International Airport Review’s IT & Security Conference commences

On the 4th December 2018 day one of the International Airport Review’s IT & Security conference got underway. 

The theme running throughout the conference was the technology that will become part of the airport more and more – as capacity continues to grow, the way to handle this increase that is not routed in infrastructure is the development of technologies to make a more seamless journey. However, the journey must still remain as safe as is possible for everyone involved. 

Sjoerd Blüm opened the IT stream, reminding those attending that the boundaries of the aviation IT industry is changing, and we must not be complacent against this change. 

We have heard examples of good practise, ideas of the future, and example of practise that no longer is feasible in the current airport climate. 

Vision-box underpinned that it is imperative that the industry get all of the biometric technologies underpinned by one system which is usable throughout the entire journey. 

Non-aeronautical revenues cannot be overlooked as airports continue to ‘sweat their assets’ to maximise the revenue that can be generated within the business model of the airport. Technology continues to devise ways to ensure that the passengers are benefiting from the right services that they want to see while travelling through the airport. 

Philip Baum opened the Security stream, which has looked into security protocols which have adapted as the threat has. Examples from the Sydney terrorist plot of 2017, to the LAX shootings force us to ask what lessons can be learnt from these attacks on aviation. 

The conference has asked more broadly if we need to further address the balance between security on the aircraft, and safety. We have listened to Karina Mersarasova discuss the psychology behind aviation terror and the impact this has upon mental health disorders. 

With each challenge to the system the screening protocols address loopholes exposed by previous attacks both realised and attempted. The best lesson the past has taught us is that next time will be different.