Workforce mobility will transform operational environments
By 2012 airports will be operating in real-time with two-way flow of information between all operational stakeholders
Last-minute gate changes often result in costly delays. The good news is that many such delays are avoidable. Statistics from the US Bureau of Transportation showed that 28.8 million minutes of aircraft delays in 2007 were caused by factors within the airline's control - e.g., maintenance or crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fuelling, etc. This was an increase from 18.8 million in 2004. While this only represents the US, it highlights a global issue for airlines.
Come 2012, mobile technology will automatically update the operational systems of the dozen or more stakeholders involved in the turnaround of an aircraft. This will improve not just disruption management, but also operational planning and decision-making, leading to efficient real-time allocation of resources.
The end result will be a complete transformation of workforce operations.
How data-centric handhelds can enable transformation?
Reducing 'latency' between decisions and action
Mobility offers a tremendous opportunity to improve efficiency and reduce downtime, delivering real-time instead of deferred fulfillment. This is accomplished by reducing the time between decisions being made at the command and control level and their implementation at the operational level.
Immediate parallel notification of team members
Mobility facilitates informing several stakeholders at once when a decision has been made or an action needs to be taken.
Real-time resource management
Context-sensing allows events to be assessed as they occur, taking into account their urgency and resource needs. So the closest workers who have the skill and equipment to address an incident can be deployed in real-time - greatly increasing flexibility and the ability to deal with disruption.
Data in the palm
With pervasive networks and smart applications in place, mobile devices can deliver true handheld mobile capabilities. This helps to reduce paperwork, back-office logging activities, human error and the time between an event happening and its consequences being recorded - e.g., financial, stock, passenger satisfaction, etc.
Context-aware applications and services
Context plays an essential part in any decision-making process. It can be used at airports to improve almost all aspects of ground operations - with a host of potential contextual parameters, including location of airport workers and assets, as well as passengers and their baggage, health monitoring of aircraft or airport equipment, and worker needs (documentation, spare parts, etc).
SITA's ambition
In 2008, SITA launched a Mobile Workforce Solution Programme to provide efficient and flexible communications within the airport environment. This programme ensures that mobile connectivity is optimal and that voice communications will migrate to data-centric handheld devices, facilitating real-time dissemination of information direct to all stakeholders.
Among the many processes (passenger, baggage, aircraft and airport operations) that will benefit from workforce mobility, SITA's key focus areas are:
- MRO Management
- Ramp Management
- Airport Management
During 2009-2010, SITA will continue developing capabilities around workforce mobility. By 2012, our comprehensive Mobile Workforce Solution will transform the operational environment at airports. Key benefits will include:
- Connecting the mobile workforce to their business application - SITA is partnering with Appear Networks, the leader in context-aware technology to implement the first-ever mobile context-aware platform for the air transport industry.
- Global airport wireless connectivity - SITA will provide a secured and standardized wireless coverage at the airport through locally available broadband wireless: WIFI, WIMAX, 3G, ...
- Shared standard mobile devices at the airport - managed through SITA Common Use Mobile Devices
Other SITA Mobility products and services currently on the market:
- Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) - fully managed PMR solution (implementation, integration, support) for use outside the terminal, and providing integrated dial plans within the airport
- Mobility Access - allows mobile workers to access their corporate applications any time, any where with a single software interface using leading edge technologies (WIFI, GPRS, 3G, DSL, etc...)
There is little doubt that by 2012 mobile devices will be a key contributor to efficient ground operations at the airport. The business benefits of this technology will be profound: improved disruption management leading to faster aircraft turnaround, fewer mistakes, better inventory control, and much less paper.
SITA will continue to lead the industry in developing innovative solutions to meet the growing demand in this exciting domain.
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