Schiphol to Expand Predictability Technology to Make Passenger Journeys more Seamless
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol´s investment in the Veovo BlipTrack Guest Predictability solution has resulted in some significant and positive changes to the way Schiphol understands passenger movement and has led to considerable experiential improvements.
At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, which serves as a transit hub for over 300 destinations, passenger numbers have skyrocketed from 50 million in 2011, to almost 70 million in 2017. Playing host to 107 airlines, and with six runways, 90 gates, heavily used road infrastructure and capacity constraints, Schiphol’s passenger management challenges are considerable.
> Multiple challenges, one holistic solution
The airport continually needs to accommodate these rapidly increasing passenger volumes, avoid safety breaches, comply with changing regulations, keep staff happy, expand capacity and ensure that passengers enjoy a pleasant airport experience.
Insight and collaboration are essential to resolve and prevent these ongoing challenges, to which Schiphol relies on data gathered by the Veovo BlipTrack Guest Predictability solution. Its combination of sensors and data-processing analytics software provides real-time passenger movement information, to proactively manage and improve the flow.
Initially, the solution was implemented to provide automatic queue wait time measurements at security processes. With this data on hand, the airport found it was able to quickly and efficiently resolve issues arising from irregularities and disruptions. It also helps them monitor queues, ensuring they stay within their service level agreements.
“At passenger processes, airports must constantly be prepared to respond to increasing passenger numbers and demands. At Schiphol, which constantly battles challenges with capacity, the BlipTrack solution offers a necessary level of service and logistical insights,” says Michiel de Haas, Capacity Manager at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
> The solution that keeps on growing
Since inception, new functionalities have gradually been added, including predicted wait time information, displayed on screens at passenger processing points.
“What travellers want, is to move through all the multiple processing areas as fast as possible, so that they can relax without the pressure of potentially missed flights. Keeping passengers in the loop by providing them with estimated wait times, helps reduce stress levels by creating realistic expectations,” explains Christian Bugislaus Carstens, Marketing Manager at Veovo.
Recently developed hybrid camera/WiFi technology helps the airport to alleviate overcrowding, while passenger flow measurement provides a seamless picture of passenger movement and behaviour throughout the airport. With this information, the airport gains an understanding of how disruptions affect behaviour to improve contingency planning. It also helps the airport add value to existing facilities and make investments that unlock new business opportunities.
“The Veovo BlipTrack solution has helped us manage airport performance with data-driven certainty. With advance predictions of expected passengers and real-time visibility of passenger flow, we can keep security processing quick, and also make holistic decisions on how to create more efficient and more meaningful customer experiences. It has proven very valuable, as it provides continuous, airport-wide visibility and measurements - a feature that other systems do not provide, as they are not able to measure flow for longer periods or through multiple stages of the journey,” explains Eric van´t Veer, Project Manager at Schiphol Group.
> A part of Schiphol´s digital transformation
The cooperation has grown considerably over the years, resulting in continuously improved solutions for both the airport and Veovo. Today, the partnership plays an important part in Schiphol´s predictive approach and digital transformation initiative.
“We are working on the development of a data-driven and proactive approach towards performance management. Having accurate data available on a variety of processes is key. Therefore, we see developments towards a wider network of different sensors and combining information collected by a variety of systems. We want to work towards connecting the different processes we measure today into one single travel pattern,” ends Eric van´t Veer.
“Leveraging the immense amount of data collected by BlipTrack and other data sources enables Schiphol to learn from the past and help predict the future to make informed decisions. It also helps the airport to create a safe and secure environment, unique sense of place, and personalised experiences for everyone – staff, passengers and visitors alike,” says Peter Knudsen, General Manager at Veovo, BlipTrack Guest Predictability.
Today, the solution covers all terminal entrances to the lounges. By the end of 2018, it will include the complete passenger journey from airport entrances to gates, and from gates to airport exits.
