Designing Next-Generation Innovative Airports

The post-COVID crisis period presented airports with an opportunity to refocus on current development challenges and construct a more innovative and sustainable model. Within this framework, Sia Partners has identified four main pillars driving this transformation. Each of these strategic axes is segmented into use cases that contribute to the trajectory towards the desired ambition.

Achieve Excellence in Passenger Experience

• Simplifying, streamlining, and enhancing the passenger experience.
• Providing personalized passenger services.
• Introducing new digital services, enabling the development of commercial revenue.
• Improving accessibility to regions, notably through the development of intermodality.

Commit to Sustainable Development

• Reducing emissions to reach carbon neutrality.
• Optimizing energy consumption and promoting the use of decarbonized energy sources.
• Generating green energy.
• Encouraging decarbonized transportation methods and infrastructure (storage, charging, etc.).
• Optimizing waste management and production.

Optimize Operational Performance

• Optimizing industrial processes (baggage handling, etc.).
• Enhancing operational resilience and modernizing equipment.
• Automation and predictive maintenance.
• Streamlining workforce allocation.

Address New Threats

• Data protection.
• Cybersecurity.
• Strengthened identity control systems and measures.

To address the variety of challenges discussed above, airports can rely on a global technological ecosystem. From modernizing the foundational components of the airport to integrating new innovative solutions, here is our macro-vision of the technological levers enabling the response to current development challenges: 

​​​​​​1. Harnessing Generative AI to build the airport of tomorrow

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence designed to create new and original content based on models and data. This can include images, videos, texts, and even entire virtual worlds.

Our mapping of use cases in the airport sector

We have a range of use cases in the airport sector which we are constantly monitoring. 

• Air and ground operations management (data analysis and forecasting, automation of regulatory reports...).
• Passenger hospitality and satisfaction (real-time monitoring of customer satisfaction, passenger service chatbots...).
• Collaboration with business partners (personalized business strategy, real-time performance monitoring...).
• Staff management (recruitment, employee engagement, talent development...).

In addition to our knowledge of specific use cases, Sia Partners has created Sia GPT to support our client's business, using generative AI technology

2. Intelligent and autonomous airport operations

The management of air and ground operations is fundamental to the purpose of an airport. From control to the optimization of supporting processes, including equipment maintenance, airports have a range of improvement levers at their disposal (lean practices, data science & AI, robotics).

Our vision of innovations to enhance operational efficiency

Robotic operations

• Autonomous robots for terminal cleaning.
• Autonomous robots for freight operations.
• Robotic systems for loading and unloading baggage.
• High-speed automated baggage handling system

Intelligent management systems

• AI-assisted air traffic management and gate allocation.
• Predictive maintenance system.
• Real-time baggage management and tracking.
• Real-time data platform for operations management.

Our teams have already experimented with and implemented for our airport clients through our ecosystem of AI solutions, Heka:

Go-To-Gate optimization

• Predict optimal Go-to-Gate times
• Manage passenger flows
• Adaptability during exceptional events

Opening of check-in counters

• Predict check-in kiosk usage times.

Parking optimization

• Assist in the assignment of aircraft parking spaces initially done manually.

3. The implementation of end-to-end biometric pathways

Customer satisfaction is a crucial factor in the sustainability of airport operations. It should be considered throughout the entire passenger journey, from booking their trip to arrival at the destination.

Regarding contact points within the airport's physical infrastructure, biometric procedures from check-in to boarding offer multiple benefits:

Passenger experience

• A smoother and more transparent journey for passengers (possibility of using a token to eliminate the need to present travel documents at checkpoints).

Non-aeronautical revenues

• Increased potential revenue in retail areas thanks to higher passenger time spent.

Operations

• Anticipation of staffing needs.
• Improved productivity (automation frees up agents' time, enabling operational optimization).

Infrastructure management

• Better use of space and capacity (limits the need to extend infrastructures).

The challenges involved in deploying these services, identified in our international comparative study (extract at the end of the page):

• Compliance: with government regulations (such as GDPR or country-specific regulations…).
• Interoperability: Enables integration with other existing systems at the departure and arrival airports (common applications…). Enhances these journeys through the digitization of pre-travel steps.
• Address the variable lighting environment of the airport, impacting biometric cameras (window location, lighting, time, season).
• Adapting the checkpoint design requires an assessment and adjustments of the available space to have a facial recognition gateway capable of accommodating a high passenger throughput.
• Expanding the service availability to a larger number of passengers: relevant contact points, type of flight (domestic or international) … through partnerships with operating airlines.

4. The development of Urban Air Mobility offerings

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is redefining air mobility with VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) vehicles for a wide range of uses. These services offer a multitude of evolving advantages:

• A wealth of possible use cases (shuttles, cabs, EMS, tourism, deliveries, etc.)
• A unique passenger experience
• Shorter transport time
• Lower pollution compared to personal vehicles
• Mobility enhancement
• Reduction of strain on existing public transportation networks

The key challenges in commercial development for an operator

• Traffic management
• Economic viability
• Infrastructure availability
• Regulations
• Network exploitation
• Surrounding communities

Airports, therefore, have a crucial role to play in the short-term deployment of these services

Why?

• Existing essential infrastructure for air transport.
• Familiar ATC services.
• Adapted security and emergency auxiliary services.
• Possible operational synergy with airlines (runway usage, enhanced offerings...).
• Increasingly developed intermodal connectivities.

Combined with the strong dynamics of this market, airports need to be prepared for an increase in demand from specialist UAM players.

To facilitate quick and informed decision-making, airports will need to have the necessary inputs in terms of strategy for these UAM services. Proven expertise for the Osaka World Expo 2025 (extract at end of the page).

5. Digital services for an enhanced passenger experience

Airports can rely primarily on the key areas of relevance of digital services...

but also take advantage of innovation opportunities (Metaverse, virtual reality...)

Online platform of virtual representation

• Virtually explore an airport and its services (shops, facilities), access to a variety of games...

Interactive AR experiences

• In retail areas using AR screens (photos taken, edited and shared with passengers, on networks, etc…)

VR headsets

• Travel virtually through airports, across different destinations and tourist attractions. Kiosks and VR game zones...

Remote-controlled robots

• Accompanying and guiding passengers within the airport.

6. Sustainable development in airports

Regulatory initiatives have been taken at all levels: globally with the CORSIA mechanism, in Europe with the "Fit for 55" roadmap, and in France with the National Low Carbon Strategy.

Airports must initiate an energy transition and can rely on various strategies to achieve decarbonization goals:

• Protecting and preserving the surrounding biodiversity
• Development of decarbonized accessibility
• Responsible management of operations (waste, etc.)
• Optimization of energy performance for buildings
• Production of decarbonized energy for airport infrastructure

Focus on the use of SAF in airports (Sustainable Aviation Fuel)

The main goals of this transition

• Worldwide: An ICAO target of carbon neutrality for the aviation sector by 2050 (launch of CORSIA, a market-based mechanism requiring airlines to purchase credits generated by eligible international low-carbon projects).
• European ambitions: Fit for 55 / RefuelEU: an obligation to incorporate 85% SAF into the total fuel consumed by 2050 (20% by 2035).

How can airports support the use of SAF?

• Direct financial assistance: to support companies in refuelling with SAF.
• Supporting research on SAF: to encourage companies and suppliers to participate in the transition.
• Involving in the SAF value chain: to build confidence among producers regarding demand (Stargate initiative, etc…).
• Investing in logistics: to ensure reliable and efficient refuelling processes.

Sia Partners supports you in your innovative airport projects, from understanding your needs to their implementation

We have a comparative study that decodes the end-to-end biometric pathway development ecosystem and current trends.

We also have a strategic study on the implementation of a UAM service at airports (opportunity studies, analysis of airspace and location possibilities, ConOps etc.).

Our mobile applications benchmark includes over (20+ airports).