Category - IT/Communications

3 Strategies for Keeping Customer Wi-Fi Humming at Peak Performance

There's no denying it: cell phones, laptops and tablets are officially ubiquitous. According to SAP, there were more mobile devices than people on Earth at the end of 2013.

Daytona Beach Int'l Hits Mother Lode When Mining Zip Code Data

Commercial airports certainly know where their travelers are going; but many don't know where they are coming from. Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) in Florida has been tracking such information for about six years, and officials enjoy the rewards that come with being in the know: more targeted advertising campaigns and stronger appeals for additional airline service.

Mobile Passport App Eases Congestion at Miami Int'l

In February, customers at Miami International Airport (MIA) began using a new mobile app designed to ease long lines at U.S. Customs stations. Although data is still being collected, preliminary reports indicate that wait times have been cut in half.

Midway Streamlines Preventive Maintenance with New Asset Management System

Midway International Airport (MDW) is upping its game when it comes to tracking and maintaining assets both inside the terminal and on the airfield. Skyline Management Group, the Chicago airport's property management firm, purchased a Web-based system for managing preventive and on-demand maintenance in late 2012; and company officials report that it is saving time and money alike.

McCarran Extends Wi-Fi Access to Ramp & Beyond

Ten years ago, McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas became one of the first U.S. airports to offer passengers free Wi-Fi inside its terminal. Now, the airport is beaming Wi-Fi outside, to passengers sitting on its ramps in arriving and departing aircraft.

Beacons Offer Bridge to Common Goal of Customer Service

Beacon technology is nothing new, but the way it is being implemented at airports certainly is. Phil Easter, director of mobile apps at American Airlines, says that beacons build a bridge between the airport authority and the airlines by providing information that benefits both, and, most importantly, benefits their common customers, the passengers.

Denver Int'l Improves Efficiency, Reduces Costs With Building Information Modeling

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is nothing new at Denver International Airport (DEN). Colorado's busiest airport has used the advanced computer-modeling method for years, investing millions of dollars to collect countless bits of data about its facilities and assets. But these days, it's taking BIM to a whole new level by using the process to develop an incredibly detailed 3-D virtual model of the airport.

Mobile Mapping Maximizes Efficiency of Pavement Program at Houston Intercontinental

To better define future pavement needs and to establish more effective asset management strategies, the Houston Airport System recently completed an assessment of 100% of the runways and taxiways at three locations: George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport.

Airports Get Social on Facebook and Twitter

The average A380 is said to contain 450 smartphones, 213 laptops and 207 tablets. And the passengers carrying them continually leave imprints on social media sites around the world.

High-Tech Strategies for Lease Management

Managing airport leases inherently requires a lot of recordkeeping. Even for a basic T-hangar, airports must document specific dimensions, features and improvements. Necessary tenant information includes the type of plane, amount of rent, payment dates and current proof-of-insurance. Multiply all that by 200 or 300 hangars, and the task becomes daunting for smaller airports with limited staff and budgets.

New Boarding Pass Scanners Guide Passengers to Gates & Concessions at Boston Logan

What began as a digital signage initiative at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) has evolved to include an industry first: boarding pass scanners that help direct passengers to their gates and deliver information about flight updates and concessions' options along the way. The innovative wayfinding/flight information/marketing combo is not only improving the passenger experience at BOS, it's also inspiring airports around the country to follow suit.

Self-Boarding Gates Garner Positive Reviews at McCarran Int'l

After approximately 18 months with new self-boarding gates operating in Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, sources there report that the state-of-the-art machines have been well received by both airlines and passengers.

South Carolina Creates Software to Facilitate Airport-Friendly Development

The South Carolina Aeronautics Commission (SCAC) is developing a software program to help local land-use planners assess whether proposed commercial and residential developments are compatible with airport operations and safety zones.

Columbiana Airport Swaps Light Pole Real Estate for Internet Service

Columbiana County Airport is a small two-runway facility in rural Ohio with 28 aircraft based on the field. But that doesn't stop it from providing high-speed Internet access to its customers. The airport secured the much-needed, but costly-to-add, service through a barter arrangement with a nearby Internet provider.

Raleigh Memorial Funds Initial Research of Unmanned Air Traffic Advisory System

That was the enthusiastic reaction as stakeholders and other curious observers watched the initial demonstration of an unmanned air traffic advisory system at Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) in mid-July. While many are quick to dub the system a "virtual tower," its developer is quick to point out an important distinction: The Synthetic Air Traffic Advisory System (SATAS) advises pilots of potential conflicts in the airspace and on the airfield so they can act accordingly; it does not direct pilots the way actual air traffic controllers do.

Miami Int'l Debuts Free Video Streaming- in English and Español

Miami International Airport (MIA) has provided news, weather and stock market updates to visitors in gate holdrooms via the CNN Airport Network for roughly two decades. Airport officials have long realized that the service wasn't serving one of MIA's dominant demographic groups: Spanish-speaking customers.

San Diego Int'l Bolsters its Technology Backbone

Significant technology upgrades - both seen and unseen - figure prominently into the Green Build expansion of Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport (SAN), which celebrated its grand opening in August. The $30 million investment in technology was designed to ensure that the facility operates at peak performance for airlines, passengers and its operator, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

McCarran Int'l Debuts Ultra High-Definition Sign

It's strange to see travelers stop and take pictures of an airport sign, but it's actually a common occurrence at McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas. The facility's new 84-inch ultra high-definition display is "stunning, not only in terms of clarity and rendering, but also in color," explains the airport's assistant director of aviation, Information Systems, Samuel Ingalls.

Bob Hope Airport Begins Online Data Collection to Lay Foundation for Safety Management System

When the FAA issued a draft advisory circular about integrated safety management systems (SMS) in late June, Bob Hope Airport (BUR) was already planning for it. By July, the Burbank, CA, facility had a new data collection system in place to help prepare for the anticipated mandate.

Pittsburgh Int'l Combines Two Software Packages to Integrate Airfield Reporting

When the weather is deteriorating and pilots need accurate, up-to-date runway condition reports, the time it takes to create and forward manual reports can be costly. Incorrect or stale information can lead to incorrect decisions, which, in turn, can lead to disastrous results.

Leveraging Technology for Asset Management

With about 2 million square feet of interior space, nine separate buildings and 3,000+ pieces of equipment under its purview, the facilities maintenance department at Spokane International Airport in Washington (GEG) has a lot of ground to cover. Its wide variety of duties - from preventive maintenance on the HVAC system and snow removal to unclogging restroom toilets and changing baggage belts - used to be managed on a rudimentary whiteboard. Assignments were listed and then crossed off or erased.

Wireless Win-Win-Win: New Hybrid Wi-Fi Services Appeal to Airports, Passengers & Wireless Providers

Two years ago, Airport Improvement explored the debate about whether airports should offer guests free Wi-Fi service or charge fees for access. Today, travelers often feel entitled to some level of free wireless services, and that trend is forcing some airport managers to rethink their wireless strategies.

Are You Ready for the Airport Webolution?

Airports are hotspots of mobile technology. Business and casual travelers alike peck away at smartphones and other electronic portables as they converge from countless directions, only to leave a few minutes later in different directions. They incessantly gaze at their LCD screens to read a text, update their Facebook page, check a website or simply to relax with a game or book.

DOT Grant Splits Cost of Shared-use System

A recently installed shared-use system at Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) has all the markings of being a "sweet" deal for both the Indiana airport and its airline tenants.

Common-Use Passenger Processing & Smart Technology Permeate Terminal B

The new Terminal B at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) opened for operations in early October, travelers, tenants and airlines stepped into a state-of-the-art facility. The new information technology system that was installed replaces elements that had been online since 1967.

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