The U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya Airport has collaborated with Amadeus to adopt its Airport Cloud Use Service (ACUS), a cloud-based platform that maximizes the use of terminal check-ins and boarding areas. In the wake of the global pandemic, the travel industry including airports need to remain agile in managing the fluctuating demand of air travel.
ACUS enables the airport to easily scale back, or up, to meet traveler demands. Due to the lockdowns and travel restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of flights in 2021 was 30% compared with 2019. Passenger numbers dropped to 8% of pre-pandemic levels.
Furthermore, at U-Tapao airport, the passengers are mainly tourists, and this means that demand drops after the winter months. Therefore, the number of airlines operating at the airport also fluctuates. By deploying ACUS, the airport is able to move airline service points to another location easily, effectively shutting down a terminal and reducing operational costs during the offseason. Fast forward to today, as travel rebuilds and restrictions have eased, Thailand is expecting an influx of as many as 1.5 million travelers to the country per month during high seasons, and U-Tapao will be able to scale back up accordingly and be ready to re-establish routes.
Even more so, with ACUS, the U-Tapao airport can use a shared, common use platform and connect multiple airlines, airports and ground handlers to access critical passenger servicing information and applications safely, from anywhere – from one airport, to multiple airports and even to off-airport locations. The U-Tapao airport can serve any passenger, no matter which airline they fly on, from any check-in desk or terminal.
Admiral Worapol Tongpricha, Director, U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya Airport, says, “The U-Tapao airport is now prepared more than ever, to adapt to any scenario, including traffic peaks and weather disruptions. As Thailand leads the tourism recovery in South-East Asia, we are excited to work with Amadeus and our local implementation partner Ai Terminal to respond to increasing passenger numbers and improve their experience with reduced queues and the option to check-in where and how they want.”
Sarah Samuel, Head of Airport IT, APAC, Amadeus, says, “ACUS presents a whole host of benefits that translate to cost-effective measures for the airport, better operational flexibility and above all, seamless journey for passengers. We are delighted that the U-Tapao airport has partnered with us as it takes the next step in becoming the airport of the future. As travel renews globally, Amadeus will continue to accelerate travel recovery with our partners and industry peers in enabling a smoother and greater experience for travelers through our technological capabilities as we predict the needs of travelers in every step of their journey.”
The U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya Airport is expanding the use of ACUS to 35 counters across the airport, as well as extending services beyond the terminal.
Source: Vero