05.02.2008
Copenhagen Airport at the forefront with new wireless technology

Passengers are ready to use a new wireless technology that makes their travels easier and more fun. As the first airport in Europe, Copenhagen Airport is currently testing this technology, which was developed in a collaboration with the IT University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark.

When should I go to the gate? Is it sunny where I'm going? In the future, passengers at Copenhagen Airport will be able to use their mobile phone to answer these questions by signing up for a number of new and free services at www.cph.dk. A new survey shows that 74 per cent of the airport's passengers will make use of the new technology once development of the system is finished in about 18 months. Starting in February, Copenhagen Airport will be testing the technology with the help of volunteers flying with SAS.

Advantages for passengers and airlines

The new system is based on a wireless technology that logs data each time a mobile phone enters a new zone. This gives the airport exact information on how passengers move about in its buildings. Copenhagen Airport is the first airport in Europe to test exactly this combination of wireless technologies.

"We are continually investing in new technologies that can improve conditions for our passengers and collaborative partners. We want to use technology to give passengers a calmer, more relaxing start to their journey by sending them a text message when they need to go to their gate, but also using their exact position at the airport to determine when to send them that message. Airlines will be able to use this information to cut down on delays, since they will be able to find out where their passengers are and whether they can make their flight," said Brian Petersen, CEO for Copenhagen Airports A/S. 

Live test in February

Some of the project partners behind the new technology are the IT University of Copenhagen, the Risø National Laboratory at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU/Risø), Blip Systems, Lyngsoe Systems and Copenhagen Airport. For the past 18 months, the project partners have worked together to develop the technology, which will be tested on an actual flight departure in February. At check-in, each of the passengers volunteering for the test will be equipped with an RFID tag that is paired with their mobile phone. As each traveller moves about in the terminals, the tag will send a regular signal to the airport and the airline.
 
"The reason we are using RFID technology for our test in February is that it provides 100 per cent coverage. And in combination with Bluetooth, we have a unique opportunity to provide information to passengers also through their mobiles," said Dr John Paulin Hansen, associate professor at the IT University. He continued: "We can't just base everything on Bluetooth alone, because there are still passengers who don't take a mobile with them when they travel. We also risk the phones running out of power or being turned off, which is why we offer this combination."

Time to board

According to Niels Hemmingsen, vice president for cabin operations at SAS, there will also be great advantages for airlines if a combination of RFID and Bluetooth is used.
 
"For the airlines, it will be a big help in optimising the boarding process. We don't take off until we have a complete match between passengers and their baggage, so if one or more passengers don't show up by departure time, we have to pull their baggage out of the plane before we can close the gate. With this new technology, we can find out where individual passengers are so we can contact them or have more time to take the baggage off the plane," Hemmingsen explained.

More services in sight

In the slightly longer term, it will be possible to use a more advanced technology that allows passengers to always have the system on their mobile, so all they have to do is key in where they are going to receive current information on art, exhibitions, music, weather, etc. at their destination.

DTU/Risø and Copenhagen Airport recently completed a questionnaire survey to determine whether passengers see an advantage in using the technology. The survey indicated that 74 per cent of the 700 people asked would use the new technology.

Contact persons
 
IT University of Copenhagen
Pia Svejgaard Pedersen, press manager: pias@itu.dk: mobile +45 2555 0447

Copenhagen Airports A/S
Henrik Bjørner Søe, head of marketing: h.soe@cph.dk; telephone +45 3231 2901

SAS Danmark
Mikkel Løndahl, communications consultant: mikkel.londahl@sas.dk; telephone +45 3232 3608
Niels Hemmingsen, vice president, Cabin Operations: niels.hemmingsen@sas.dk; telephone +45 3232 3239