Implementing Integrated Self-Service at Airports (2015)

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

Overview ACRP Report 136: Implementing Integrated Self-Service at Airports was developed under ACRP Project 10-17. The report includes a summary and four parts: Part I: Overview, Part II: Reference Guide, Part III: Integrated Self-Service Tools, and Part IV: Appendices. Following this overview is Part II, which includes Chapter 1: The Passenger Self-Service Vision, Chapter 2: Applying the Vision—Planning, and Chapter 3: Applying the Vision— Implementation. Part III: Integrated Self-Service Tools includes Chapter 4: Business Case Development Guide, Chapter 5: Passenger Self-Service Inventory, and Chapter 6: Passenger Self-Service Environment Map. Part IV provides Appendix A: Glossary of Terms, Appendix B: Annotated Resource Guide, and Appendix C: Acronyms and Initialisms. Bound into ACRP Report 136 is CRP-CD-168: Integrated Self-Service Tools for ACRP Report 136, which includes the Business Case Development Guide; the Passenger Self-Service Inventory spread- sheet matrix; the Passenger Self-Service Environment Map executable application; and one-page, printable summary descriptions of enabling technologies. (Also, an .iso image of CRP-CD-168 is available on the TRB website at http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/172418.aspx.) The information to develop the content of ACRP Report 136 was collected through various research methods, including a literature review, interviews, conferences, and on-site case studies. This research was done to provide guidance to the reader based on the industry’s most current implementations, experiences, and best practices. Primary research subjects included airports, airlines, and related industry associations, as well as technology vendors. Secondary resources included publications from airport and airline industry associations, other ACRP reports, and various aviation technology, self-service, and travel-related websites. The purpose of ACRP Report 136 is to be a comprehensive, easy-to-use resource that will provide the user with the information and tools necessary to meet the project’s primary objective: “considering, evaluating, and making strategic decisions for implementing and optimizing a comprehensive passenger self-service experience for a variety of sizes of U.S. Airports.” While many of the references and examples of self-service applications may represent scenarios at large airports, the concepts discussed and the Roadmap presented are universally applicable and scalable to the unique characteristics of any airport. In addition, the Business Case Develop- ment Guide (Part III, Chapter 4) makes no assumptions regarding the availability of resources or the applicability of particular solutions, but rather provides guidance toward a fully tailored evaluation of a given opportunity. Every effort was made to develop this resource as to be useful to a variety of airport (and stakeholders) personnel at various levels of responsibility, ranging from executive management to information technology (IT) division staff members. P A R T I

ACRP Report 136 was prepared and structured keeping in mind the varying information needs of different types of users. With that in mind, the following general user needs have been identified: • Reference/knowledge. This user is interested in learning about self-service at airports. The primary objective is to gain knowledge and understanding of the industry as a whole as well as the various self-service applications and technologies. To meet the need of this user, ACRP Report 136 functions as a research and educational tool. The Reference Guide (Part II), the Passenger Self-Service Inventory (Part III, Chapter 5), the Passenger Self-Service Environment Map (Part III, Chapter 6), and Appendices A–C (Part IV) will all be of significant value. • Program planning. This user is familiar with passenger self-service and wants to know what it takes to develop an overall passenger self-service program. The primary objective is to gain insight into how to develop a long-term integrated passenger self-service strategy. The Refer- ence Guide (Part II), the Business Case Development Guide (Part III, Chapter 4), and the Passenger Self-Service Environment Map (Part III, Chapter 6) will be of primary interest. • Project implementation. This user is ready to engage in a self-service initiative, but is not exactly sure what all must be addressed. The primary objective is to get direction on what must be considered to maximize the value of an overall passenger self-service strategy. Self-service is looked at from a holistic perspective with a strong focus on integration aspects. The Refer- ence Guide (Part II) and the Passenger Self-Service Inventory (Part III, Chapter 5) will be of primary interest.