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Self-service and automation for increasing capacity, flow and satisfaction
Journal of Airport Management,
14
(4),
386-402
(2020)
Abstract
Billund Airport is an international airport located in the western part of Denmark. The airport has a mix of various airlines — legacy, low-cost, charter and regional airlines. The size of the airport passenger-wise (2018 figures: 3,506,209) segmented into many different passenger categories calls for a very flexible setup in order to support the airlines’ different requirements. One of the basic principles to protect an efficient and streamlined flow is to constantly analyse passenger behaviour and map potentials gaps. This paper will introduce the reader as to how the airport has solved the challenge of having many different processes gathered — and still keeping the passenger experience in mind. The use of automation for the passenger flow is in force:
• WEB check-in
• KIOSK check-in
• Self-service bag drop
• Self-service scanning at the entrance to the security area
• Self-service boarding
• Self-service KIOSK at Arrival Service
The buzz word is ‘common use environment’, and the reader will be invited behind the scene and learn — not only why common use environment is essential — but also how the airport has succeeded in having this strategy and what initiatives they have taken in order to support the strategy. Billund Airport has also introduced automation on the ramp side — optimising the processes for baggage handling while also protecting the working environment via the use of power stow and a bulk baggage handling system. Throughout the paper, the different processes are well described, and statistics and photographs illustrate and underline the aim of the content — namely ‘Self-service and automation for increasing capacity, flow and satisfaction’.
Keywords: self-service; home-printed bag tag; bag drop; scanning; boarding; automation
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Anders Nielsen is Vice President, Project & Development, at Billund Airport. Being responsible for projects and development, Anders has for more than 20 years been involved in many important physical steps in designing and developing a contemporary Passenger Terminal well suited for an international airport with ambition and growth. Anders has been educated in the School of Architecture in Aarhus in 1977. From 1978 to 1991, he worked in design offices in Aalborg and Vejle. The project comprised a masterplan and design for a new railway station with surrounding offices, housing and shops outside Copenhagen. From 1991, Anders was Head of C F Moller design office in Vejle and was involved in development plans, refurbishment and additional new buildings for several hospitals in Vejle County. In 1998, Anders joined Billund Airport and was responsible for the planning and construction of a new terminal building with adjacent platform, taxiways and landside parking areas.
Lone Teist is Contracts and Key Account Manager, Ground Handling Billund Airport, and has the responsibility for Standard Ground Handling Agreement’s (SGHA) — setup and link to the operational environment. Lone’s area of responsibility is also the internal quality system; the key performance indicators are maintained and the processing of the quality material is well documented. She is also Key Account Manager for a number of the airlines operating at Billund Airport. Lone was educated as a Forwarder in 1994. In 1996, she got her Private Pilot License and, in 1997, she worked at Thule Air Base in Greenland as Airport Superintendent. In the period 2000–2002, she was Team Leader at Novia, Copenhagen Airport. Since 2002, Lone has been employed at Billund Airport where she is also taking part in many transversal projects at the airport.
