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SAHCOL Vice-Chairman, Ogeah seeks integrated airport management system
For passenger to have a seamless travel experience, the entire airport operation process should be managed as an integrated system. This view was shared by Vice-Chairman of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Mr. Chike Ogeah.
Ogeah, in a presentation he made at the just concluded at Accra Weizo 2016, held in Accra, Ghana, said for airport operations process to be managed as an integrated system, stakeholders, airlines, airport operators, ground handling service providers and government agencies have to play their roles.
L-R: Organizer Accra Weizo, Mr Ikechi Uko, Carmen Nibigira, Cordinator East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP), Chief Executive Officer, ASKY Airlines, Henok Teferra and Chike Ogeah the Vice Chairman Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL)
The expert disclosed that the airport operator has a major role in identifying service gaps by knowing if they are delivering on their promises to all stakeholders; get feed-back from airport users, create a performance score card for the entire airport community and measure performance periodically.
He also noted that the implementation of action plan, identifying who, when and creation of a reward system to engage airport employees, would provide good airport experience.
To the passenger, the airport experience is viewed as a single continuous part of their trip, unaware that airport operations actually involves different stakeholders; the airline, the airport operator and the ground handlers, all working together to deliver a seamless passenger flow.
Consequently, Ogeah stated that airlines are demanding shorter turn around period, noting that extended ground time prevents the airline from generating revenues.
His words, “For an airline, reducing non-productive time spent in the apron is priority. This should be done to boost flight frequencies, attract schedules. Doing this would help to enhance competitive edge, increase passenger volume and more revenue.”
It would be recalled that the air transport industry has promoted the idea of seamless travel for many years.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) vision for its current Fast Travel program is that 80 per cent of passengers be offered a complete suite of self-service options based on industry standards.
What that means for the passenger is a faster and smoother journey as that demonstrates how airports are using such technology to enhance the travel experience.
With the growing popularity of self-service and other seamless travel measures, IATA estimates that for outbound passengers, 10 minutes from curb-side through to duty free is possible and is already happening at a number of airports today.
The inbound journey is more difficult to predict because at major hub airports the distance from the gate to the baggage carousel can be extensive and border control has to be factored in.
However, IATA estimates that 30 minutes for the inbound journey is possible.
In 2015, that vision is several steps closer to reality around the world as airlines and airports pilot new technology such as iBeacons, near field communications (NFC), passenger flow management, and automated border control gates and kiosks, while passengers adopt smartphones and self-service options in growing numbers.
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