Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has introduced the cloud-based technology, Amadeus Flow, to improve the passenger experience.
YVR recognised the pandemic as an opportunity to modernise its infrastructure and rethink the meaning of digital transformation for an airport. A press release stated: “As air travel continues to rebound, it’s imperative the airport provides its employees and passengers the tools required to succeed in a dynamic and ever-changing environment. In that, YVR is transitioning to Amadeus Flow, the industry’s leading cloud solution for modern passenger services. In a phased migration, YVR has upgraded its connectivity using multiple high-speed network connections to a fully cloud-based service. Amadeus Flow connects over 650 check-in and gate desks to 30+ airline partners.”
Transitioning to Amadeus Flow reduces Vancouver’s reliance on rigid fixed service points for passengers, opening the door to a wide range of innovations. Passengers will benefit from increased convenience and frictionless experiences, with Vancouver’s airline partners also exploring secure biometric check-in and boarding functions. In the future, this biometric capability will provide passengers the option for their face to become their boarding pass and passport.
With Amadeus Flow, passenger services can become mobile, freeing check-in agents from traditional desks so they can provide services using mobile devices. This capability supports social distancing, reduces queues, and enables ‘off-airport’ check-in and baggage services at locations like cruise terminals and hotels.
Lynette DuJohn, VP Innovation and CIO, Vancouver Airport Authority said: “The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent hit to the aviation industry accelerated our desire for digital transformation. Amadeus is helping us make that transition by connecting us with airlines more effectively, so we’re ready to harness new innovations for the benefit of passengers. The flexibility of airport solutions in the cloud allows for a phased approach where airlines and check-in desks can migrate to Amadeus in a gradual and low risk manner, ensuring we’re ready to welcome increasing numbers of passengers.”
Betros Wakim, Senior Vice President, Americas, Airport IT, Amadeus added: “Seeking new technology to solve problems has become ‘business as usual’ for airports during the pandemic. Cloud computing supports a host of new innovations that simply are not possible with the legacy ways of working – as the industry prepares to safely welcome increased numbers of travellers, the role of advanced technology is vital and Amadeus is supporting airports through this transition.”
Moving to Amadeus’ cloud solutions will also help Vancouver International Airport to further improve its sustainability credentials. With Amadeus Flow, the airport will retire much of its own mini in-terminal data centre, instead benefiting from the efficiency of servers managed by Amadeus with world-leading energy management features.
Existing workstations at the airport’s 600+ positions will be replaced with ‘thin clients’ providing access to the cloud. These thin client workstations use 89% less energy and fail every 30 years on average, compared to every four years for traditional workstations.
Vancouver International Airport’s phased migration to the cloud is now complete.
