Airport Passenger Service Systems & ICT Solutions for the Aviation Industry

Ink DCS

Ink DCS is a modern, web-based system that provides flexibility, functionality and simple graphical user interfaces, that can be tailored to any size of business.

The Departure Control System is one of the most economically viable, future proof systems in the industry today. The beauty of the system is the flexibility and functionality available to any customer, both large and small, that allows for full customisation to individual needs.   

Ink DCS has unrivalled usability, having the look and feel of a Web browser with the use of a mouse to point and click commands. It has been designed with the user and the customer in mind. Not only is it logical and easy to use, but the system has quick work around solutions for events that crop up outside of the norm.

With Ink DCS it is effortless to incorporate functionality such as 2D barcode boarding passes, check-in with portable equipment, SMS check-in, kiosk and Internet check-in.  All of which contribute to creating a more efficient and cost effective passenger processing solution.

Ink BIS

Ink BIS, the business information system that works on Ink DCS can dynamically create reports on virtually any aspect of passenger processing. Reports such as passenger data, including numbers checked-in, boarding passes and bag tags issued are available.

Other key performance statistics are available, such as the time spent by an agent to check-in and board a passenger, usage of desks at an airport and specific flight data are all at touch of a button.

These readily available reports enable management to understand exactly what is happening in the business. Instead of receiving a thick document at the end of a quarter they are able to log in and see statistics for flights in the same day.
 
Each report can be tailored to specific needs, so that a full analysis can be made regularly on performance data.  Ink BIS gives a comprehensive tool to airlines and ground handlers allowing for changes in businesses process to be made in confidence.

Information & Communication Technology

Ink has designed and developed all products and applications that are tightly integrated and delivered through a Web-based browser platform.  In developing this way, Ink ensures that all modules are available from the start, allowing flexibility in choosing what systems are required and with the knowledge that additional modules can be switched on with little effort.

Ink CUTE

Ink CUTE has been designed with total flexibility in mind, allowing for it to run in it’s own existence of any existing legacy CUTE system.  Ink has created a transparent mode with an abstraction layer sitting between an airline application and any existing CUTE provider.  This allows for an airline to use Ink products without any investment in additional hardware by either the airline, airport or ground handler.

Ink CUTE can also run as the main provider at an airport. Using IP technology it provides greater opportunities and flexibility as portable check-in, using handhelds to print boarding passes, bag tags receipts etc. at a designated area.

Ink CUTE allows for different operating systems to be run from any workstation.  The operating system can be anything, including LINUX, UNIX, Solaris or Windows.  Using virtualisation allows for any airline application to be run on Ink CUTE, without implications on processing power.  Ink CUTE can be used by any customer on any other DCS as no formal certification process is necessary. Compared to other integrators, it is easy for Ink to change to different versions of an operating system, there is no need to re-write any code.

Ink Messaging

Ink Messaging manages operational messages securely over the Internet at a fraction of the cost compared to legacy providers over private networks. Messages are delivered with encryption ensuring total security of data. Ink Messaging is cost effective, eliminating the use of expensive EDI VANs (Virtual Area Networks) for Type A messages.

Data can be interchanged over a variety of protocols ranging from customised Web services to legacy screen scraping.  Connectivity is achieved through various protocols, including e-mail, FTP, SFTP, HTTP and HTTPS covering message types such as Interactive IATA Type A messages, Type B, Type X Messages, bespoke XML & Web Services, ASCII, CSV, Excel, Word or text files.

Ink DCS is the first DCS to run on the Apple iPad!

Ink Mobile Solutions enable airports, airlines and ground handlers to quickly process passengers whilst queuing.

Ink Mobile Check-In allows agents to queue comb passengers and check-in using with an iPad, allowing for the passenger to be processed in exactly the same way as on a desk.

Using Ink Mobile Check-in allows you to check in passengers off site, such as hotels, car hire locations, car parks and on rail/bus stations. This could in turn help to reduce the capital expenditure of self-service kiosks at such locations.

The beauty and flexibility of Ink DCS allows for the Ink Mobile product to be incorporated not only at check-in but also at bag drop.

With wireless and IP connectivity, an agent can check in a passenger using the iPad, print a boarding pass with a wireless printer and issue a bag tag to be issued from a dedicated bag drop location, Ink Mobile Bag Drop.  The bag drop location can either be a manned desk or a self-service kiosk. All standard baggage messages are handled through Ink CUTE. 

In using Ink DCS, excess luggage fees are automatically calculated based on the rules that the airline or ground handler has defined in the set up.  These fees can then either be paid on the kiosk or at a desk, and a receipt is produced for the excess payment.

In conjunction with Ink Mobile Check-in, Ink Mobile Boarding completes the mobile experience.  Rather than using airport gate readers, with an iPad and a handheld scanner an agent can board a passenger seamlessly including any other passenger needs like re-seating, off loading etc.