Overview

Around the globe billions of people engage in air travel every year. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) the airlines expect to double the number of passengers by 2034, bringing the total number of travelers to seven billion annually¹. Airlines as well as airports are seeking ways to improve the experience for these travelers and keep air travel on the upswing. Implementing different technologies is one way to enhance the passenger experience. Airports are dedicating a larger portion of their revenue to technology with the top investments being made in passenger processing (59%), passenger and airport security (50%), and operations (41%). In fact, according to the 2016 SITA survey, 71% of airport CIOs received a larger budget than in 2015². Whether walking through a terminal or sitting at a gate passengers expect mobile connectivity to continue their daily work routine or to stay in touch with family and friends. However, airports can be one of the most challenging environments for enabling wireless communications due to the complex steel and concrete structures with varying ceiling heights, the many competing technologies, and just the sheer number of passengers and moving objects at any given time. Fortunately, there are effective and cost efficient wireless solutions to meet the many needs of today’s airports.