September-October 2022 - 14

CUSTOMER SERVICE
iors, including the volume of passengers
with carry-on baggage, families
with young children or babies, and
ones who may need wheelchair assistance
or other accommodations. This
can help them not only better prepare
for the needs of their passengers, but
may help inform layout decisions and
available resources. The technology
can even be used to maintain facilities
such as restrooms more effectively and
efficiently by ensuring their quality
and cleanliness over time.
Vehicle Traffic Flow to
Data can now be aggregated and analyzed
on the devices themselves, sending
relevant metadata to cloud servers and
decreasing the amount of bandwidth and
data storage needed to operate.
AXIS COMMUNICATIONS
Airport businesses can benefit
greatly from access to this information.
The airside of a traveler's journey
might include them trying to find the
correct terminal, grabbing a cup of
coffee, or using the restroom before
boarding. Surveillance devices can
help measure that foot traffic, tracking
where passengers tend to go first when
they arrive, when they get through
security, and while they wait for their
flight. Analyzing passenger flow as
passengers move in the airport, including
into and out of retail establishments,
can help inform store location
decisions and optimize wayfinding.
And of course, airports need to
understand the people coming and
going every day. Modern analytics can
be used to analyze trends and behavABOUT
THE AUTHOR
ANTHONY INCORVATI
Anthony Incorvati leads the business
development activity for the Axis
Communications transportation
market segment for Axis Americas
region. In that role he formulates
overall business segment strategy,
drives brand awareness, and cultivates
partner and end-user relationships in the transportation
space covering Aviation, Public Transport, ITS/ Traffic,
Maritime and Cargo & Logistics.
and From the Airport
Passengers and their luggage arrive at
the airport in a variety of different
ways. They might drive themselves
to long-term parking, they might
use public transportation, a rideshare
service, or an airport shuttle.
Whatever the case, the traffic leading
up to each terminal can cause significant
frustration. Unfortunately, this
traffic is often due to vehicles stopping
and waiting as they drop off or pick
up travelers. Network cameras play an
essential role in helping to improve
the way traffic flows into and out of
the airport.
License plate recognition is
another technology that has its roots
in security but can assist with operational
efficiency in interesting ways.
Airports might want to train cameras
to recognize their vehicles, to more
efficiently track the movement of
airport shuttles throughout the
premises or identify when a vehicle
is blocking traffic. It can recognize
and alert on incidents or accidents
on drop-off and pick-up zones, but
it can also help returning passengers
locate their own vehicles in the
airport parking lot. The technology
can also be combined with people
counting analytics to help provide
insight on total foot traffic coming
and getting out of vehicles. They can
help operators better understand the
traveler's route and journey from start
to finish and plan accordingly.
Audio and visual messaging systems
can also help streamline the process of
14 \ AIRPORT BUSINESS / SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
moving vehicles through the airport
more smoothly. Cameras can be
trained to recognize open parking
spaces and integrate with wayfinding
signage to guide drivers to them,
saving them time and freeing up
narrow access roads from unnecessary
congestion. Passengers driving
to the airport and leaving their cars
during their trip want - and deserve
- assurances that their vehicles will be
safe when they are away. Pre-recorded
and live messaging systems should help
travelers feel more confident with
airport security, ensuring that they
know the area is under surveillance.
These same messaging systems can be
used to warn passengers away from
restricted areas, keeping them on the
path to their destination.
Investing in the Future
The disruptions caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic are beginning
to subside, but airports still face
significant challenges. Fortunately,
modern surveillance technology can
help in ways that go far beyond traditional
security applications and into
the realm of operations and business
intelligence. Today's devices can help
reduce passenger assistance delays and
improve airport layouts and staffing,
helping airports deliver customers a
more positive experience on their
journey - and keeping airport staff
happier, too.
In November 2021, the Biden
Administration passed the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Deal, and airports will
be on the receiving end of a significant
percentage of that $25 billion funding
source. This significant investment
will drive airports to explore new
ways to improve their operational
efficiency, and the path forward is no
secret. Over the next several years, airports
will continue to expand their
surveillance capabilities and leverage
the valuable new insights they generate,
improving both efficiency and
profitability while creating more satisfying
flying experiences for travelers
and more efficient working conditions
for staff. 
September-October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September-October 2022
