• Berlin Brandenburg Airport - First Week Of Operation
    Berlin Brandenburg Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    EDDB/BER
    Country:
    Germany
    CEO:
    Aletta von Massenbach
    Passenger Count :
    9,947,006 (2021)
    Runways :
    07L/25R - 3,600m (11,811ft) | 07R/25L - 4,000m (13,123ft)
    Terminals:
    Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 | Terminal 5

Berlin Brandenburg Airport is taking an innovative approach to resolving the queuing crisis plaguing airports across Europe by implementing a new virtual queuing program for security.

Smooth operations

Developed by Copenhagen Optimisation and CLEAR, the free virtual queuing program, aptly titled “BER Runway,” will allow travelers to plan ahead, cutting waiting times through a designated time slot to breeze through security.

“BER Runway offers our passengers an attractive, free service. It allows them to plan their stay at the airport more reliably and make their journey less stressful,” noted Thomas Hoff Andersson, managing director of operations at the airport. “The BER Runway is also an important step on the way to further digitizing operations at our airport. This will enable us to further optimize all processes in the interests of our passengers in the future.”

Reservations open 72 hours before flights on BER Runway’s dedicated website, with passengers able to select a slot that suits their needs based on flight time and group size. Slots are available starting at least 60 minutes before inter-Schengen flights and at least 90 minutes for non-Schengen flights.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport Queing
Photo: Getty Images

Once confirming a slot and entering the relevant details, passengers will receive a confirmation email and QR code, ready to go once they arrive at the airport. The dedicated BER Runway security lane will be open between 4:30 and 20:30 each day at Brandenburg’s terminal 1.

Changing times

Berlin Brandenburg is the first European airport, and eighth globally, to offer virtual queuing for security. Copenhagen Optimisation and CLEAR’s queuing solution has seen significant growth and popularity across the United States and Canada, having already been implemented at seven major airports across North America.

“Allowing the passenger to be in control of their journey is the future of air transportation,” added Kasper Hounsgaard, co-CEO of Copenhagen Optimization.

“Our virtual queuing solution is a game-changer in the personalized airport experience. More relaxed and happier passengers benefit the commercial part of business while nudging passengers to arrive outside the peak periods improves the operation. As the virtual queuing solution integrates seamlessly with any airport system, it is a viable solution for any airport to take on.”

Emirates Facial Recognition
Airports and airlines across the globe have been trialing various innovative technologies to improve the passenger experience, notably Emirates, which introduced a fully biometric pathway back in 2020. Photo: Emirates

With passenger figures doubling globally over the past two decades, pre-pandemic, virtual queuing for security has become the latest way airports have been looking to streamline and develop the passenger experience and keep up with demand.

Over the past several years, airports and airlines have started trialing and implementing cutting-edge technology, with solutions including biometric paths to circumvent passport control at Dubai International Airport, autonomous assistance robots at Frankfurt Airport, and airlines utilizing AI to optimize air routes and reduce emissions.

Delays and cancellations as the aviation industry moves into its post-pandemic recovery have only highlighted the need for airports to adapt to a changing environment, with aviation industry experts noting it may be the only way forward.

“When situations like this happen, it really drives home the importance of automation,” Sherry Stein, strategist at SITA, told the Toronto Star earlier this month.

“Airport infrastructure is finite. You can only build so big, you only have so much land. So, what do you do to maximize the way you use those resources? It has to be with automation and technology.”

What are your thoughts on Brandenburg’s new virtual security check-in? Let us know in the comments.

Source: The Toronto Star