Kansai Airports
Digitally enhancing passenger experiences
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How Kansai Airports is transforming passenger experiences in Japan WRIT TEN BY
CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY
MIK E SADR
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Kansai Airports is undergoing a significant transformation. Pascal Pipon,General Manager at Kansai Airports, tells us more…
J
apan is continuing to reap the rewards of a global tourism boom, where people from all over the world are keen to
explore its rich history and breathtaking landscapes. From January to June during this year alone, the estimated number of international travellers exceeded 11mn, with
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an increase of 20% in overseas visits compared to previous years. Whilst many travelers would have normally utilised Kansai International Airport, the country’s Osaka Itami Airport and Kobe Airport also significantly serve those situated in the nearby cities of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. Altogether, the three airports provide services to over 47.6mn passengers annually. To ensure the airports remain fully equipped to service such increased traffic flow, shareholders at VINCI Airports and financial services group ORIX Corporation are directing significant investment towards the digital transformation of the airports, driving maximum value for tourists and residents, whilst unlocking its growing potential.
FACTS
• From January to June during this year alone, the estimated number of international travelers exceeded 11mn, with an increase of 20% in overseas visits compared to previous years • Kansai International Airport, Osaka Itami Airport and Kobe Airport provide services to over 47.6mn passengers annually • VINCI Airports serve nearly 250 airlines worldwide • VINCI Airports catered to 156.6mn passengers in 2017, amassing €4 billion in consolidated revenue • Working with air transport IT specialist SITA, Kansai Airports has implemented an intelligent check-in kiosk named KATE, which will identify bottlenecks in passenger flow
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A key player within the international airport sector, VINCI Airports serves nearly 250 airlines worldwide. Spanning Europe, Asia and Latin America, the company served 156mn passengers in 2017 across all of its 36 airports. In Japan, Kansai Airports successfully took over Kobe Airport in April 2018, and all three airports have amassed a combined growth of 9.6% in the second quarter. With international growth continuing to rise, Kansai International Airport achieved over 12% growth, with Kobe following
FACTS
• Kansai International Airport, Osaka Itami Airport and Kobe Airport provide services to over 47.6mn passengers annually • Kansai Airports took over Kobe Airport in April 2018, where all three airports have amassed a combined growth of 7.8% in Q2 • VINCI Airports serve nearly250airlines worldwide • VINCI Airports catered to 156.6mn passengers in 2017 • In the second quarter of 2018, traffic across the 36 platforms managed by VINCI Airports saw 42.9mn passengers handled in the network during Q2 • Japan continues to see increased numbers of visitors from neighbouring countries China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as attracting tourists from areas such as Europe
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closely behind at 5% growth. The country continues to see increased numbers of visitors
deals from low cost carriers and new routes which have recently become established. By building on VINCI Airports’ world-
from neighbouring countries
renowned expertise alongside ORIX
China, South Korea, Hong
Corporation’s strong roots in the Kansai
Kong and Macau, as well as
region, the three Japanese facilities are
attracting tourists from areas
set to be fully transformed.
such as Europe, with attractive
“We’ve secured a comfortable budget to invest in tomorrow’s IT and digital solutions,” says Kansai Airports General Manager for IT, Pascal Pipon. “We aim to make the passenger journey as peaceful, easy and stress-free as possible. We
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will be leveraging digital solutions, such as self-service, mobile services and biometry, in order to achieve seamless travel. We want to integrate all steps of the passenger journey within one complete digital experience.” In order to optimise the management of the existing airport infrastructures, Kansai Airports is transforming the organisation’s back-office applications. “Our task is to centralise and consolidate all flight data and resources from the airports, automate operational processes to facilitate decision making,” he adds. 09
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“ We’ve secured a comfortable budget to invest in tomorrow’s IT and digital solutions” — Pascal Pipon, Kansai Airports General Manager for IT
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DIGITALLY ENABLED Working with air transport IT specialist SITA, Kansai Airports has tested an intelligent check-in kiosk, which will identify bottlenecks in passenger flow, eliminate congestion and contribute towards a fully connected passenger experience. Through a number of inbuilt technologies, such as collision avoidance, the kiosk will move swiftly to different areas of the airport when required. The facilities have also sought to introduce artificial intelligence devices, check-in robots, and self-propelled floor cleaning robots where Kansai Airports is turning 12
towards automation across its entire portfolio. Among initiatives to optimise the use of existing capacities, Kansai Airports has sought to minimise waiting times and boost passenger throughput using real-time queue monitoring tools. “To do this, we implement different tools. One tool is called Passenger Flow Management, which provides real-time information surrounding passenger flow. Operation staff react to queues building up. We also display congestion information to the passengers at the airports and on our websites. With this technology, we have drastically reduced waiting times from 45mins peaks to 15mins,” notes Pascal. “Automation helps increase the capacity of
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the airport to serve more passen-
ground handlers, the air traffic
gers and better serve the airlines.”
service provider, etc., which also
Collaborating with various
provide essential services,” he says.
team to provide the best solutions,
“The collaboration between
Kansai Airports continues to look
all the actors is at the core of
at harnessing new digital tools
the optimisation of airport
surrounding departures, arrivals,
operations. Technology will be
the scheduling of flights and the
key for all to converge toward
handling of various aircrafts.
this common goal.”
“IT is helping with all of this, but
With a keen awareness that the
we also have a lot of different
most important aspect will be to
actors, such as the airlines,
ensure that all passengers leave
“ We want to make the passenger journey as peaceful, easy and stress-free as possible” — Pascal Pipon, Kansai Airports General Manager for IT
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“ We want to integrate all steps of the passenger journey within one complete digital experience” — Pascal Pipon, Kansai Airports General Manager for IT
and arrive on time, Kansai Airports must remain completely operation-centric, with an emphasis on promoting an exceptional passenger experience, in line with VINCI Airports’ commitment to quality of service and customer satisfaction. In the long-term, it will further introduce self-service facilities, and the passenger journey will become fully automated. “The sharing of information between all actors will be critical to maximise airport capacity and passenger satisfaction,” concludes Pascal. “Technology is essential to the future of Kansai Airports and the entire aviation industry.”
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www.kansai-airports.co.jp/en