Nice Côte d’Azur Airport opens new Airport Operations Centre

The APOC is the most efficient and modern collaborative management method for airport operations, making it possible both to optimise resources and to support changes in air traffic, but also to take into account account all of the parameters that can disrupt traffic on the airport platform.

Acting like a giant checkpoint, the centre allows the operators, in real time, to exchange information, define the most relevant solutions, initiate their implementation and check their effects on all terminals, runways and airport surroundings.

For passengers, this close coordination represents, on the one hand, an additional guarantee of fluidity to their journey, from their arrival in the airport area to check-in and boarding, including baggage drop-off or security checks. Then, on the other hand, greater punctuality of their flight. This guarantee is also important to ensure the reception of customers from the landing of the plane until they leave the airport area.

Concretely, the centre centralises the management of various airport resources, such as airplane stations, boarding bridges, check-in kiosks, baggage belts and parking lot entry/ exit kiosks. It also ensures the optimisation of passenger flows throughout their journey.

First, near the terminals, to facilitate the flow of roads or prevent the saturation of car parks. Then, within the terminals, to prevent congestion at one of the passenger crossing points – in particular, the checkpoints – or that too high a concentration of people in one place contravenes compliance. At the slightest signal of failure of a piece of equipment (such as an elevator, door, escalator or parking barrier, etc.), a team can intervene in a short space of time to remedy it.

In the event of a deteriorated situation – by a meteorological episode, for example – a shortened chain of decision and command facilitates an accelerated return to a normal situation.

The implementation of the APOC required the creation of a unique space – a 500m², ultra-modern facility that is equipped with dozens of control screens – as well as the training of its members and the creation of the position of Airport Duty Manager (ADM).

The ADM conducts operations and makes decisions in real time thanks to the hypervisor, a new computer system that enables the real-time management of all operations and is in constant communication with partners, companies, ground handling assistants and law enforcement agencies.

Created under the impetus of EUROCONTROL, the Airport Operations Centre, which is also co-financed by the European Union (EU), positions Nice Côte d’Azur Airport at the heart of the Single European Sky initiative and participates in its fluidity.

Chairman of the Executive Board of the Côte d’Azur Airports, Franck Goldnadel, said: “After deepening our integration into the European Sky with the implementation of our A-CDM in October 2020, we are now fully equipped to support the resumption of traffic by offering our partners and our passengers the best guarantees in terms of the management of our operations. The expected gains range from enhanced punctuality to greater fluidity of the passenger journey with, as a common thread, improved safety, particularly health.”