Improving Passenger Screening

Increasing traffic, changed passenger profile and enhanced security regulations, led to saturation of the screening platforms. Queuing times had reached unacceptable length, leading to delayed aircraft, customer complaints and severe loss of commercial revenues.
Aside from the mid-term commitment of the management to structurally resolve the problem, also short term action was required as immediate relief.

Approach:

• Investigation of accuracy and validity of the passenger forecasts and arrival patterns, used as input for staff planning;
• Investigation of possible process improvements, taking into account the broader picture of the mid-term capacity increase;
• Detailed process mapping, focusing on sub processes;
• Process capacity assessment and eventual proposals on layout of the platform;
• Process flow analysis and proposals on improved channeling of passengers;
• Process re-engineering and proposals to optimize the working methods;
• Estimation of improvement potential using simulation techniques.

Results:

• A 51% capacity increase, realized within the existing infrastructure, avoiding a considerable investment and increase in operating cost;
• New service levels were proposed and agreed;
• Increased staffing motivation, with absenteeism rates restored to acceptable levels.