Effective Asset Replacement for Airports

Asset replacement is an essential and continuous task for airports to remain secure and efficient. Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) replacement has been driven by new security standards with ECAC Standard 3 requiring much of the existing screening equipment to be replaced. An increase in demand for Early Bags Storage (EBS) may force the requirement to upgrade for increased efficiency and capacity. Whilst adopting new technologies for check-in and baggage systems have created the need to replace older equipment and updated processes. Read More »

How new technology is creating smart airports – Part one

Airports are investing more and more into new technologies that enhance and improve the passenger journey, and for good reason. Not only do these new technologies increase efficiency, but passengers also have now come to expect these types of tech, from the Internet of Things (IoT) to biometrics to drones, as part of their daily lives. Read More »

New Contracts for Autumn 2016

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AiQ Consulting are proud to announce three new contracts for Autumn 2016.

Heathrow Terminal 5

AiQ are providing support for the ECAC Std 3 HBS Replacement Program at Heathrow Terminal 5 for MACE. For this mandatory security upgrade requirement for 2018, we have been awarded the contract to Benchmark the Performance and Functionality of the HBS System, prior to replacement of 29 HBS machines. Further, AiQ are undertaking Capacity and Performance assessments, on an ongoing basis, which in turn inform the replacement Mitigation Phasing Plans, to assure Stakeholders that performance will not be degraded during and after the assets are replaced.

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Delivery at Heathrow – How could AiQ Consulting have helped?

We are in the privileged position of having a great team here at AiQ, and even more so when we are joined by new recruits that bring with them useful and enlightening experience and case studies. Adrian Stratta, who has recently joined the team, is one of those individuals. We’ve been lucky enough to get an overview from him of one of his recent projects, with an indication to where potential uplift could have been achieved had AiQ applied their tools and insight. Read More »

Heathrow Terminal 2 Opens – Successful completion of the AiQ MUP Planning Contract

Following a lot of hard work by all involved, Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 opens this week.

Described as an extraordinary new space in its own right, it has been “designed from the outset with the needs of the individual passenger at its heart and with sustainability as a guiding principle.” (www.heathrowairport.com)

Moving partner airlines closer together to improve flight connections and passenger experience was central to the vision behind this amazing new terminal, and AiQ were part of the team to make that happen.

We were awarded the contract for Terminal 2 MUP Planning in February, as part of our work for MACE. This involved creating live allocation plans for the make up for Terminal 2 in preparation for the opening. Revised schedules, airlines moving from T3 to T2, and ground handler contract changes, all added to the challenging conditions. Requirement to use the older T1 baggage systems to service the new T2 baggage systems, constraining makeup resources, was also a key concern.

Our expert knowledge of airport operations, capacity planning and stakeholder management ensured that the project was completed and extremely successful.

We coordinated with the ground handlers and all operational elements, including the Aviation Business Continuity Consultancy who ran and managed the actual trails. We also worked with the Baggage Handling Systems department of Babcock International, Menzies Aviation and United Airlines handling.

As well as designing and co-ordinating the project in the run up to the opening of the new Terminal, we were also present on the day of the trails, which were very successful.

We were honoured to be part of such a ground-breaking vision of airport capacity and efficiency, and look forward to more projects with Heathrow in the months and years to come.

To find out more about our work with Heathrow, read our case studies or contact us today.

Will growth wait for the airport debate?

A few weeks ago Colin Matthews, the Chief Executive of Heathrow, wrote in the Telegraph about how the airport, and the UK’s export trade, is missing out on connections to growth regions while the debate about airport expansion rumbles on.

“To meet its potential, Britain needs to be connected with the regions where growth is surging ahead – and that means emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and North America…. Instead, Heathrow has been full for a decade and those routes are being handed to our hub rivals in Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Previous analysis shows our economy is missing out on £14bn a year in lost trade as a result, a figure that’s set to rise to £26bn by 2030.”

He argues that debate is centred around a ‘false choice’ – Heathrow or Gatwick, where in fact both airports have different roles within the UK’s aviation industry. The UK needs extra hub capacity, provided by Heathrow, in order to compete in future international markets.

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Another exclusive service for Airports – Apron Vehicle Simulations

AiQ Consulting LHR Terminal 2 Apron Simulation

AiQ strives to produce tools and simulations that give maximum benefits to clients. Providing integrated, simple and effective analysis and simulations allows us to advise and present our clients with the information they need to run operational and cost effective airports.

In addition to all of the integrated operational Capacity Planning tools (Chk-in, MUP, Arrival, Stand Planning) offered by AiQ, we have now developed our own discrete Apron Vehicle simulation.

As part of TranvisionAiR, it gives the following benefits to clients:

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Get off to a Flying Start in 2014 with AiQ Consulting

Although we have had many years experience in the aviation industry, working with airports, airlines and other stakeholders to manage and improve capacity and processes, 2013 was launch year for AiQ. The year we brought all of our skills together into one consultancy that works with our clients to enhance their operation efficiencies, and realise the capacity they didn’t know they had.

This was increasingly important as discussion around airport capacity in the South East and the Davies Commission reached a fever pitch towards the end of the year. As businesses, politicians and the public alike debate what would be the best outcome, the strain on facilities in our airports continues.

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AiQ wants to Let Britain Fly

With a staggering amount of well-known companies and business leaders as signatories, the ‘Let Britain Fly’ campaign looks to make a real impact in the aviation industry.

Bringing together the UK’s business elite as a political force, the campaign aims to expand airport capacity in London and the South East to support jobs and growth. With Heathrow already reach full capacity and Gatwick and Stansted soon to follow suit, the organization believes that failing to act now to increase airport capacity will have a negative impact on the economy. They aim to build cross-party support to build new runways.

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New Contracts Awarded – AIQ Expands Operations at Heathrow

AIQ are please to announce two new contracts at Heathrow that have been awarded over the last few weeks – Terminal 2 simulation model extension and Terminal 3 Integrated  baggage cutting options.

Terminal 2 simulation model Extension (ground handler resource requirements and efficiency)

The first looks at extending the existing Terminal 2 simulation models to look at ground handler resource requirements and operational efficiency for HAL Heathrow Airport Ltd. This is in preparation for when Terminal 2 opens and will involve setting up and implementing surveys; negotiating with stakeholders; holding workshops and process reviews; and developing special processes around individual operations. We will be reporting on staff resources, vehicles and baggage, ULD’s, tins, tugs, dollies and much more.

Looking at Ground Handler requirements and efficiency will also involved reporting on arrival delivery performance on different aircrafts, different stands and different airlines. As you can imagine, there are many handlers, flights and other operations that need to work on a limited space so providing an accurate representation of punctuality, efficiency and risk is essential. Using our unique simulation software, Transvision AiR, we will provide HAL with the data and information they need to ensure a process that realises capacity and creates operational efficiencies.

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