Indoor geolocation: a major asset for airport operations.

 

Improving passenger experience and operational efficiency

Introduction

Modern, complex and dynamic airports welcome millions of passengers and employees every day. In this context, indoor geolocation has become an indispensable tool for optimizing operations, enhancing the passenger experience and guaranteeing safety for all.

Guiding and accompanying passengers throughout their journey provides essential data for airlines to ensure smooth boarding and on-time departure. Indoor geolocation also offers a multitude of relevant use cases for mobile asset management, emergency management and lone worker protection, contributing to a safer, more efficient airport environment.

Manage all mobile assets

• Count assets by zone: manage stocks of mobile equipment such as baggage carts or wheelchairs by tracking their location in real time.
• Detect zone entrances and exits: Monitor densities by zone, trigger alerts, calculate usage rates.
• Improve predictive maintenance: Monitor equipment condition and anticipate breakdowns to minimize downtime and optimize maintenance resources.
• Optimize passenger flows: Anticipate congestion and direct passengers to less busy areas to ease their flow through the terminal.

Welcoming and transferring people with reduced mobility (PRM) in airports is a major challenge, requiring individualized care and personalized support. Indoor geolocation is an invaluable tool for optimizing this process and guaranteeing a smooth, comfortable travel experience for PRMs.

• Smooth the journey for PRMs: Indoor geolocation makes it possible to track the position of PRMs in the terminal in real time, facilitating their orientation and guidance to the various stages of their journey (check-in, security control, boarding areas, etc.).
• Improved coordination of services: Indoor geolocation also improves coordination of assistance services for PRMs. Dedicated teams can be informed in real time of the position of PRMs and anticipate their needs, optimizing their care and reducing waiting times.
• Individualized care: Assistance agents can go directly to meet PRMs as they arrive in the terminal, offering them a personalized welcome and immediate assistance.
• Optimized resources: The distribution of assistance agents can be optimized according to the location and flow of PRMs, guaranteeing a constant presence and increased availability.
• Route safety: PRMs can be guided along safe and protected routes, limiting the risk of accidents or loss.

Optimized emergency management

In an emergency, every second counts. Indoor geolocation enables emergency services to intervene quickly and efficiently by pinpointing the precise location of people in distress, whether they are passengers, staff or other individuals on airport premises.

• Locating emergency calls: Emergency calls from alert buttons or cell phones can be precisely geolocated, enabling first responders to get to the scene as quickly as possible.
• Rescue guidance: Response teams receive precise navigation instructions in real time, taking into account the configuration of the site, potential obstacles and the evolution of the situation.
• Team coordination: Indoor geolocation facilitates the coordination of different intervention teams (firefighters, security, medical services) by providing them with a shared overview of the situation.

Lone worker protection

Indoor geolocation helps ensure the safety of isolated workers, such as maintenance workers or security guards patrolling low-traffic areas.

• Movement tracking: The movements of lone workers can be tracked in real time, ensuring their well-being and providing assistance in the event of an incident.
• Detection of risk situations: Sensors can be used to detect risk situations, such as falls or sudden movements, and trigger automatic alerts.
• Simplified emergency calls: Isolated workers have a quick and easy way of triggering an emergency alarm in the event of danger, with their exact position automatically transmitted to the emergency services.

Conclusion

Indoor geolocation is proving to be a valuable tool for airports, going far beyond simply guiding passengers. It helps to optimize operations, enhance the passenger experience, guarantee personal safety, effectively manage emergency situations, protect isolated workers and optimize asset management.

Investing in indoor geolocation means investing in a more efficient, safer, more welcoming, more sustainable and more responsible airport.

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Please do not hesitate to contact us to find out more about indoor geolocation and its concrete applications in the airport sector. We would be delighted to help you implement this innovative technology at your airport.