Facilitation & Security // 28 Sep 2009 // No Comments

Enhancing security, improving customer service

By Ross Falconer

The BPSS concept was initially developed in response to increasing security concerns involving the use of duplicate boarding passes to access sterile areas. While convenient for passengers, the ability to print boarding passes at home and use mobile (electronic) boarding passes increases the potential of duplication. “In designing the trial system it became apparent that the system could address all security concerns and also provide data that can be used to enhance performance and increase customer service,” said Burden.

CATSA’s involvement in the BPSS trial was from April 2009 to June 2009, however, due to the success of the system it remains in operation under the control of Aéroports de Montréal. The objective of the trial was to verify that the boarding pass validation process, performance monitoring and breach resolution process could all be enhanced without negatively impacting on CATSA screening operations. The other primary objective was to prepare for national deployment by testing various models of scanners and testing various operational processes.

‘Exception handling capability’

The trial system is deployed at the domestic PBS checkpoint at Montréal Trudeau, where bar code scanners were installed at the front of the queue and at each of the seven screening lines. Both paper and electronic boarding passes are scanned with support for many different formats. “Exception handling capability is a necessary feature to address those boarding passes without a bar code or with non-readable bar codes,” said Burden. “A touch screen monitor with a simple, easy-to-use interface is used by the Screening Officers to populate a limited amount of data when these exceptional situations occur. The increased adoption of 2D bar codes by air carriers over time will limit the exceptions and result in faster service.”

Passengers first have their boarding passes scanned when entering the queue. Using a wireless handheld device, this scan is able to validate the boarding pass and performs checks including the date, time, airport, location and whether there are any duplications. The passenger then waits in line and is scanned again at the front of a screening line just before the X-ray. Burden explained that the time stamp between these two scans provides automated wait time statistics. “Data entry only occurs at the second scan point in that it is the location that minimizes unnecessary wait time. The time stamps at each screening line provide accurate throughput statistics. All data collected is used to better plan services and manage passenger expectations,” he said.

Timely breach resolution is critical to security management. This system enhances this process by providing passenger names and flight numbers, which can be used to quickly locate a passenger following a breach and avoid a costly holdroom re-screening process. “The privacy of passengers is another key aspect of this project. That is why it is important to note that this data is only used in the rare instance of a breach and is deleted from the database every 24 hours so that this data is not retained,” said Burden. “When designing a system of this scale it is essential to conduct trials to validate requirements and assumptions and most importantly to determine how it will impact airport operations. There were many valuable lessons learned from this trial, which were incorporated into the new system design that will be deployed nationally following a formal request for proposal contracting process.”

In order to maximize benefits, the BPSS project is dependent on all airlines using 2D bar codes on their boarding passes. This includes carriers such as the international carriers flying into Toronto and Vancouver, smaller carriers flying dedicated routes with smaller aircraft and all of the US carriers. Currently, not all carriers are using the 2D bar code.

BPSS benefits

The BPSS provides benefits to the travelling public, as well as all stakeholders involved. A primary benefit that became apparent early in the trial was providing the capability of notifying passengers before they enter a queue that they were at the wrong checkpoint. This avoids wasted time and potentially missed flights.

“Although not immediately visible to passengers, the system provides valuable performance metrics to CATSA which can be used to improve performance and enhance customer service. Automated wait time data and more accurate throughput data will result in better service planning for CATSA, airports and air carriers,” said Burden.

Enhancing the passenger experience

A key element of the Boarding Pass Security System is enhancing the passenger experience at Pre-Board Screening. Burden explained that for CATSA, customer service is an essential element of the screening process and is becoming increasingly important. Due to the proliferation of self-service check-in and bag drop, CATSA is becoming in many cases the first point of human contact that passengers have in a Canadian airport. “The passenger experience will be enhanced by providing courteous and professional services, making the screening process less stressful, minimizing wait times and maximizing throughput,” said Burden.

Throughput rates can be increased through the use of advanced technology and modifications to the screening process that permits segregation of passengers and bags that require additional screening. Key to this is identifying where the bottlenecks exist and how they can be reduced. A current trial at the Regina International Airport will focus on passenger education and encouraging active participation in the screening process. “As passengers learn to properly divest, alarm rates will decrease resulting in higher throughput,” said Burden. “In addition, the process will be adjusted to screen those passengers that alarm in a separate area such that it does not impede the flow of passengers who do not alarm.”

In the current screening process, CATSA must by regulation conduct various random searches on bags and passengers. These functions are incorporated into the standard process whereby it is conducted at all locations within a checkpoint. CATSA is trying something different at Ottawa International Airport where a full search lane has been established. “At this full search lane, all random search targets for the entire checkpoint will be achieved thereby removing the requirement from all other screening lines. This will result in higher throughput rates at all screening lines other than the full search lane,” said Burden.

CATSA will start to deploy split lanes at PBS checkpoints, which permit automated diversion of bags requiring supplemental search. This parallel conveyor at the end of the X-ray provides physical separation of these bags and allows expedited flow of passengers whose bags do not require a search. “All of these proposed changes must be properly designed and customized to the CATSA screening environment, such that all components integrate into a seamless system,” said Burden.

Checkpoint of the future

CATSA is actively pursuing multiple concept of operations trials at PBS checkpoints to determine the optimal blend of effectiveness (security), efficiency, consistency and customer service that when combined will form the CATSA PBS checkpoint of the future.

CATSA is currently testing different devices which provide electronic random selection of passengers for random search. Early indications are that passengers prefer the use of this technology, which directly addresses incorrect perceptions of targeted searches.

---