Lufthansa and Fraport unveil new ‘Gate of the Future’

Lufthansa and Fraport have unveiled Frankfurt Airport’s ‘Gate of the Future’, combining live digital updates, mobile passenger assistance and lounge-style seating to test new ways of making boarding smoother and more comfortable.

Summary:

Lufthansa and Fraport have inaugurated Gate A16, a redesigned ‘Gate of the Future’ at Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 1, to test innovations aimed at improving passenger experience and streamlining boarding.
The new gate features large digital displays with live flight and boarding updates, QR codes linking to digital self-services, and mobile boarding staff equipped with tablets to provide proactive assistance without a fixed service counter.
Lounge-style seating, flexible workspaces and selected artworks create a more comfortable waiting environment, while the partners will use passenger feedback to identify innovations that could be introduced at other gates and airport locations.

Lufthansa and Fraport have inaugurated Gate A16, the ‘Gate of the Future’ in Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 1. This redesigned departure gate features a completely new look with lounge-style furniture and flexible working areas, along with live updates on departing flights on large monitors, boarding personnel circulating to proactively assist passengers, and more interactive digital offerings.

Here in this unique, completely redesigned gate area, Lufthansa and Fraport are jointly testing ways to offer customers better service, faster and smoother boarding and an even more pleasant travel experience for departing passengers.

“We’re committed to ensuring a premium passenger experience, not only in the air but also on the ground – that too is what Lufthansa stands for,” said Francesco Sciortino, Board Member Lufthansa Airlines and Hub Manager Frankfurt. “At Gate A16, our passengers can see how future-proof processes ensure a more pleasant and efficient start to their journey. The ‘Gate of the Future’ is yet another milestone on our shared journey with Fraport. Frankfurt is already Europe’s best-connected hub airport – and precisely that is what we want to continue developing together.”

Dietmar Focke, Chief Operating Officer, Fraport, commented: “The future of travel is emerging not in the laboratory but in actual operation. Together with Lufthansa, we’re demonstrating how a strong partnership can generate specific innovations that noticeably enhance the travel experience. What we’re testing and developing here together has a clear goal: greater comfort and convenience for passengers, optimised processes and an even stronger competitive position for Frankfurt as an aviation hub.”

The new ‘Gate of the Future’ features impressive large wall monitors and 360-degree displays. They indicate the departure time and boarding status, in addition to information on hand luggage and live updates on gate changes. The goal is to quickly and comprehensively provide passengers with all relevant information, so they can make the most of their time at the gate. QR codes are available to directly access all digital self-services, including a link to the Lufthansa app.

Boarding staff circulate at the gate, approaching customers to answer their questions and help them with seat reservations, upgrades, re-bookings and more. There is no longer a fixed counter. Instead, each mobile assistant carries a tablet that provides access to various boarding systems via a single intuitive user interface. This gives staff fast, direct access to all the information they need and allows them, for example, to centrally issue automatic announcements at the gate.

In addition to the digital offerings and personal service, the look and feel of the gate area has been redesigned. At Gate A16, passengers can work in flexible work cubes that give them greater privacy and more peace and quiet. The furnishings, including comfortable sofas, as well as selected artworks, make the area feel more like a lounge than a conventional waiting area. The gate’s ambiance therefore also contributes to a comfortable stay.

Lufthansa and Fraport are using Gate A16 to test new services and identify the ones that especially delight customers. This information is important for deciding which elements of the new concept can also be applied at other gates and elsewhere.