ACI World and Amadeus announced the winners of the Technology Innovation Awards at the Airports Council International (ACI) Africa / World Annual General Assembly.
A committee of external industry experts assessed submissions received from airports around the world. The prize for ‘Best innovation in airport passenger-related processes’ went to AENA’s biometric journey from home to aircraft at Spain’s Barcelona Airport. Incheon Airport in South Korea won ‘Best innovation in airport operations and installations management’ for its data sandbox. Finally, Suhail Kamil Kadri, senior vice president of technology and innovation at Doha’s Hamad International Airport in Qatar collected the award for ‘Best airport innovation leader (individual)’.
With this second edition of the awards, ACI World and Amadeus sought to celebrate innovative technology solutions that airports have implemented to enhance the airport experience, advance sustainability efforts, increase operational efficiency or foster continuous improvement.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general of ACI World, commented, “Partnering with travel technology company Amadeus, we aim to continue to encourage and applaud these stellar examples of technology leadership. We received many great submissions from airports all over the world. Technology is a key ingredient to building a stronger, sustainable and more resilient aviation industry. It will also be crucial to continue our overall mission to put the customer at the center of everything we do. Whether directly touching on the airport experience or improving operations, it ultimately benefits the traveler and the communities we serve. And we wouldn’t exist without both. We congratulate these winners for pushing our industry to new heights. They are true examples to their peers.”
Elena Avila, executive vice president of airport IT and airline operations at Amadeus, said, “Amadeus congratulates this year’s winning airports for their commitment to innovation. The rapid restart of global aviation has underlined the importance of applying new technology that automates and enhances both passenger experience and operational performance. However, we at Amadeus believe the industry is already reaching the limits of what can be achieved by working in silos. We believe that a new generation of open technology offers airports, airlines, ground handlers and other stakeholders the chance to collaborate more effectively. It’s only by working in unison that our industry can unlock a step change in performance that makes air travel more sustainable, more efficient and more enjoyable. We look forward to supporting the industry as it embarks on this transformation.”