes.

PAX AIMS: this software allows the airport to have a passenger audit tool, providing real-time information on the number of passengers accessing the airport, and deploying checkpoints to scan boarding passes where concessionaires can validate with their records to proceed to manage check-in.

FUEL AIMS: This software dedicated to the sale of aviation fuel, allows guaranteeing the service while reducing the processing times between suppliers, dealers, and customers, offering a digital platform for the processing and approval of service requests.

ANALYTICS AIMS: last but not least, this software developed by GP Nauticals, offers the opportunity to track, compare and analyze all operational variables. Related to passengers or the different actors operating within the institution such as concessionaires and workers to obtain a risk ratio of what happens in the terminal in real-time.

PAY AIMS: serves to complement any other of the AIMS Suite, GP Nauticals offers airports to have their payment platform, streamlining the processes of generating payment notes, invoicing, and charging in real-time, allowing them to optimize the approval processes.

The American software development company GP Nauticals has dedicated all its efforts in the last decade to creating tools that facilitate and optimize airport processes, allowing a technological transformation of the sector with low-cost investments.

If you want to know in detail what they have to offer, visit their web page https://gpnauticals.com/products/

How does airport management work?

The stay at an airport can be an experience, the excitement at the beginning of a vacation or a business trip will have positive or negative consequences, depending on the case. 

However, behind what we can see, countless processes play a fundamental role in the functioning of an airport.

We see that airports today operate autonomously, thanks to new technologies such as the use of Big Data, IA, and automated software are essential for development today. 

Now, it should be noted that the airport is autonomous, there is no external interference in decisions. That is why airlines work directly with it.

When there is a new alliance with an airline, all aspects are worked under a contract, making clear the terms and conditions between the airport and the airline.

If there is a case in which an airline has accumulated a large debt with the airport, the agreements and, the stipulations of the contract previously made are studied. 

If no agreement is reached between both parties, a higher authority or institution may be notified, to terminate the concession or reach a mutual agreement. 

On the way to automation

Nowadays, large airports manage their administration automatically, the processes of passenger control and check-in, boarding, and much more.

These are handled with specialized software that minimizes the burden and human error, helping to optimize time and support human capital. 

That is why GP Nauticals provides specialized software for each of the parts that make up the administration of an airport.

AERO AIMS is capable of managing aeronautical and non-aeronautical operations such as tax calculation, or centralized digital records and contracts for concessions and stores. 

AERO AIMS is ideal for collecting and processing data from airport operations, as well as effectively managing analytics to minimize errors and highlight the airport’s performance. 

This software can be integrated with other SUITE products such as PAY AIMS, which provides you with payment and airport check-in management options. 

 

If you want to know more about GP Nauticals SUITE, continue reading our blog

 

A new moment for America

Facing the new times has undoubtedly been a great challenge for the aviation sector. Worldwide, recovery is expected to be imminent this year. 

So far this year, restrictions have been lifted, sanitary processes remain, but freedom to travel is becoming more common. People are gradually returning to “normal” life, and airports are looking for new strategies to attract traffic in the sector. 

The recovery has been somewhat delayed due to conflicts in Europe, recent variants of the virus in China, and inflationary pressure. This has led to further restrictions in Europe and Asia. 

North America takes off

The new horizons are clear for the American continent, as air traffic increases exponentially, and it is estimated that, in the case of North America, it will be the region with the greatest recovery worldwide, with 97.79% of demand compared to 2019, according to Bain & Company. 

Like the United States, Mexico is the other country that will see early aeronautical recovery. This is because domestic and international flight operations were maintained and did not restrict air traffic. 

This allowed the impact on tourism to take off considerably after one season. It is estimated that other countries in recovery are Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. 

In the rest of the world, according to Bain & Company statistics, it is estimated that pre pandemic traffic figures will be seen again by the second quarter of 2025. In 2022 it is expected that “the recovery will be 65% and 73% of traffic at pre-pandemic levels”.

New technologies 

Despite the long wait, airports worldwide are committed to improving and embracing new technologies. For the aeronautical sector, finding new ways to adapt has been fundamental in its recovery. 

Part of this is the automation of administrative processes to improve the user and customer experience. This is where GP Nauticals, joins the automation of processes with a SUITE of products dedicated to the aeronautical and maritime sector. 

PAX AIMS is one of our main products which will allow you to audit the number of passengers that circulate in an airport. Cumbersome processes are avoided and waiting times are optimized. This product can be easily integrated with other AIMS SUITE products.

 

If you want to know more, please visit the products section

 

The digital transformation of the aviation industry

After two years of pandemic and despite the economic impact it had in the aeronautical sector. It has become clear the interest of those involved in creating great opportunities to increase investment in technologies that encourage the digital transformation of this important industry.

 The main areas that will be favored by digitalization are the following:

Zero-touch technologies

Many airlines and airports have implemented this type of technology, not only to avoid contagions. But because they facilitate the transit of passengers in airports.

It’s used for the web check-in, self-check-in, unassisted baggage delivery, passenger checkpoints with facial recognition, or simple boarding pass scanners.

All are in the cloud and with data analysis facilities that provide a great tool for decision making and data sharing.

Cybersecurity

Today we see a lot of software and mobile applications that have increased exponentially and are used for the verification of data related to flights, passengers, or simply airport administration. So there is a very high level of vulnerability.

For this reason, cybersecurity has become one of the main investment points.

Payment platforms

In the same vein of adapting to consumer habits and new business models, airlines, airports, and concessionaires have made significant investments to digitize their service offerings.

Which mainly includes payment platforms that facilitate the cancellation of financial obligations throughout the chain within the sector.

Digital transformation is not a new issue for the industry; in fact, it is the second sector, after Oil & Gas, that has made more efforts to stay at the forefront of technology, which drives to improve some operational activities of the business. However, there is a long way to go when it comes to evaluating the maturity of digitalization.

Currently, many startups are continuously working to present solutions that help leverage digitalization.  With various products that will help to revolutionize the industry. Such as the AIMS Suite from GP Nauticals, which offers a range of possibilities about airport administrative systems.

 

Positive outlook for Latin American aviation

The years of uncertainty for the aviation sector seem to be in the past after two years of threats and recovery, the outlook for airlines and airports looks favorable. 

Many were on red alert due to the Omicron variant, but it did not impede the favorable recovery of the airport sector, it only remained a moment of alarm. 

However, it can be observed that airlines are once again investing in their fleets. Flights that had been suspended are being resumed and, at the same time, new routes are being opened. 

Airports continue to seek comfort for users and are constantly searching for new alternatives to protect travelers. 

In the case of Latin America, José Ricardo Botelho, CEO and executive director of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) reported that the airport sector in Latin America and the Caribbean “is 30% below 2019 levels and 50% above 2020 levels,” according to a November 2021 passenger traffic report

Increase in passenger traffic…

Colombia exceeded the goal of 30 million passengers during 2021, where the airports that mobilized the most passengers were Bogota Airport with 22,091,102 passengers, Rionegro with 7,916,646 passengers, and Cali with 5,211,765 passengers. 

At the same time, Civil Aeronautics authorized 97 new routes connecting different destinations nationwide. Internationally connections were authorized from other airports to 90 outbound destinations from the United States, Chile, Brazil, and other countries in Central America, South America, and North America. 

In Panama, the opening flow is 85% above countries such as Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Thanks to the progress of vaccination, Panama’s tourism is favored. Likewise, José Ricardo Botelho affirms: “We are working to bring back the flow of passengers and reactivate tourism in Panama. The country has great potential with its geography, history, and natural attractions. 

On the road to automation… 

Although the recovery of airports in Latin America is favorable, there are challenges that no one can expect. With the opening of new routes and the increase in passenger traffic, sanitation and contagions are becoming a challenge. 

However, thanks to the automated processes of GP Nauticals’ SUITE, PAX AIMS becomes a low-touch solution for boarding ticket validation, thanks to the checkpoints, ticket scanning will avoid crowds and virus contagions.

It also helps to lay the groundwork for the automation of processes for advance migration lists and the financial control of airport passenger fees. 

Automated processes are undoubtedly a competitive advantage, which can overcome such challenges at the level of controls and administrative processes. 

That is why GP Nauticals’ SUITE allows you to centralize and automate the airport’s invoice control and collection processes. To create strategic and consolidated alliances for the constant improvement of the airport sector. 

 

Technological evolution at airports

We all wait for the future to come, yet we live in it. During of the pandemic, we were to observe that transformations at the technological level are irreversible. The impact of technological progress has given rise to new opportunities for change and what seemed distant is now part of our daily environment.

Although the airport sector was one of the most affected, new opportunities for transformation and growth have been generated. 

Technological innovations have been the protagonists that have emerged along the way to safeguard the health of passengers, being a fundamental resource for the end of travel restrictions around the world.

It’s expected that over the next few years, airports will adopt new technological forms to adapt to the behavior of users. Given the evolution, they have experienced this in recent times.

We are talking about new forms of entertainment, administrative invoicing, sanitary requirements, concessions to stores, franchises, and more… It is a time when paper processes will be left aside to make way for digital and automated processes.

Given the new challenges that the airport sector may face, omnichannel sales will be the main protagonists in a few years. The physical space will remain to strengthen the experience, but the purchase processes will be automatic.

According to a study carried out by the company Bain & Company, it shows that “omnichannel customers spend twice as much as customers of physical stores and have a satisfaction index twice as high”.

About the above, you may ask yourself: What does it have to do with strengthening the airport sector?

For airport administrators and executives, it becomes an advantage to obtain non-confidential information from users. This is to automate the boarding processes, registrations, delays, entries, and exits, all in one place.

Although physical establishments will not disappear, these will be the strengthening vehicle to improve passenger experiences, and if you add the window of automated processes, that experience will be more enriching. That is why airports will need to work on their focus on improving budgets for digital enhancements.

A palpable example is the GP Nauticals suite that manages to integrate various automated services, which are adjusted to the digital transformation needs of the airport and nautical sector.

With a tool like AERO AIMS, through its management module for monitoring and recording the sales of your commercial dealers (stores), you can evaluate the performance of each one, as well as the type of item it is.

Of more interest to passengers in transit through each terminal, which allows the institution to reinforce commercial and marketing strategies that support its clients.

Additionally, the PAX AIMS service allows the audit of passengers that can be found in the airport facilities. To improve the processes of boarding and passenger control, as well as compliance with the health requirements to which they may be subject.

All this through checkpoints that allow boarding passes to be scanned, speed up validations for duty-free purchases, and in one way or another allow dealers to validate boarding lists automatically and accurately.

It can also be integrated with the other SUITE services that will support you in digital transformation.

 

If you want to know more about our services, do not hesitate to contact us: GP Nauticals.