ACI World releases the Airport Digital Transformation Best Practice at ACI Airport Exchange Conference and Exhibition in Muscat, Oman
| The Best Practice includes contributions from major airport hubs including Schiphol Group, Changi Airport, Aéroports de Paris, Fraport AG and Munich Airport |
| Muscat, 7 December 2017 – Addressing over 1,000 delegates gathered for the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Exchange Conference and Exhibition in Muscat, Oman, Serge Yonke Nguewo, Senior Manager, Facilitation and IT, ACI World, announced the publication of the first ACI Airport Digital Transformation Best Practice document, produced in consultation with the ACI World Airport InformationTechnology Standing Committee.
The Best Practice document is intended as a decision-making and implementation aid for airport managers who are responsible for evolving their companies into a digital world including where to begin the digital transformation evolution; enabling technologies; potential functional areas of application; internal readiness; challenges; risks; opportunities and recommendations. To further help our Member airports on their path of digital transformation, ACI has developed the Digital Airport Survey. This survey will help airports assess their maturity in adopting digital transformation technology tools. Once completed members can share results with ACI to receive specialized guidance on how to enhance this important evolution. “Today’s airports are no longer just places where airplanes take off and land,” said Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World. “Instead, airports are vital economic generators providing gateways to their cities, states, regions and countries. Airports operate in a competitive environment and in addition to providing safe and secure operations, must focus on increasing their community’s share of air travel and tourism and enhancing the customer experience. Now is the time for airport leaders throughout the globe to embrace the airport digital transformation, leveraging the use of emerging technologies and processes to achieve their business objectives. The Airport Digital Transformation Best Practice brings airports a step closer to digital-readiness.” “Airports are natural interfaces between the analog and digital worlds,” said Dr. Michael Kerkloh, Chief Executive Officer, Munich Airport and current President of ACI Europe. “It is therefore only logical that the advance of digitalization is also turning the major passenger hubs into hubs for data traffic. For airports, it is essential to be more than just a venue for this process. Instead it is vital for them to play an active role in shaping it. If airports succeed in the efficient digital marketing of their analog products and services, they will continue in the future to have a ‘home field advantage’ in the passenger business over other providers. The Airport Digital Transformation Best Practice helps us to establish a shared vision and best practices in our industry.” “At Schiphol, we have always been an airport that dreams big,” said Jos Nijhuis, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Schiphol Group. “We want to be the most innovative. The most digital. The most connected. Travellers are increasingly using the available technological resources to prepare, book and experience their journey. Schiphol is preparing for its role in this changing world. Our goals are not small. They are enormous! We want to be the world’s leading digital airport. With smart airport operational processes, secure Application Programming Interface (API) data sharing and flawless efficiency. By effectively utilizing digital contact moments, we will connect with and stay connected to travellers and be able to provide them even better service. The Airport Digital Transformation Best Practice is therefore very important to us.” “This document is a great reference product and should be in every executive’s reference library,” said Maurice Jenkins, Director, Information Systems and Telecommunications, Miami Dade County Aviation Department. “It is key to transforming our system of airports and meeting the demands of the industry.” “This handbook is an excellent reference for any airport working towards digitalization,” said Aymeric Dussart, Director of Technology and Innovation, Aéroports de Montreal.“We are delighted to have contributed insights, having learnt from various customer experience initiatives that we have invested in at Montréal-Trudeau.” Digital transformation is about business transformation in a digital world. This important document will help ACI Members to ensure the aviation industry leverages digital technologies to provide the best possible services to all. |
| Notes for editors |
| 1.Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2017, ACI serves 623 members operating 1,940 airports in 176 countries.
2. Learn more on ACI World Airport Information Technology Standing Committee. 3. Learn more on, or download the Airport Digital Transformation Best Practice. 4. Download the PDF version of this media release. |
| Media contact |
| Hicham Ayoun Manager, Communications ACI World Telephone: +1 514 373 1223 Email: mediarelations@aci.aero |
| Anita Berthier Manager, External Relations and Special Events ACI World Telephone: +1 514 373 1254 Email: mediarelations@aci.aero |
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