ACI World and Amadeus have revealed the winners of the Technology Innovation Awards, which recognise the top technology projects and leadership undertaken by airports.
For the third year, Amadeus and ACI World invited airports to submit innovative technology projects and examples of leadership that enhance the passenger journey, drive operational efficiency, or improve processes for employees, travellers, and other stakeholders. Past winners have involved themes such as big data, biometrics, artificial intelligence, and automation, the partners said.
A panel of industry airports from across the world chose winners in each of the three categories, as follows:
Passenger-related processes
The Best innovation in airport passenger-related processes category was won by Incheon Airport in Korea, for its XR Metaverse Services, Connecting Virtuality and Reality project.
The Incheon Airport XR Metaverse consists of a 3D spatial metaverse environment providing an indoor wayfinding service of the actual passenger terminals (T1, T2 and Concourse), covering about 1.4 million square metres. It is based on 3D spatial data and augmented reality (AR) technology and offers a virtual experience of Incheon Airport using VR technology.
AR-based indoor wayfinding enables users to visit the digital version of the airport from home and get the necessary information by virtually experiencing various facilities and processes within the airport.
Operations and installations management
Hong Kong International Airport’s Digital Apron and Tower Management System (DATMS) won the Best innovation in airport operations and installations management category. The initiative represents the first airport and Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) collaboration system with a single digital platform.
Using the latest digital video technology and in line with the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) collaborated with the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of Hong Kong to implement the DATMS for Hong Kong International Airport.
The new system enables stakeholders to overcome physical visual constraints by supplementing the out-of-window view with ultra-high-definition camera views on displays, overlaid with essential aircraft information to enhance visual surveillance by airport and aerodrome operators.
Airport innovation leader
The judging panel chose Maurice Jenkins, chief innovation officer at Miami International Airport as Best airport innovation leader.
Jenkins has more than 30 years’ experience and sustained superior performance directly linked to Miami International Airport's strategic growth and the realisation of its innovative objectives.
According to ACI World and Amadeus, Jenkins ‘has envisioned new technologies that improve business processes and customer experience and has been a keen adopter of self-service technologies, while also encouraging airlines serving the airport to embrace innovation’.
Jenkins has also applied his expertise to help drive improvements for the benefit of the wider industry as past chairman of ACI North America’s Business Information Technology (BIT) Committee, which sponsors initiatives to develop ground-breaking airport technology-based service models and works with members and partners to encourage innovation in the industry.
Image: Airport Authority Hong Kong
