In the fourth of our series of What, Why, How, When and Where blogs, we look at Design Validation and Optimisation in airports. This is one of our key consultancy services.
What
This service allows us to advise airport operators and stakeholders how to use their infrastructure and facilities in a more efficient way. Requiring special competences from our skilled team, such as applied mathematics, as well as our bespoke simulation modelling tool, Transvision Air, we assist airports in improving their operational planning.
Why
There are two reasons why this is so beneficial to our clients.
Firstly it reduces operational costs and the risks of enormous financial commitments for airports. Secondly the service also improves customer experience. For the passengers, using Design Validation and Optimisation helps airport operators keep waiting times to minimum at:
- Check-ins
- Security
- Stand gates
- Immigration/ Emigration
This then ensures satisified passengers, as well as assisting the airport to conform to international standards.
How
Our bespoke simulation tool, Transvision AiR, enables us to plan every part of the terminal. We ensure our clients continuously get the maximum out of their terminal space, by using the tool to project passenger numbers and traffic, and how all parties, including passengers, baggage trollies and PRM buggies, use the terminal.
Along with terminal design validations, we are also able to report on apron and stand designs and recommend optimisation methods, therefore covering the entire airport for maximum efficiency.
As well as examining current designs, our unique tool allows us to test and validate new infrastructures before airports commit to huge investments.
When
Our clients use our service to cope with growing pressure from competing airports. It is important to maintain efficiency and competitiveness, whether it involves infrastructure development or simply more optimised processes. AiQ Consulting allows them to do that by looking at their infrastructure and facilities in a way that can provide more capacity within existing operations.
We also provide consultancy on new terminals and airport expansions. This is very beneficial to airports as they can look at the efficiency of new designs before they have been built, and choose the more efficient of several options, as is usually the case.
Where
AiQ Consulting are currently using Design Optimisation and Validation to augment the capacity of the Passenger Terminal Building of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in India. We are examining the maximum through put capacity that can be handled through the terminal, by redefining the passenger flows and realignment of the facilities without increasing the footprint and other parameters. Using Transvision AiR, we will be able to increase capacity at RGIA, while still maintaining their high standards in terms of passenger journey and ICOA.
Clients have also benefited from these services at Birmingham and Gatwick Airports. In Gatwick, for example, 22 different designs were provided for the South Terminal Baggage Hall. Working with our client, using simulations by Transvision AiR, we were able to prove that the chosen design worked effectively with traffic flows in the baggage hall and apron.
For more information about Design Validation and Optimisation in airports, contact us today.