Quebec Airport Enhances Operations with Wearable Technology

Air transport IT specialist, SITA and Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) have unveiled the world’s first use of the Apple Watch for an airport workforce.

The airport will use the watches to connect to the SITA Airport Management solution, which is already in use at the airport, to push regular operational alerts to duty managers and ensure operations run smoothly.

“We are always looking for new technology to help enhance our operations, and ultimately better serve our passengers. Wearable tech is one area of interest to us and with the Apple Watch and SITA’s Airport Management solution our duty managers will receive important notifications at just the right time to take action as needed,” said Marc-André Bédard, Vice President, Information Technology, Aéroport de Québec. “For example, they may get an alert to say that two planes are arriving simultaneously and have been assigned to the same gate or that there is a delay at a certain gate. Previously, they would have checked their tablets regularly for updates. With the watch, a vibration alerts them to an update so they receive vital information just by glancing at their wrist. They can then take immediate action.”

The SITA Lab team built the application for the airport and conducted all the systems integration work to link the Apple Watch to the SITA Airport Management solution.

SITA’s solution, which is in use at 150 airports in 48 countries, streamlines airport operations by enabling the airport to control all its operations from a single central control center and adapt to an ever-changing environment. This includes accessing all the information necessary to make decisions and manage resources in real time. It delivers a new level of business intelligence that allows airports to balance operational efficiency with business results.

Jim Peters, Chief Technology Officer, SITA, said, “This is another example of how SITA is leading the way in exploring new technology for the air transport community. Using the Apple Watch at Quebec Airport harnesses all the power of SITA’s Airport Management solution to deliver information and updates to staff in a faster, more agile way. Of course, SITA’s boarding pass API already works with the watch, and the team wanted to trial different ways to harness the benefits of Apple’s new technology.”

Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport served more than 1.5 million passengers in 2014, up 6.7% from 2013. The airport hosts 10 carriers providing multiple connections to various destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, with daily service to major hubs in northeastern North America.

See also: Anthem of the Seas Makes Most of Wearable Technology.