The airport app is dead, long live the chatbot or virtual assistant. Brisbane Airport head of technology Dirk Hus told the Australian Airports Association national conference on the Gold Coast that his airport had recently implemented a chatbot in Messenger and Twitter. Acknowledging that airports were lagging other industries when it came to chatbots, Hus said passengers could chat to the virtual assistant and it would provide information on flights, retail and ...
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Drones are here to stay and airports need to start thinking now about the opportunities they provide as well as the infrastructure needed to take advantage of the sector’s phenomenal growth. That was the message from Airservices Australia executive general manager customer service enhancement Michelle Bennetts at this year’s AAA National Conference as she outlined the steps needed to address the issue. Bennetts painted a picture of autonomous aircraft entering multiple facets ...
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Brisbane Airport decided to introduce a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) after realising there was an obvious omission in its otherwise extensive stakeholder engagement program. Although it consulted widely with government, community and customers, there was no regular engagement program when it came to interacting with the area’s oldest and original inhabitants. Executive General Manager Communications and Public Affairs Rachel Crowley, who came from a tourism background, knew about Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) ...
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Global tech giants, the latest social media platform and some of the world’s most recognised consumer brands are usually what we expect to see on best-loved companies lists. But not in British Columbia (BC). Vancouver International Airport is the third best-loved brand in the province and has been ranked by Skytrax as the best airport in North America for 10 years in a row. It has been named one of BC’s top ...
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Operating in a state known for its natural beauty comes with environmental obligations and Hobart Airport is living up to that expectation, implementing a new system that has already seen a 20 per cent reduction in the amount of waste heading to landfill. With an ambitious goal of achieving a 25 per cent reduction in waste diverted to landfill by 2025, the airport identified a three-stream waste segregation system and a ...
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The clean lines of a refurbished terminal have given what was the original international arrival point for the then Melbourne Airport a new lease on life, while paying homage to its storied past. Essendon Fields was Melbourne’s main airport until 1970, when the mantle was assumed by Tullamarine. But it remains a crucial hub for private jets, regional passenger operations and the emergency services sector with 50,000 aircraft movements a year. The refurbishment ...
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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says there are three key words that airport personnel need to remember if tragedy strikes their facility: respond, report, preserve. ATSB chief commissioner Greg Hood says it is imperative that first responders and airport operators preserve a crash site before investigators arrive, and this means disturbing aircraft wreckage and ground scars as little as possible. It is also important that they report it as soon as possible ...
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Those that have long worked in the aviation industry understand just how unique an airport community can be. Airport precincts can function like a city or town on their own, with a wide range of businesses operating in many capacities. People come and go in large numbers, creating a complex environment for the safety personnel charged with ensuring the safe passage of travellers, staff and visitors. It’s this dynamic, ever-changing environment that is ...
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As tinder-dry swathes of rural Australia face a potential horror bushfire season, a project hosted by Canberra International Airport will help ensure aerial firefighters are ready for action. A portable air base covering the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding areas of NSW is primed to supply fire retardant and a back-up supply of water should the need arise. It means aircraft tackling fires in the region will not have to return to ...
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An attractive new name and a new revamp are breathing fresh life into one of the NSW south coast’s signature airports. Shellharbour Airport – previously known as Illawarra Regional Airport – has already made the commercial change to its new name. But on 7 November, it also becomes official with the UN-based International Civil Aviation Organization and Australian aviation authorities. The airport south of Sydney, which today is widely known as the ...
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