In the third of our series of What, Why, How, When and Where blogs, we explore Operational Efficiency Planning in airports, another one of our key services.
What
Increasing demand for air travel, followed by ever-stricter airport security regulations, means that airport capacity is often stretched beyond its limits. AiQ’s holistic approach to airport capacity planning allows us to view challenges from all angles, providing capacity solutions that the client may not have considered, and, more often than not, providing insights that increase their operational efficiency without the need for additional investment. It is vital to have an efficient airport operation in order to maintain profitability and competitiveness, and we help them achieve this.
We provide Operational Efficiency Planning by assisting airports to utilise the following resources in cost-effective way:
Terminal building:
- Check-ins
- Security
- Stand gates
- Immigration/ Emigration
- Retail areas etc
Infrastructure:
- Runways
- Taxiways
- Aprons
- Maintenance hangers
- Cargo terminals
Some of the Operational Performance and Efficiency Indicators we use include the number of flights, passengers and bags lost; the baggage delivery time and queue times/lengths at Check-in, Security, Immigration and so on.
Why
We make your airport more cost-effective by finding improvements to current processes. Our team have vast experience in analysing schedules, processors, and process behaviour to increase capacity and effectiveness.
Airports need to generate profit by driving cost-effective operations and remaining competitive, by providing excellent customer services to all users. With our solutions for operational efficiency, we allow you to respond to changing demand by reorganising and streamlining core airport processes.
How
AiQ Consulting have first-hand experience in airport operations at one of the world’s busiest hubs; London Heathrow. We know that airport operations efficiency is only achieved by Collaborative Decision Making. We, therefore, use our expertise in stakeholder management to ensure we establish an open channel of communication at all levels with all stakeholders. Doing so enables us to achieve desired goals with minimum conflict whilst ensuring all concerned parties can raise issues that otherwise may not be dealt with.
As well as our skills in Project Management and with Stakeholders, our team also consists of engineers, airport planners, applied mathematicians and computer programmers. Using our technical knowledge and bespoke 2D modelling simulation software, we capture all the data required from your airport. Then, using our experience, we draw out where efficiencies can be made.
When
Airport operations can be improved anytime. Once you have identified your key objectives for the future, we can help you achieve your goals. Whether it involves reviewing schedules to plan/simulate passenger throughput at check-ins or through security; or improving the transfer process by helping to reduce the number of missed bags; we draw out where efficiencies can be made.
Where
One example of Operational Efficiency Planning was Heathrow’s Inter Terminal Passenger Coaching Operations. Using a Stochastic model, we were able to understand the fluctuations and variations that surround a typical day’s activity for Inter Terminal Passenger Coaching and were able to demonstrate that deploying coaches from previously under-utilised routes would improve the efficiency of the operation without the need for extra vehicles, staff or related maintenance.
We have also demonstrated our skills in Operational Efficiency Planning for Terminal One MUPs and Terminal Three Airside Operations. For the T3IB Project, HAL asked us to determine the difference in road traffic flows at defined points between the S11 and the proposed S14 road infrastructure. We developed a simple simulation model integrating Schedule, aircraft Stand, Road Network, Vehicle Parking and Loading/Unloading points) based on baggage, passenger and other handling services derived using our bespoke Transvision AiR tool. HAL was then able to act upon our advice and optimise their road traffic network successfully for S14
For more information about our solutions to operational efficiency planning, contact us today.