Amadeus, a leading technology partner for the global travel industry, today announced that it has reached an agreement with Innsbruck Airport to deliver a range of new airport solutions: Airport Common Use Service (ACUS), Airport Baggage Reconciliation System (BRS), and Airport Passenger Verification (PV).
Thanks to the launch of ACUS last year, Innsbruck is now pioneering the implementation of new technology in the airport ecosystem, moving towards the next generation of Common Use platforms.
The agreement will see the first complete cloud-based common use environment in an airport. Whereas previous common use solutions ran off local servers, ACUS allows Innsbruck’s airlines and ground handling firms to leverage application virtualisation and cloud technology to access passenger processing systems.
The platform is hosted in Amadeus’ centralised data processing facility in Germany, which will eliminate the costly reliance on on-site IT infrastructure and reduce energy costs. The cloud-based solution will also provide logistical benefits to the airport, allowing Innsbruck to easily reassign passenger check-in and boarding operations to alternative locations, even off-airport, when necessary. This will reduce the impact of disruption on passengers and airlines.
Innsbruck Airport is also implementing Amadeus’ Baggage Reconciliation System. As with ACUS, using a common data source will save Innsbruck airline customers the burden of exchanging costly baggage messages. The system requires minimal training and no server installation, as a result allowing for rapid deployment.
Amadeus’ Airport Passenger Verification, the third solution to be employed by Innsbruck, will permit automated passenger checks at various points within the airport. The resulting data will help enhance the passenger experience as the airport can make informed decisions at critical moments, offering more tailored services or upselling airport loyalty programmes.
Michael Herrmann, director airport operations and head of IT at Innsbruck Airport commented: "We are committed to optimising airport operations and the overall experience for passengers, and are delighted to be working with Amadeus to make this a reality.
"With the greater flexibility of these Amadeus airport solutions, we can minimise passenger disruption in unforeseen circumstances, reduce delays, and guarantee a 100% reconciliation rate between passengers and their baggage. Sharing IT resources and using cloud technology will also free up revenue and physical space to be able to develop our commercial offerings for passengers."
John Jarrell, head of airport IT, Amadeus added: "We are pleased that airports such as Innsbruck are seeing that innovation can indeed occur in Common Use, replacing older concepts and infrastructure. Airports are facing numerous business challenges today, not least struggling to cope with increasing passenger traffic when aeronautical revenues are declining.
"Thus our aim is to offer Innsbruck a cost-effective approach to providing more customised and flexible passenger processing. These solutions are part of Amadeus’ broader commitment to improve airports’ passenger experience and operational efficiency."
Last year, Amadeus published a whitepaper focused on attitudes to cloud computing in the airport industry. This included the viewpoints of over 20 senior IT leaders from the airport industry to investigate the business case for adopting cloud based Common Use systems at airports.