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.
Skytrax Awards
The Skytrax World Airport Awards were also held at Passenger Terminal Expo, recognizing the best airports in the industry. Singapore Changi Airport was voted as the World’s Best Airport – the third year in a row that the airport has picked up the coveted award. Incheon International came second, with Europe’s Munich Airport in third. Other categories included World’s Best Domestic Airport, which was won by Tokyo Haneda, World’s Best Airport Terminal, which was awarded to Heathrow T5, and World’s Most Improved Airport, which was given to host airport Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Mr Lee Seow Hiang, chief executive officer of Changi Airport Group said, “It is a great honour to be named World’s Best Airport by Skytrax for the third year running. This recognition is particularly pleasing for us as it comes at a time of transformation at Changi Airport. We are undertaking a number of significant development projects including Terminal 4 and Jewel Changi Airport, with some works taking place amid ongoing airport operations. We are most grateful to all our passengers and partners who have, nonetheless, continued to give us their strongest support.”
A full list of all the winners can be found here.
Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference 2016 will be held in Cologne, Germany on March 15-17. For more information, click here.
More feedback from the show floor…
Exhibitors
“We are here to demonstrate our solutions for suspect bag tracking and RFID technology. Passenger Terminal Expo is not only an exhibition, it is also a great networking event where we can connect with our clients and meet new customers. People come from far and wide to attend this event because it is a leader in the industry, we have met lots of people who are interested in our products, some from as far as the USA and Russia!”
Soma Sekhar Vedantam, CEO, TrackIT
“We have been busy so far and are expecting even more visitors today (March 11). We have our own stand and a joint location with Lockheed Martin. Interest has been really good so far and we’re very happy. We are talking to a lot of airports and we asked our clients which is the best exhibition to attend in the industry and they all said Passenger Terminal Expo. I am amazed how many airport exhibitions there are in the world, but PTE stood out as the main one to attend.”
Juha Mattson, CMO Walkbase
“We’re using Passenger Terminal Expo as a platform to launch our latest products and we have had great feedback so far. The stand has been constantly busy and we have had the opportunity to meet with all kinds of people from the airport sector to teach them about our developments and learn about their requirements. This is always a great networking event and we’ll be back next year.”
Richard Wilks, airport business development, NEC Display Solutions
Visitors
“I have come to Passenger Terminal Expo to learn more about display systems and see the developments being made in this area, particularly in the video walls sector, and there are plenty of opportunities to do this. I’ve had some very interesting conversations with NEC Display Systems and Samsung in particular. The Expo is a good place to meet people and learn about what is happening in our sector, so my visit has been worthwhile.”
Seckin Olmez, IT project manager, Air IT Systems
“I have come to get a feeling for what is out there in terms of airport technology, and the Expo is a great place to do this. There are a lot of relevant exhibitors and I am certainly learning a lot. Passenger Terminal Expo is a great place to come and see all different types of technology, not just IT and software, but hardware as well, and it is very interesting to see where there are synergies.”
Alexander Constantinescu, research engineer, Amadeus
“Passenger Terminal Expo provides the perfect opportunity to learn about developments in the customer and passenger experience areas of the industry. This is my fifth year attending the Expo and it is always enjoyable. I have also attended the conference, which provides a great opportunity to learn about what is happening at other airports and carriers, and to see some of the best practices that I can take back to our airline. I can learn how the industry is improving the passenger experience from the lounge through to the service offered on the aircraft.”
Marcia Austin, manager, Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air
Delegates
“I have attended Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference as a 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, and the conference has been great for this. 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.”
Chee Chiau Ong, senior vice president, Changi Airport Group
“I’m particularly interested in learning about customer experience and the digital opportunities within airports, and the conference has had a number of great presentations on this topic. It is a great way to learn from other airports about how to improve the passenger experience. Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference is a great place to meet people from all areas of the airport industry, from suppliers to airport operators, so it is the perfect place to network.”
Eero Knnutila, head of service development at Finavia
“Passenger Terminal Conference has a very comprehensive program of talks, which for me help to provide affirmation that the work we’re doing is heading in the right direction in terms of passenger experience. The sessions have helped me learn more and understand about how the industry is using technology to support processes and the potential of technology in the future. The industry is moving so quickly it is important to come to events like this to learn about what others are doing and see how we can use that information to improve and grow.”
Adam Taylor, senior vice president global accounts at AirServ
“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.”
Antony Marke, managing director, OmniServ