Helsinki Airport is the first airport in the world to introduce new technology based on indoor positioning. The technology makes it possible to monitor passenger flows and eliminate bottlenecks and obstacles to enable fluid travel.
“Introducing the new technology is part of our digital strategy. We want to make Helsinki Airport a smart airport, providing digital solutions for a hassle-free service experience and convenient travel”, says Eero Knuutila, Finavia’s service development unit director at Helsinki Airport.
The information obtained from indoor positioning is utilised in the development of the passenger experience and services. The system makes it possible, for example, to allocate staff to locations where passengers need help.
In addition, passengers can also get information on their mobile devices about the shortest route to the gate and the services available along the way. Their smartphones can tell them how much time they have for dining or shopping and when they need to head to the departure gate.
Customer strategy: backbone of digitalisation process and mobile projects
Mr. Knuutila says that the main thing is to understand the passengers and their individual needs, to know the passenger processes and to know what digital services consumers regard as giving them value.
The award-winning indoor positioning system was developed by Walkbase, a Finnish technology company. The solution uses active Wi-Fi signals obtained from passengers’ portable devices. The positioning does not store any user-specific data.
The goal of the award is to recognise projects that have had a substantial impact on business growth and development. Nokia and the City of Vantaa were the runners-up this year.
The award is granted once a year. The winner is selected by attendees at the Enterprise Mobility Event.
Source: Management Events, press release, 25 September 2015
