Airport Integration of Operational Systems, Passenger Processing & Baggage Systems

Common User Environment

Project Start date:  Award mid 2009, project start August 2009, implementation complete at Helsinki Airport March 2010, extended throughout Finland to 3 Lapland Airports before December 2010, and to 6 other regional airports by May 2011.

Project Content:  UltraCUSE^Enterprise implementation at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and 9 other airports in Finland

Project Scope:  UltraCUSE^Enterprise implementation throughout Helsinki-Vantaa Airport at over 300 check-in and gate positions, including all hardware.  Desk top devices are thin client pcs, rather than conventional pcs. VMWare server hardware was implemented in the Helsinki-Vantaa server core rooms. A further 130 check-in and gate positions are installed at the 9 remote airports, served from the Helsinki installation over the Finavia WAN.  Full training was included in the project deliverables, and third line remote support is provided from Ultra’s 24×7 support facility.

Complexity and System Integration:

• Over 15 airline connections reside in Helsinki, connected to the Dell UltraCUSE^Enterprise centralised servers
• Desktop – NEC US110 thin client devices
• Receipt printers – Epson TM-L90/Access RP9000
• Boarding Pass Printers – Intermec PF4i
• Bag Tag printers – Intermec PF2i
• Keyboards – Access-IS ATB427MDOP
• Boarding gate reader – Access-IS BGR 120SR
• Bar code reader – Access HHP4600
• Document printer – Oki ML3320
• Remote connectivity via the Finavia WAN to:  Kittilä, Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Oulu, Kuopio, Tampere, Turku, Vaasa and Lappeenranta Airports

System Architecture:

Energy Saving, and environmentally friendly

UltraCUSE^Enterprise is based on the use of thin client devices at check-in and gate positions, back office provision, customer service desks etc. replacing the use of conventional pcs, served from VMWare server installations in the airport’s core rooms.  This new architecture brings several advantages to the airport, including significant reduction in energy use, and the associated reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.  Carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by up to 44% over 5 years’ use, when thin client devices are used and managed centrally, as compared to conventional desktop pcs. 

Distributed service provision

The implementation of thin client devices allows the provision of Common User environment service over the Finavia WAN from the centralised installation at Helsinki-Vantaa airport.  This allows remote airports to connect to the central installation, providing the common use environment at those airports without the need for local servers or server rooms.  This centralised provision greatly reduces local maintenance and allows efficient centralised management of system updates etc. 

Flexible use of peripheral equipment

A major feature of Common User Environment implementations is the choice of check-in and gate position equipment, which is based on local preference, airport specific requirements, reliability in use and local provision of repair facilities.  Ultra worked with Finavia to provide the most suitable suite of peripheral equipment, designed to meet the needs of Helsinki Airport and of the remote airports.