The scope of IT in the airport applications cover the following :-

• IT should be seen not as a cost, but as a major contributor in improving financial results. The motto should be "Save with IT, not on IT"
• The business value of IT application in airport are cost containment, increased operational efficiency and enhanced security among the benefits that IT offer. The pre-integrated solutions with IT would eliminate the "islands of information" syndrome. This would reduce risk of integration of multiple disparate systems and improve the flow of passenger and baggage.
• The new technology can best be applied in airports. The level of hype surrounding new technology was unprecedented and that supplier credibility was at an all time low. The wireless technology has been driven by home and consumer users rather than business needs. In biometrics, the national databases are needed but improved data access would bring with it additional security needs.
• The future would be in pervasive computing with computers that were small enough to be everywhere and constantly on line. However, for this to become reality, battery technology needs to be radically improved. On the feasibility of high quality IT on small budget, shared processes and systems concentrating on core business areas will be preferred while sharing systems usage. Revenues should be based on IT system availability. An airport would rent a work place fully equipped with infrastructure with linking capability to other company systems. The strategy would be to reduce cost along the whole service chain without the public noticing any change.

The following issues pertaining to IT applications in security services are worth noting for reference and knowledge :-

• The US airports did not yet have guidelines on Airport Security from the new Federal Transportation Safety Agency and would not start spending until they know what was required from them.

• In biometric identification, facial recognition technology was not always the best solution. It had advantage of being a passive system that did not impede foot traffic and was not as intrusive as other technologies such as fingerprinting or voice recognition. Facial recognition system work best when deployed in areas where lighting could be controlled and had a frontal image. They are deployed at check points and document control positions. The systems employed had technology limitations and that secondary screening with human backup would still be required.

• Bar codes could be used to reduce costs of authentication. The use of two-dimensional barcode on an identity card brings immediate benefit. It is self-authenticating, biometric information being encoded and encrypted on an item that people carry with them. Bar code cards did not require a data base for verification. The reliability of smart cards was unknown as technical standards for them are not yet firm and most of them could be deployed by electron beam technology. Some of the problem areas in integrating biometrics in airports emphasize the importance of support and training. The overall responsibility for system integration of biometrics should be vested in a single person.

• Recent security problem at an airport where residue on passenger's shoes had triggered an alert and this was a failure of procedures in that equipment testing which should be carried out at every shift change. A working group led by IATA will formalize soon IT applications for passenger self service check-in and official standard for CUSS (Common Use Self-Service) kiosks. Feasibility trials carried out by British Airways and Swissair had demonstrated applications for the two airlines running side by side. Several areas are still needed to be finalized on local and mutually agreed charging methods, SLAs (Service Level Agreements), signage support and service. Whilst there was no single answer to solve all passenger check in needs, CUSS kiosks offer many advantages for airports. These included better utilization of premium floor space and airport infrastructure. Single user kiosks have potential for new revenue streams and better passenger flow management.

• The concept of e-tickets is beneficial for both the customer and the carrier. Continental Airlines in USA which implemented e-tickets maximized their customer experience whilst containing costs. By the end of 2002, all 120 of the carrier's stations in the USA would be equipped with around 700 centres and be linked to Northwest Airlines.

• Whilst wireless systems were certainly important, it should be treated as utilities and not as revenue generators. The wireless systems should have common standards. At present, airports are focusing more on internal operations and less on providing public internet access. The wireless local area networks (WLAN) had security flaws. These could be overcome by the use of techniques such as mutual authentication and end-to-end encryption. The wireless installations at Frankfurt Airport was running at some EUR 20 million. Serving all airport core businesses, the system was based on the IEEE 802.11b standard and had nearly 200 access points, some 120 of which were indoors, the other 80 around the apron. By mid 2002, Fraport would have around 400 vehicles equipped with WLAN. Further applications are envisaged for airport concessionaires, car rental companies and for mobile check-in counters. The trials of public WLAN service would start at some gates initially at free of charge. The biggest threat to wireless system is security. Any security features introduced should not harm the compatibility of equipment from different vendors. ACI General Assembly in November 2000 had resolved that airport operators should assert control over WLAN system at airports.

• There are vast opportunities and challenges of e-business in airport environment. It is time to focus on the installed Information Communication Technology (ICT) base at airports, the installed base of mobile phones as well as internet access by the travelers. It is important to develop business solutions based on the SPT (Simplifying Passenger Travel) concepts and to tighten the customer relationship in order to improve non-aeronautical revenues. The old business model was broken and the key to improving the passenger logistic was to provide information ahead of the logistical flow. Wireless communication could enable airport processes to be effected earlier in the travel chain without any physical service desk. This would increase the processing capacity of the terminal whilst reducing the costs of passenger processing.

• The IT applications in facilities management and construction programmes encourage the main incentive of financial and the saving in construction projects. In a very competitive low margin industry, any saving that could be achieved was very important. One of the key factors was the use of extranets to exchange information and communicate between all parties involved in a project. The Southwest Airlines practice e-business in internet booking, a crew portal and its use in procurement. Future applications include an internet network, and employee portal and a library of maintenance publications.

• The geographical information systems adds value and could offer considerable cost benefits. The Geographical Information System (GIS) installed at San Diego international airport was not just a computer system for map making but a set of tools for identifying spatial relationships or cross data themes. GIS was employed together with noise monitoring software and 24 G permanent noise monitors as well as a Megadata Passur long range radar and HMMH Artsmap noise contour modeling. The GIS was used to produce noise contour maps and to calculate noise impact area statistics as well as to model scenarios for the airport master plan. The system had proved to be very effective and is now being implemented in other Port District facilities.

• The knowledge management system had been implemented at Brussels Airport. The limited knowledge of what data was available and that such knowledge was often lost as people left or retired. The knowledge management system should offer confident decision making, have data easily available with everyone knowing where to find it, secure "as built" data, not allow any unauthorized changes or deletion and offer a common data warehouse. The system offer a single access point to all official project data. It took 2 years to complete the system but it would have an expected life span of 30 years. The typical applications of KM are building permits analysis, producing noise contours, space management, key and access management, fire scenarios and cable management.

• The decision support systems are essential tools of airport management. It could help in planning airport capacity by analyzing planning of current and future schedules, improving productivity by better allocation of slots, runways, gates, stands, security check points, baggage systems etc. Such tools are valuable in evaluating how airports would grow and the measures that would need to be taken to cope with demand. The City of Houston had used resource management techniques to improve its services to the population. It had implemented a call center that replaced some 700 telephone numbers previously needed to access various local government departments. Based on a Microsoft product, Shareportal, it is a web based system that helps people "navigate their way through bureaucracy".

Some important developments through which IT applications can be made use of in airport applications have come to light. Airports Authority of India is considering some of the applications discussed above.

Contact: e-mail dr_ramalingam_k@hotmail.com