Keflavik Airport one of the fastest growing tourist – and transit – destinations in Europe, has joined an ever growing club of international airports around the world, who uses Wi-Fi sensors to improve the traveler experience and optimize operations. The solution, which monitors passenger queue and dwell times within the airport, enables Keflavik Airport to provide a positive experience by displaying waiting times to passengers and real-time data to airport resource planners.
Booming Airport
Iceland’s Keflavik Airport has been expanding and is Iceland´s main hub for 25 international airlines. It has more than doubled its passenger numbers between 2010 and 2015 and is expected to handle 6.7 million passengers in 2016.
Real-time data help the airport to understand and improve
To help handle the increasing passenger numbers smoothly and efficiently, the airport enlisted the expertise of Lockheed Martin to design and implement the BlipTrack solution from Denmark-based BLIP Systems. Installed in more than 25 airports globally, BlipTrack helps Keflavik to measure passenger movement through the terminal in real-time so they can understand and improve the operation.
Travelers help themselves by carrying a mobile device
“The data comes from sensors that monitor passenger’s mobile devices as they move through the airport. By measuring individual travel times, from queue entrance to exit, and the number of people in line, measured and predicted wait time, for people entering the line, can be calculated and displayed,” explains Christian Bugislaus Carstens, BLIP System’s marketing manager. “The sensors only register each device’s unique ID and does not pick up any sensitive personal information. The unique ID is also encrypted in the sensor, making it impossible to identify the mobile device afterwards.”
Wait time screens ease passenger frustration.
From a passenger perspective, the solution has allowed the airport to display waiting times on screens and on the airport’s website which helps to keep the traveler informed, reduces frustration and delivers a more stress free, pleasant transit experience.
Prompt response to irregular operations.
Operationally, the airport uses the data to monitor security line congestion which allows management to respond promptly and effectively to irregular operations and disruptions, to ultimately reduce processing times.
The data is also used to provide minute-by-minute live forecasts of waiting times. This enables the airport to adjust plans if expected wait times deviate from original forecasts, preventing queue build-up and avoiding potential KPI violations.
Longer concession time
Commenting on future development plans, Hanna M. Hermannsdóttir, specialist in operation research at Keflavik Airport states: “We are considering of placing BlipTrack sensors at our border control lines and display the waiting times in our concession area. This will allow our passengers to be more at ease and enjoy our retail and restaurant area for longer periods of time, instead of rushing to the gate long before scheduled."