Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) in Germany has launched a virtual queuing program, developed by software and consultancy companies Copenhagen Optimization and Clear.
The program, called BER Runway, has been designed to enable travelers to reserve a security control time slot for a more predictable travel experience. To use the free BER Runway lane, passengers must visit the website and enter their flight details and size of their party, and find a reservation time. Once the reservation time has been selected, passengers can finish booking by entering an email address and confirming their details. Following this, they will receive a confirmation email and QR code. Upon arrival in Terminal 1, travelers should look for signs pointing to the BER Runway lane. At this point, they can scan their QR code and queue in the fast lane to security.
Reservations can be made online up to 72 hours in advance of a flight’s scheduled departure. Reservation times are available based on the passenger’s selected flight; slots are available starting at least 60 minutes before Schengen flights and at least 90 minutes before non-Schengen flights. The dedicated BER Runway security lane is open between 4:30am and 8:30pm.
Thomas Hoff Andersson, COO at airport operator Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg said, “BER Runway provides our passengers with an attractive, free service. It allows them to plan their stay at the airport more reliably and make their journey less stressful. The BER Runway is also an important step on the way to further digitizing operations at our airport. This will enable us to further optimize all processes in the interest of our passengers in the future.”
Kasper Hounsgaard, co-CEO of Copenhagen Optimization, added, “Allowing the passenger to be in control of their journey is the future of air transportation. Our virtual queuing solution is a game-changer in the personalized airport experience. More relaxed and happier passengers benefit the commercial part of business while nudging passengers to arrive outside the peak periods improves the operation. As the virtual queuing solution integrates seamlessly with any airport system, it is a viable solution for any airport to take on.”
Caryn Seidman-Becker, CEO of Clear, said, “With this expansion, a whole new international market will be able to experience what the Clear brand stands for: frictionless, stress-free experiences. We’re excited to partner with the entire Berlin Brandenburg community to make the airport experience better for both the airport and the traveler and to bring the CLEAR brand to the European market.”
