Guidebook for Implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems Elements to Improve Airport Traveler Access Information (2012)

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C-1 The following elements of ground transportation information were examined for each airport included in the survey, and an overview is provided in the following pages of this appendix: • Directions to the airport, • Airport roads information, • Airport access route congestion, • Links to other regional sources of traffic information, • Passenger drop-off/pick-up information, • Cell phone lot information, • Parking information, • Terminal information, • Weather conditions, • Flight/gate status information, • Rental car information, • Cargo information, • Shuttle/bus information, • Mass transit information, and • Information in multiple languages. A p p e n d i x C Airport Website Traveler Information Review

C-2 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information Directions to the Airport Directions to the airport are a basic information source that travelers need, especially if they are not frequent travelers. As shown in Table C-1, while nearly all airports in the sample cross section provided directional information, the vast majority of domestic airports provide it in a static manner. However, the international airport review showed a much larger percentage providing dynamic directional information with approximately 43 percent providing directions dynamically. With little additional technical effort, the provision of an integrated mapping application window or link to a mapping website would allow travelers to obtain personalized, turn-by-turn directions to the airport, a resource that could be highly useful for the occasional traveler, either business or personal. Information Category: Airport Directions • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if there was an integrated map application or widget on the airport site, or if there was a link to a mapping site. • Static: Information was static if there was text or non-interactive maps. Domestic – Large - Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small - Hub Airports Domestic – Non - Hub Airports International Airports 23% 77% Dynamic Static No Info 23% 70% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 14% 83% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 6% 87% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 43% 47% 10% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-1. Airport website information analysis: Airport directions.

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-3 Information Category: Airport Road Access Information • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if current roadway conditions on the on-property airport access routes were given (i.e., incident, ice, snow, etc). • Static: Information was static if there was text or a non-interactive map of the on- property access routes. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 7% 90% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info 97% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 3% 70% 27% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-2. Airport website information analysis: Airport road access information. Airport Roads Information In most situations, the final portion of any trip to the airport occurs on roads controlled and maintained by the airport. This review category encompassed two components of infor- mation. The first was directions or a map of the on-property roads, while the second was status information on these roadways. While almost all domestic airports in the sample cross section provide some static information, airport websites that provide this level of informa- tion in a dynamic fashion to travelers are rare. Table C-2 shows the results of the review for this category. In contrast to the findings from the review of airport directions, slightly more than 25 percent of international airports provide no information pertaining to on-property access information.

C-4 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information Links to Other Regional Sources of Traffic Information The results of examining airport websites for links to regional traffic information resulted in a trend based on airport size, with a decreasing amount of linkages as the airport size decreases. This is likely due to the lack of a regional traffic information website, as most smaller communities do not have this type of information or the ITS infrastructure to provide it. However, all of the regions served by the largest airports should have a regional traffic conditions website, and providing a link to, or an integrated view of, the information is a simple technical process. Table C-3 shows the results of the review in this category. Information Category: Links to Regional Traffic Information • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if a link to any of the traffic-monitoring websites was present. • Static: Information was static if there was simply a listing (no links) of regional sources of traffic information, such as radio stations. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 60% 0% 40% Dynamic Static No Info 30% 0% 70% Dynamic Static No Info 13% 87% Dynamic Static No Info 7% 93% Dynamic Static No Info 27% 73% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-3. Airport website information analysis: Links to regional traffic information.

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-5 Information Category: Passenger Drop-Off/Pick-Up Information • Dynamic: Dynamic information was not possible in this category. • Static: Information was static if there were text or maps that described where to go and how to pick up passengers at the airport. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 77% 23% Dynamic Static No Info 67% 33% Dynamic Static No Info 33% 67% Dynamic Static No Info 37% 63% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-4. Airport website information analysis: Passenger drop-off/pick-up information. Passenger Drop-Off/Pick-Up Information The provision of information for passenger drop-off or pick-up would be difficult, if not impossible, to provide in a dynamic fashion. The information would be most applicable to vehicles entering the property and proceeding to a terminal. Any dynamic aspect would likely be very short-lived and apart from a DMS or in-vehicle device detailing the time to the terminal, difficult to communicate to drivers. Other aspects of passenger drop-off or pick-up information such as transit or parking or cell phone lots were covered in other categories of the website review process. Table C-4 shows the results of the review in this information category.

C-6 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information Cell Phone Lot and Information Cell phone lots, also called park-and-wait facilities, devote a parking facility for vehicles to wait to pick up travelers, generally for free, effectively removing those vehicles from the traffic flow at the curbside and on airport circulation roadways. For dynamic aspects, a large informa- tion display will show patrons of the lot the status of incoming flights so expectations as to meet- ing times between parties can be managed. Note that not all airports have this type of facility, so a finding of no information may also reflect not having the facility. Additionally, it is not possible to tell from all airport websites if there is an information display in the lot, so without site visits, a determination was provided of static instead of dynamic. Table C-5 shows the findings from this aspect of the analysis. Information Category: Cell Phone Lot • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if there was a presentation of arriving flight information currently being displayed in the cell phone (park-and-wait) lot. • Static: Information was static if there was text about the cell phone lot available at the airport. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 87% 13% Dynamic Static No Info 67% 33% Dynamic Static No Info 63% 37% Dynamic Static No Info 47% 53% Dynamic Static No Info 37% 63% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-5. Airport website information analysis: Park-and-wait facility.

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-7 Parking Information The operation and advantages of parking management systems were detailed earlier in this synthesis. Table C-6 shows the results of the airport website review for this category of information. It should be noted that this is an imperfect method of determining the availability of these systems. While some airports with this technology in use tout it on their website as an innovation, it is possible that the lots operate in a dynamic fashion on site, but the website is either not linked in to the information or makes no mention of it. A trend that is obvious, however, is that an increasing number of airports are implementing these systems and that they appear to be spreading beyond only the largest airports. Only at the smallest airports were there any findings that showed a total lack of parking information, speaking to its relative importance to the airport traveler. Information Category: Parking Information • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if there was a presentation of a real-time chart with the available parking numbers. • Static: Information was static if there was text or a link to information regarding parking options at the airport. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 30% 70% Dynamic Static No Info 10% 87% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info 87% 13% Dynamic Static No Info 7% 93% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-6. Airport website information analysis: Parking information.

Information Category: Terminal Information • Dynamic: Dynamic information was not possible in this category. • Static: Information was static if a list of carriers by terminal or a map of terminals was available. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 100% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 80% 20% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-7. Airport website information analysis: Terminal information. Terminal Information The provision of information pertaining to terminals in a dynamic fashion was judged to be impossible. Table C-7 shows that the vast majority of airports provide terminal information in a static fashion, generally a map or a list of which carriers are located in which terminal. It is known that many airports also provide this information on the on-property airport access roads; however, it is also static in nature at those points. C-8 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-9 Weather Conditions Although not identified in the findings of desired traveler information for highway users, weather information is an information component that can be decidedly more critical to air travelers. Even at a base level, many air travelers are interested in weather at their destination in order to know how to dress on the day of travel. Table C-8 shows that a vast majority of airport websites provide weather information in a dynamic fashion using an integrated weather widget or a link to a real-time weather page. While the review did not focus on the impact of weather on ground operations at the airport and therefore potential flight delays, this is a potentially important concept or linkage to carry forward for the concept of truly integrated information. Information Category: Weather • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if there was an integrated weather application or widget on the airport site, or if there was a link to a real-time weather page with a pre- assigned zip or airport code. • Static: Static information was not possible in this category. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 67% 33% Dynamic Static No Info 80% 20% Dynamic Static No Info 67% 33% Dynamic Static No Info 70% 30% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-8. Airport website information analysis: Weather.

C-10 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information Flight/Gate Status Information Virtually all but the smallest airports provide flight information in a dynamic fashion. At the very smallest airports, the scarcity and regularity of flights typically lead to a static list of carriers, gates, and expected arrival and departure times, as this information rarely changes. Table C-9 shows that all of the FAA-designated large airports and all of the international airports provide flight information in a dynamic fashion and dynamic means is the predominant method of providing this information across all sizes of airports. Information Category: Flight Information • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if flights’ numbers and statuses were readily available and constantly updated. • Static: Information was static if the site simply listed the regular flights and normal departure and arrival times. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 100% Dynamic Static No Info 87% 3% 10% Dynamic Static No Info 97% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 73% 20% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-9. Airport website information analysis: Flight information.

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-11 Rental Car Information Table C-10 shows the results of the information analysis for rental car information. It is not surprising that there were no findings of dynamic information in this category, as it is not envisioned how rental car information could be dynamic, short of stating the number or avail- ability of rental vehicles. Presenting this information in a dynamic fashion would not generally be useful to most traveler segments as reservations for a rental car are typically made ahead of time. It would also be a significant technical hurdle to integrate the status information of multiple rental car companies to an airport information technology infrastructure, for very little perceived benefit. Information Category: Rental Car Information • Dynamic: Dynamic information was not possible in this category. • Static: Information was static if there was text, contact information, or links to the rental car companies having operations on or near the airport. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 100% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-10. Airport website information analysis: Rental car information.

C-12 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information Information Category: Cargo Information • Dynamic: Dynamic information was not possible in this category. • Static: Information was static if there was text or contact information on the air cargo operations at that airport. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 77% 23% Dynamic Static No Info 63% 37% Dynamic Static No Info 57% 43% Dynamic Static No Info 40% 60% Dynamic Static No Info 67% 33% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-11. Airport website information analysis: Cargo information. Cargo Information As with some of the other categories of information in the website review, dynamic information pertaining to cargo was judged to not be possible. However, as Table C-11 shows, nearly a quarter of all domestic large airports do not even address cargo on their websites. A similar finding resulted from international airport websites, with nearly a third not addressing cargo. This may be due to the experience and familiarity that delivery and shipping companies will already have with airport operations. Presumably, new employees will obtain the required information from their places of employment and not from the airport website. There is very little applicability of cargo information to the predominant airport traveler, although it is a significant aspect of many airport operations.

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-13 Shuttle/Bus Information Dynamic information for shuttles or buses would take the form of schedules or next bus arrival information. Primarily this information would be most applicable to passengers arriving on flights and would have a delivery system of kiosks or message boards internal to the airport. It is therefore not surprising that airport websites do not showcase this information in a dynamic fashion. As shown in Table C-12, the vast majority of airports do provide shuttle or bus informa- tion, but in a static fashion. The results also show that nearly a quarter of the smallest airports in the review do not provide any information in this category. This may be because the airport is not served by any shuttle or bus agencies, as a result of the size of the facility and the number of enplanements. Information Category: Shuttle/Bus Information • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if schedules or timeframes for shuttle and bus information were integrated into airport information infrastructure. • Static: Information was static if there was text or a link to shuttle or bus sites. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 100% Dynamic Static No Info 93% 7% Dynamic Static No Info 97% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 77% 23% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-12. Airport website information analysis: Shuttle/bus information.

C-14 Guidebook for implementing intelligent Transportation Systems elements to improve Airport Traveler Access information Information Category: Mass Transit Information • Dynamic: Information was dynamic if schedules or timeframes for mass transit were integrated into airport information infrastructure. • Static: Information was static if there was a link to mass transit (public bus system, train, rail, etc.) sites. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 97% 3% Dynamic Static No Info 87% 13% Dynamic Static No Info 67% 33% Dynamic Static No Info 23% 77% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info Table C-13. Airport website information analysis: Mass transit information. Mass Transit Information The provision of mass transit information is analogous to the previous category, the provision of shuttle and bus information. As shown in Table C-13 however, across domestic categories, less information is provided about mass transit options. In general, technology is not the issue. A more complete picture as to the lack of information availability becomes apparent when one considers aspects such as availability of transit to the airport, intermodal cooperation, lack of public awareness of transit options, or policies that do not promote alternative arrival modes.

Airport Website Traveler information Review C-15 Table C-14. Airport website information analysis: Multiple languages. Information Category: Multiple Languages • Dynamic: Dynamic information was not possible in this category. • Static: Information was static if there was an option of changing the text on the website to another language. Domestic – Large-Hub Airports Domestic – Medium-Hub Airports Domestic – Small-Hub Airports Domestic – Non-Hub Airports International Airports 20% 80% Dynamic Static No Info 13% 87% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info 100% Dynamic Static No Info 97% 3% Dynamic Static No Info Information in Multiple Languages The final information category reviewed across the airport websites was the provision of infor- mation in multiple languages. Domestically, some of the larger airports do provide information in languages other than English. It is of course understood that providing this information in a dynamic fashion is not possible from the aspect of the airport website. There are web browser add-ins that dynamically translate pages as they are viewed, but this was not addressed in the website review. Internationally, virtually all of the airport websites provide pages in other languages, reflecting the use of English as the international language and the official language associated with air travel. Table C-14 shows the results from this category of review.