Posts about stuff relating to airports
Big Brother: Tracking Passengers
Passenger tracking technology has become an increasingly important part of modern airport management. From check-in to boarding, passenger tracking systems help airports monitor travellers' movement throughout the terminal to improve the overall passenger experience. In addition, with technological advances in various spaces, airports can gather swathes of data on people's movement around their terminals within tight budgets while being mindful of privacy concerns.
Safety Performance Indicators: A False Dichotomy?
Everyone knows that when it comes to safety performance indicators, you want them to be leading rather than lagging. We usually start with lagging because they are easier to spot but we’re pushed to find, track, measure and analyse their much superior cousins, the lead indicators. But is it that simple? Of course not...
People as Products: The Pitfalls of Six Sigma Passenger Processing
Devotees to the Six Sigma and/or Lean concepts will often adopt a “manufacturing mindset” and set about reducing variation and wastage in as many of their business processes as they can. Airport operations are no different and passenger processing is one the most operational focused areas to target under these concepts.
Almost five years ago, I was learning a great deal about Lean, in particular, but I was struggling with applying the concepts to the bulk of the airport operational environment. And then it dawned on my that the passengers were the product and moving them from curb to cabin (and vice versa) was our production line.
Whilst, from a theoretical point of view, this realisation opened up a lot of options for me, there are some dangers in forgetting that people are still people and that they comes in an almost infinite variety of configurations.
Image credit: (cc) Negative Space on Pexels
Turning your Safety Records Un-Dead
I was reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula to my son the other night and we came across a funny little passage that I felt could be a great record-keeping lesson for airport operators. For me, the whole context was ripe for learning because, up until that point in the book, I would have considered this character’s actions, completely reasonable, if not, meticulous.
So what can the good Count Dracula teach us about good record keeping? Let’s find out…
Image credit: Levin Corbin Handy (via Wikipedia)
Can Empathy lead to the Voice of the Customer?
This post has been on the drafting table for a couple of weeks now as the concept of Lean Six Sigma in an airport environment continues to push my mental-gymnastic abilities. It started a couple of weeks ago when Dubai Airports announced on LinkedIn a new policy to reject at check-in baggage that lacks a flat surface.
I understand that the airport company must be seriously concerned about mis-tracks and other baggage handling system issues that result in delayed and lost bags. But in reading the announcement, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing in this decision and after much pondering, my thoughts have centred on the concept of Voice of the Customer (VOC).
Lean Six Sigma for Airports: My "Meet Cute"?
I have a confession: For quite a while I didn't really get how the "manufacturing" mindset, in so far as it relates to the concept of Lean, applied to airport operations. I couldn't grasp the application of the philosophy to the airport.
What is our product? What are we making?
I think, finally, the meaning of it all has given me a glimpse of its power and I'm keen to learn more. And in my usual style, I plan on doing that publicly, here, on this blog.
Image credit: Neville Wooton