On the Ground News

When it comes to check-in and boarding, for the airline, the airport and the passenger, the general rule is: the simpler, the better. The bar coded boarding pass is currently the standard used by more than 200 airlines globally, but with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology being increasingly explored as a potential alternative, just how […]

The first CUPPS (Common Use Passenger Processing System) certification has been achieved. In August, SITA became the first platform provider to achieve compliance certification and to successfully complete its CUPPS Pilot Program. Ross Falconer reports.

Malaysia Airports will host the inaugural Check-in Asia conference and exhibition at the Pan Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, on 24-26 November 2010 – a new check-in forum specifically for the Asia Pacific region. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is also one of the first Asia Pacific airports to become 100% BCBP (bar coded boarding pass) capable […]

Whether your ticket is read face-up or face-down by the scanner can have a significant impact on how long passengers are kept waiting. There have been successful trials to present them on mobile phones and personal digital organisers (PDAs) – a trend that may grow. This variety of media makes accurate, first-pass scanning harder and […]

Ultra Electronics Airport Systems has announced the launch of its latest operational solution. UltraConnect is the company’s new global aviation messaging solution, which is able to provide reliable routing of all airline message types with particular focus at this stage on IATA RP17545 BSMs (Baggage Service Messages). The solution is already in use at one […]

All Nippon Airways has chosen Damarel to supply the latest version of its full DCS back up system. The solution provide a real-time transfer of passenger and flight information between an airline’s own DCS and Damarel’s Local DCS, ensuring the best possible continuation of service and on-time performance.

The CUPPS (Common Use Passenger Processing System) initiative is currently in its pilot phase, which is divided into four segments: the technical trials (currently ongoing), the compliance trials, the specification update, and the specification release. Ross Falconer reports on progress and the next steps.

Common-use bag drops are emerging at the airport as an extension of the self-service experience – transferring more control away from the airline agent into the hands of the passenger. Louise Driscoll reports on the benefits and challenges for the industry.