Airport News

Described as “the best way to network with all kinds of people in the airport industry”, Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference, which took place in Paris, France on March 10-12, saw record numbers of visitors, delegates and exhibitors get together to discuss the latest developments and projects taking place around the world.

"With over 4,500 attendees, 1,350 conference participants and more than 180 international exhibitors, Passenger Terminal Expo 2015 is breaking new records and breaking new ground," said Tony Robinson, CEO of UKIP Media and Events, organisers of the event.

Passenger Terminal Expo provided the perfect platform for the industry’s leading figures to discuss and showcase the latest technologies and trends present in the aviation industry. Visitors included CEOs, architects, airport and airline executives, suppliers and key decision makers from across the world.

With a big focus on enhancing the passenger experience, this year’s event saw a number of self-service product launches as well as the latest developments in digital technology. Antony Marke, managing director, OmniServ, commented, “It is always good to have your finger on the pulse and that is why I’m here – to really see what the latest technology is, how it can improve the passenger journey, what the airports processes are and what is important to them. It is a good place to meet all types of people and find out how the industry is developing in their area or sector and how we can learn from this to develop our business.”

Among the product launches at the show was NEC Display Solutions’ mobile display unit (MDU), the first system of its kind to be launched anywhere in the world. Created in partnership with Parity Aviation and London Heathrow Airport, the unit will help airports better inform their customers during times of disruption. The battery powered unit measures 3m in height when fully deployed and is easy to move to any location within the airport terminal.

Crisplant, part of the Beumer Group, also launched its new hybrid check-in solution which received unprecedented interest from visitors throughout the three-day event. “We’ve had great interest from visitors throughout the show who want to learn all about our new bag drop solution,” said Heidi Klit, marketing coordinator at Crisplant. “Passenger Terminal Expo is a great place to launch new products and discuss our latest developments with all the right people in the industry.”

More information on all the latest product launches from the show can be found on PassengerTerminalToday.com.

Passenger Terminal Conference
The conference, which was held alongside the exhibition during the three-day event, hosted more than 300 international speakers. Sessions covered everything from airport design and planning to security, commercial development, customer service, check-in, self-service solutions and sustainability.

Chee Chiau Ong, senior vice president, Changi Airport Group, said, “Passenger Terminal Conference is a great way of keeping in touch with what is happening in the industry and to learn about many different projects and developments happening around the world. I was particularly interested in hearing about the aerotropolis idea in Taiwan and to understand more about what they’re doing. The exhibition has also been great, we’ve met with a number of colleagues and suppliers, and the event is the best way to network with all kinds of people in the airport industry.”

Highlights from this year’s conference included a presentation from Dr Sani Sener, President & CEO, TAV Group about the Abu Dhabi International Airport Midfield Terminal, which focused on the challenges of building a mega airport and a look at the unique design, planning and development concepts at the airport.

Self-service was also a popular presentation theme, with Paul Mewett, director of innovative travel solutions a Vancouver Airport Authority discussing the airport’s Global BorderXpress self-service border solution that allows any government, airport or airline to reduce wait times and congestion at the border.