Aviation World 3/2013
Follow the Greens
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Interview: Winfried Hartmann
Saving Energy: The Future Belongs to LED
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Airline Portrait: Oman Air
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Check-in
Dear Reader, The development of our traffic figures this year allows us to view the future with some optimism: We anticipate the same number of passengers as last year and are even expecting growth in the cargo segment. Nevertheless, I remain convinced that one or two challenging years still lie ahead for the entire air transport industry in Europe. After that however, during the second half of this decade, I expect air transport to again record further growth.
Dr. Stefan Schulte Executive Board Chairman Fraport AG
At present, we continue to focus on optimizing our airport in order to use existing capacities more effectively. In order to accomplish this, we have, for example, restructured Terminal Management and Sales, and combined the responsibilities of Airport Duty Officer (ADO) and Airside Duty Manager (ADM) into a new single function. That will bring us even closer to the processes and our customers, and allow us to implement improvements faster. Besides these structural measures, we are continuing to work on optimizing services at our airport – in the interest of our customers and the passengers. We are also investing in our infrastructure in order to secure the competitiveness of the airport and be prepared for the future. We have, for example, made a commitment to the CO2 neutral expansion of the airport and consequently, the reduction of our environmental footprint. We have also turned the spotlight on our existing infrastructure in this regard, to see where we can save energy. Lighting is one of the areas where we see the most potential to improve our carbon footprint, as you will read in our title story on page 4. LED technology currently seems the key here and we have already equipped various areas, such as the runway lights on Runway Northwest, and are also testing it in other areas. As you can see therefore, our focus is on the future, but for now I hope you enjoy reading another exciting edition of Aviation World. Sincerely, Dr. Stefan Schulte
04 The Future Belongs to LED
03 Fraport World Saving Energy: The Future Belongs to LED Follow the Greens: Optimized Taxiing Fraport Secures Roofs Specific Discussions on Route Potentials For a Healthy Back 12 For a Healthy Back
15 Airline World FCS Welcomes Back Leisure Cargo Oman Air: Growth Thanks to Tourism Finnair: One of the World’s Oldest Airlines Turns 90
19 People World 16 Airline Portrait: Oman Air
Air France KLM: New General Manager for Germany Transaero Airlines: New Station Manager EgyptAir: New Station Manager Tunisair: New Country Manager for Germany
Fraport World
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ID Card Services Expands Offer Airport IDs, Vehicle IDs and Short Term IDs – ID Card Services (Servicecenter Flughafenausweise – SCF) at Frankfurt Airport issues a wide range of airport passes. Due to reasons of security, every single member of the airport’s staff and every vehicle operated at the airport require an airport pass. The SCF has now expanded its offer in an attempt to reduce waiting times at the ServiceCenter and improve scheduling. SCF ‘clients’ at Building 161 now simply pull a ticket number from the newly-installed machine and can see how long they have to wait. In addition, the queue number and waiting time are also shown on a large display. By scanning the QR code on the ticket, clients can also have the information sent to their smartphones and need no longer wait in the ServiceCenter. Another option to avoid long waiting times at the SCF is to book a service ticket online at: https://servicetickets.fraport.de.
The new queue management system: Display with ticket number and waiting time
Touchscreen ticket printer with stand (for Building 161)
The regularly updated waiting times mean that clients can conveniently plan when they need to be at the SCF. Alternatively, they can also book appointments online or, if no online access is possible, by phone at +49 (0)69 690-71110. In addition, ID Card Services has also opened another office in Terminal 1. The new office is situated next to the Short Term ID office in Departures B and is, for
the time being, available only by appointment via https://servicetickets.fraport.de on Mondays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The SCF plans to gradually expand its online offer. In the future it will be possible to apply for passes directly online and to also check their processing status. Further information on application forms, opening hours and airport IDs is available at www.fraport.de/flughafenausweise
New Online Service for Transfer Passengers
New Time-Lapse Film Online Frankfurt Airport's new time-lapse film makes the airport appear like a miniature world. The effect is created by the use of tilt-shift photography. The film offers a glimpse of the new Pier A-Plus and many apron
processes from the tower. It was commissioned by the “Ja zu FRA!” initiative (Yes to FRA) to place the focus of communication on the many positive aspects of Frankfurt Airport.
Transfers at Frankfurt Airport are now even more convenient: The new online “Create Your Stay” service allows passengers to choose from a range of activities to plan an interesting stay at the airport. The offer includes, for example, a relaxing hot-stone massage, a refreshing shower, a visit to the airport casino or a guided tour of the airport. Passengers with layovers longer than six hours and a visa for Germany can even go on excursions to Frankfurt, the Rheingau or Heidelberg, or simply stay at the airport and try landing a commercial jet themselves on a flight simulator. “Create Your Stay” shows the possible activities depending on whether the transfer passengers have a layover of two, four or six hours plus. Once they have selected their activities, they are sent a PDF file with a personal agenda for their stay at the airport. “Create Your Stay” is part of the “Great to have you here!” service program, which Fraport called to life about two years ago to make departures, arrivals and transfers at Germany’s largest aviation hub even easier, swifter and more convenient for passengers.
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Fraport World – Keynote
Saving Energy: The Future Belongs to LED Fraport Retrofitting the Sea of Lights at Frankfurt Airport When approaching Frankfurt Airport; the sea of lights visible from quite a distance after dark is created by the tens of thousands of lights illuminating the apron and airfield, as well as the terminals and other buildings around FRA. Increasingly, LED technology (light emitting diodes) is contributing significantly to a bright energy-saving future.
The orange service van drives slowly down Runway 18 West. There is no hurry; it is the middle of the night and no aircraft are allowed to take off or land at FRA. A well-rehearsed process takes place inside the van: two Fraport technicians sit at a hatch in the floor; one dismantles a light and hands it over to a colleague at the workbench and the other replaces the old light with a new one. Night after night, the technicians do their rounds, repairing and replacing the lights. After all, the apron and airfield areas and external lighting at Frankfurt Airport consist of a sea of 37,000 lights and they all have to be serviced by the technicians from Fraport’s Airfield Engineering department. “Every single light source has to be replaced after a fixed
lifetime,” explains Markus Kröger, head of Airfield Engineering. In the case of the new Runway Northwest and most of the existing systems, faulty lighting is automatically reported by computers, as many areas of the taxiways have already been equipped with LED technology. Ambitious Climate Protection Goals “The Future belongs to LED,” says Kröger. “The technology’s lifetime is not only longer – up to seven years – in comparison to conventional halogen spotlights or mercury vapor lamps, LEDs also reduce energy consumption significantly by about 70 percent.” Therefore, Fraport eventually plans to replace all lighting on the apron and
Fraport World – Keynote
Fraport plans to replace lighting at terminal and airport and airfield areas with LED technology. Fraport’s technicians use the orange service van during their regular inspection tours of these areas. airfield areas with LED technology. Fraport has set itself ambitious climate protection goals: reducing FRA’s CO2 emissions per passenger or 100 kilos of freight to the 2005 level by 2020, which would be equivalent to a reduction of 30 percent. Another of its aims is to avoid any additional CO2 emissions despite the expansion of Frankfurt Airport. Fraport is therefore carefully reviewing FRA’s existing infrastructure, buildings and vehicle fleet for energy-saving potential. “The largest part of our CO2 emissions comes from the operation of buildings and equipment,” explains Dr. Stefan Schulte, Chairman of the Executive Board at Fraport AG, “which is all the more reason for us to analyse
every single area so that we can fully tap our energy-saving potential. That is the only way that we will achieve our environmental goals.” Successful Development Project Beside on the new Runway Northwest or projects involving new buildings at the south side of the airport, LED lights have also been installed as part of the Taxiway Mike renovations this year. “The rest will be equipped step-by-step,” says Kröger.
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Fraport World – Keynote
In some cases, such as the apron floodlights mounted on high masts, sufficiently powerful technology is not yet available for serial production. “The particular challenge in the case of the apron area lighting is that the floodlights are mounted 36 meters above the ground and sometimes have to illuminate an area with a radius of 80 meters,” explains Kröger. Currently, there are only a few LED spotlights existing. Last year, Kröger and his team set the ball rolling for the necessary developments. “In cooperation with Röder Präzision in Egelsbach (south of Frankfurt), we developed a high-performance LED spotlight that is powerful enough for our requirements and also reduces energy consumption,” says Kröger. Not Overnight The test operation on the apron and airfield areas is only one of many parts where Fraport is currently testing LED technology. “We’re also taking a close look at where we can save energy in the terminals,” says Andreas Schleider, head of Technical Facility Management for Terminals at Fraport. Although the many thousand lights on the apron and airfield areas can be seen from a great distance, they are actually only responsible for about two to three percent of the airport’s overall power consumption. The lighting in the terminals and other buildings accounts for a much larger share,
with the former, for example, accounting for about 15 percent of Fraport’s electricity consumption. However, retrofitting the terminals with energyefficient lighting also cannot be implemented overnight. “This represents a major investment decision that has to be made on a case-by-case basis,” according to Schleider. The same is true for the terminals; Fraport does not plan to simply replace functioning technology. “If, however, we have to renew the lighting somewhere, we check whether the use of LED technology would be economically viable in that area.” Besides energy efficiency, other factors, such as how often maintenance is required, also play a role in these decisions. To ensure that they are not based solely on assumptions, Fraport is currently testing the functionality and profitability of LED lighting in various different areas of the terminals. One example are 26 ultra-thin LED panels that can be integrated directly into the ceilings, which are currently being tested in Arrivals Halls A and C of Terminal 1 and could eventually replace conventional fluorescent tube lighting. “In this area, we currently have 30 percent more illumination despite the fact that we have reduced the number of lights by 40 percent,” states Schleider.
Fraport World – Keynote
All light sources on the apron and airfield area have to be replaced after a fixed lifetime (photo on the right). The same applies for the apron floodlights (photo on the left), for which Fraport has developed and tested a high-performance LED spotlight in cooperation with a local company.
Alternatives to LED Technology In addition, Fraport is also testing other possibilities to reduce overall energy consumption for lighting: for example, by using fluorescent tube lighting or switching off or dimming lights where they are not absolutely necessary (see box). This is already happening with the sensors for the facade lighting of the car parks – thus saving about 124,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and 56 metric tons of CO2 annually. Many parts of the airport, however, require a specific permanent level of illumination for reasons of safety, such as the apron and airfield areas. “In the other areas, which are not necessary at night, or in the case of the position lighting, there would definitely be potential for savings,” says Kröger. Initial discussions on the subject have already taken place. In the meantime, the technicians in their orange van continue to diligently check the sea of lights around the airport.
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Other Energy-Saving Possibilities for Lighting Last year Fraport and its subsidiary Fraport Cargo Services GmbH (FCS) were able to reduce both the CO2 emissions and energy and maintenance costs for lighting by implementing the following measures: – During the hours between midnight and 4:00 a.m. the lighting of all parking rows in car parks at Terminal 1 and the staff car park is reduced by switching off an average of 30 percent of the lighting. As a result about 210,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and 95 metric tons of CO2 emissions are saved annually. – In 2012, Fraport Cargo Services GmbH tested LED technology at the truck station reducing CO2 emissions by 47 metric tons. During the third quarter of 2013, the use of corresponding LED lights in FCS freight hangars will be expanded, resulting in 545 metric tons of CO2 emissions being saved per year. – In 2012, a wide range of LED lights and fluorescent tube lamps from various manufacturers were tested in the underground car park of Terminal 2 over a longer period. It is planned to already complete the retrofitting of general lighting in this area with energy-saving fluorescent tube lamps by the end of this year. This shall result in annual savings of roughly 560,000 kilowatt hours and about 230 metric tons in CO2 emissions.
Follow the Greens: Optimized Taxiing A look into the future at Frankfurt Airport: An aircraft has just landed. Instead of following instructions radioed by an apron controller, as is the case today, the crew is directed to the parking position by animated green lights on the taxiways. The lights are automatically deactivated as soon as the aircraft passes. Any aircraft that follows, is being towed or is on its
The view from the simulator.
way to a runway is directed to the respective position by the green lights. The scenario described above is a computer-assisted system called “Follow the Greens” that assists pilots as they navigate their way on the ground around complex airports, and helping to reduce the workload in the cockpit. In the future, it could lead to automated and even greater safety, shorter taxiing times, better traffic flows and lower CO2 emissions. Another positive effect is that the energy consumption for apron lighting would be reduced because, generally, only a minimal percentage of all “Follow the Greens” lighting has to be switched on for taxiway navigation at any given time – even during peak operation. At present, all lighting is switched on during the hours of darkness and poor weather conditions. In June, the system was tested in simulated scenarios at Frankfurt Airport with 20 pilots from across Europe by Fraport and the other
members of the SEAC airport consortium, as part of the EU’s SESAR (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research) program. Due to the complexity of the data, detailed analysis will last until the latter part of 2013. However, project managers have revealed that the initial findings are very positive. According to the participating pilots, navigation using the light signals is clearer and more convenient. The new system is particularly effective during poor weather conditions when it can handle traffic better than the existing system. In addition, it means that less time is required for communication between pilot and controller, which relieves both sides. The findings of the simulation are being collected and documented with SESAR. When the “Follow the Greens” system might be deployed across Europe is not yet known, as the research project is ongoing and other solutions are also being investigated.
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Fraport World
How are aircraft wake vortices generated? All aircraft generate turbulence in their wakes. These wake vortices occur as a result of the difference in pressure on the under and upper sides of the wings, as the wings cut through the air and it flows from bottom to top at the tips. Normally these wake vortices dissipate quickly; however, in certain weather conditions they can remain stable long enough to reach the ground outside the airport premises. In this case, it can take up to minutes for the wake vortices to reach the ground. The cause is therefore explained by physics; however, actually proving that they occurred somewhere is more difficult, even though the phenomenon also occurs at other domestic and international airports.
About 250 applications for preventive measures on roofs had already been filed by August. The work is done by roofers such as master roofer Ludwig Held in Raunheim.
Fraport Secures Roofs Danger from aircraft wake vortices: Preventive program launched Half a million flights take off and land at Frankfurt Airport every year. Every single one of them results in turbulence or wake vortex as it is known. In certain weather conditions, the gusts of wind that result can reach down to the level of houses – and sometimes they can be powerful enough to rip tiles off roofs. Fraport has already covered such damage in the past as a gesture of goodwill; however, since the opening of the new runway, the municipalities to the west of the airport have recorded an increase in damage to roofs, which is being blamed on the aircraft wake vortices by the victims. “We are taking the victims’ concerns very seriously; and have therefore already launched a preventive program to secure the roofs as soon as possible,” commented Max Philipp Conrady, Senior Executive Manager Environmental Impact Noise and Air Quality at Fraport. He added that Fraport would therefore probably be investing a sum in the mid-double-digit millions in the preventive program. The areas in which residents are entitled
to the program were laid down in a decision by the Hessian Ministry for Economics, Transport and Regional Development (HMWVL) on May 10, 2013. According to the decision, they include large parts of Flörsheim and Raunheim, as well as a number of buildings in northwest Neu-Isenburg. House owners in these areas can have their roofs secured with metal clamps, insofar as the property was built before March 23, 2007 and the roof has not yet been adequately secured. Owners may choose whether they would like to have Fraport perform the work or rather have the costs reimbursed. The requirement is that house owners file an application with Fraport. On-Site Inspections Fraport has itself already written to all the affected households informing them of the details. “About 3,000 buildings are entitled to benefit from the program and we have already started with on-site inspections in order to issue detailed construction plans for each roof,” stated Conrady.
Fraport World
Clearly Defined Responsibilities Terminal Management reorganization: Area Managers are now fixed points of contact for certain sections of the terminals Pier A-Plus has now been in operation for almost a year, which means that Fraport has completed the last of its major infrastructure projects at the terminals – at least until construction on Terminal 3 starts. “Instead of adding capacities, we are shifting our focus to the optimal use of the existing areas and improving the quality of infrastructure and services,” announced Sascha König, head of the Asset Management division of Fraport’s Terminal Management (FTU-TA). Terminal Management has therefore been reorganized, with one of the key developments the fact that Area Managers are now responsible for specific sections of the terminals.
Finding Quicker Solutions Teams of two Area Managers are responsible for each area of the terminal, for example, Pier B, and are always on site to identify any problems or bottlenecks. “The ‘geographical’ responsibility means that the Area Managers are very familiar with their areas, and as a result, problems come to our attention quicker,” says König. If, for example, technical failures occur frequently or something repeatedly does not function in operations, the Area Managers can work on a proper solution rather than simply removing the problem. “That is often difficult to do during daily operations,” explains König.
In the past, the division of responsibilities in the terminals had been purely functional. On the one hand, Terminal Duty Management made sure that the passenger processes worked smoothly and, for example, people got quickly from one gate to the other. On the other hand, Facility Management was responsible for anything technical from a faulty light bulb to water damage. The Area Managers are now the link between these functional areas of Fraport and the users of the terminal, for example, airlines and retailers. “In the past our customers constantly had to deal with several departments at Fraport when it came to infrastructural issues at the terminal. Now the Area Managers are the first point of contact for these issues. We hope to become more accessible for our customers as a result,” explains König.
In addition, the Area Managers are now also responsible for construction, space and promotional approvals. In the case of building projects within the terminals, they can determine a suitable period when the work should be performed. “The Area Managers know when and where there is a lot going on and can therefore assess the situation better. That, for instance, will allow us to make sure that no area of the terminal is blocked or any construction work slows down the passenger flow during peak hours,” states König. “Based on what we have seen during the first few months, we can say that these new clearly defined Area Manager responsibilities are working well and we are convinced that they will allow us to improve the quality of our infrastructure further.”
Sascha König, head of the Asset Management division of Fraport’s Terminal Management (FTU-TA)
Responsibilities
The new team of Area Managers have functioned as the central point of contact in the terminals since April.
The Area Managers can be reached during normal office hours. The Terminal Duty Manager remains the central point of contact around the clock for urgent problems and all traffic safety measures in operations. The telephone numbers for reporting technical disturbances will also remain the same. Please address any queries concerning the new division of Area Management to Sascha König, head of Asset Management by e-mail to
[email protected] or by telephone to +49 (0)69-690-60395.
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Fraport World
“Specific Discussions on Route Potentials” Winfried Hartmann has been Senior Vice President Sales and Customer Relations at Fraport since the beginning of the year. Aviation World spoke to him to find out more about the current changes and future challenges in his area of responsibility.
Mr. Hartmann, you took over the management of the Sales department at the beginning of the year and then restructured it; why was that necessary? The framework conditions at Frankfurt Airport have changed. The new runway means that, for the first time in many years, we have new capacities to offer our customers. At the same time, competition for airlines and frequencies between the hubs is becoming increasingly hard-fought. We must therefore strengthen our marketing efforts significantly. What does that mean in concrete terms? We analysed the structure that we had in the past and one of the key changes we decided to imple-
ment was to integrate the Customer Service Center into the Sales department. We have the unique situation at Frankfurt Airport that about 90 percent of the potential international airlines are already represented here. As an airport operator our existing customers are always in the focus of our efforts. Who other than the staff of the Customer Service Center knows all of their concerns, wishes and requirements. What else have you changed? We have also reorganized our Airline Customer Support so that we can be even closer to the markets that the airlines operate in. In addition, we have increased the number of staff in the tourism area to ensure that even more people come on holiday to Germany via Frankfurt. In general one could say that we are showing our face for our location. How are the customers already benefiting from the new structures? They now have contacts who are even more specialized in their domestic markets. The aim is to engage airlines in specific discussions on route and market potentials and not merely issue a general statement along the lines of ‘we are Frankfurt Airport, why not come to us’. That is how we would like to approach our prospective and existing customers. The feedback that we have received in this regard is already very positive. How exactly does the Airline Sales department support customers in setting up and optimizing routes? Our market research in the past, for example, indicated that a particular new route would be worthwhile, but we only had general figures of our own.
Profile Winfried Hartmann, 53, joined the executive team of Fraport’s Traffic and Terminal Management Unit (FTU) on January 1, 2013. As Senior Vice President Sales and Customer Relations at Fraport, he is in charge of sales and the Customer Service Center. He previously spent 10 years in charge of the Fraport subsidiary Fraport Cargo Services.
Fraport World
We have therefore now acquired an IT system with which we can calculate route potentials, for example, by analysing the flow of traffic between our home airport of Frankfurt and another destination, or by calculating the right time windows or ticket price forecasts. All of this allows us to issue objective forecasts on whether additional frequencies would pay off or not. We can use the information to help airlines determine the potential of a route. The airlines of course also have their own analyses, but our new system allows us to provide them with an additional perspective. Basically, the idea is to move from decisions that are based on gut feelings to decisions that are based on objective assessments. Of course it is impossible to forecast exactly how successful a route will actually be, but the new system gets us a lot closer to the truth. What else is Frankfurt Airport doing to distance its competitors? From the operational viewpoint, for example, we offer a very high level of process security, and that from a single source. That allows us to ensure smooth processes. In addition, we are THE intermodal location with highly convenient rail access. These are naturally all operational aspects that are important to the most important person in the travel process, the passenger, but unfortunately also aspects that bear little emotional appeal. The passenger takes things like swift transfers, punctual luggage and clear signage for granted. The travel process is however also made up of many other little things, for example, passengers expect a pleasant atmosphere and want to be addressed in a positive manner. We still have some catching up to do here, but are working on it with initiatives such as our “Great to have you here!” service program. What do you as the Sales department plan to work on during the coming years? We would like to be perceived even more strongly as an entity that takes care of the customers and their well-being. We want to show the airlines that they possess an excellent location here in Frankfurt. That also means that we must accompany the building of Terminal 3 by expanding and orientating ourselves towards the airlines’ needs and requirements. We also want to function as a link between our company and its customers in this respect.
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The two “insiders” received an exciting glimpse of life in different areas of the airport as part of the “Ja zu FRA!” initiative.
“FRA Inside”: a Week of Life Inside the Airport Regardless of whether the cockpit of a Boeing 747-8 or the cabin of an aircraft tow tractor, the winners of the “FRA Inside” contest were able to explore everything during their week at Frankfurt Airport. 60 video applications were sent in for the contest, which is part of to the “Ja zu FRA!” initiative (Yes to FRA), and the winners were able to experience life at Frankfurt Airport up close for a week. Television broadcaster RTL then reported on the experiences of the “airport insiders" in a show in early July. Meeting a Pilot from the Berlin Airlift The winning couple were not only able to enjoy exclusive insights to the work of the roughly 78,000 employees at Frankfurt Airport, but also had the opportunity to meet airlift celebrity Gail Halvorsen. The today 93-year-old Halvorsen was the pilot who started dropping candy attached to parachutes for the children below when landing with supplies at Tempelhof Airport during the Berlin Blockade in 1948. One of these candy bombers, which became known as Rosinenbomber (raisin bombers) still stands at the airlift memorial at Frankfurt Airport today. “We were pretty excited and curious about what to expect during our week at the airport,” revealed the winners. Well the one thing that they definitely did not encounter was boredom: Their experiences included lending a hand on the maintenance of a Boeing 747-8 undercarriage and even driving an aircraft tow tractor. “It was all really impressive and we were surprised how well everything is organized and how so many people are happy to work together at such a large airport,” said the winners.
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Fraport World
For a Healthy Back Relief through technology – Fraport improves ergonomic workplace design in Baggage Handling
Heavy suitcases, unwieldy bags and bulky boxes: Baggage handling staff at Frankfurt Airport load up to 110,000 pieces of luggage on a busy day. Despite the use of modern baggage conveyor systems, there are some areas where the work still has to be done by hand, for example, when loading baggage from the conveyor system into a container. “It’s physically demanding work and baggage handling staff always have to perform their work under severe time pressure,” states Peter Dudenhöfer, Senior Vice President, Central Ground Handling Infrastructure at Fraport. “We are therefore constantly testing new technical aids to reduce the physical strain on our staff and avoid work-related injuries or illnesses.”
Automation: A new baggage robot is currently being tested.
One of these aids is the “Vaculex” lifting system, a vacuum lifter that can be used to handle baggage items of up to 40 kilograms in weight, for example, when moving them from the container to the conveyor belt. “Long-term analyses show that these technical aids allow us to reduce the physical burden on our staff by up to 83 percent,” reveals Dudenhöfer. Following the successful conclusion of the trial phase at the end of 2012, Fraport has since gone on to install 33 of these lifting aids in the physically demanding areas of baggage handling. It is planned to install a further ten by the end of the year. In addition, it is also planned to start test-
Back Training for Staff Due to the physically demanding nature of the work performed by baggage handling staff, Fraport provides them not only with technical aids, but also ensures that they are trained in back-friendly lifting and carrying techniques. These techniques are also a fixed component of the training to become a certified ground handler. In addition, Fraport also offers its staff training and therapy programs to improve back strength, such as its “Rückentraining und -therapie-Programm” (RÜTT). The program uses special training equipment to build up muscles that stabilize the spine and thus prevent injuries. Another alternative is the “Rücken Training Dienststelle” (RTD), a mini-gym that can be used for short back exercises during shifts.
The Vaculex lifting system can be used to handle baggage items that weigh up to 40 kilograms.
ing a “Vaculex” lifting system for loading containers, before the end of the year. Two other aids are currently also being employed. The first is a baggage robot that is still in the trial phase. It is used for automatic loading and can load about 80 percent of the baggage items into a container. The remaining lighter items are then done by hand at an ergonomically designed loading station. The second, has been in use since 2009 and is called the “Power Stow”. This versatile belt loader system can be extended all the way into the cargo hold and particularly facilitates the loading of smaller aircraft, where suitcases and bags often have to be loaded into the containers one at a time. Instead of baggage handling staff having to crouch or kneel in the cargo hold to load the baggage items by hand, this task is now assumed by the “Power Stow”. Eight of these aids are currently in operation at the airport. “They allow us to reduce the burden on our staff and save time,” states Dudenhöfer. After all, time that is lost during loading cannot be made up later.
Fraport World
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Bottle Deposits for a Good Cause Airport security regulations mean that passengers have to give up their drinks containers when passing through security. Until now, this meant that valuable recycling material ended up in the trash and any deposits that may have been paid on bottles or cans were lost. Frankfurt Airport is now testing the possibility to collect these deposits at the airport with a deposit return machine similar to those found at supermarkets. The pilot project allows passengers to not only do the environment a service but to also benefit a good cause, as the full amount of the deposit is donated to one of four charities. Passengers can decide via touchpad whether they would like to have the amount donated to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Wings of Help (Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen), the Frankfurter Tafel (a food donation organization in Frankfurt) or a Frankfurt-based homeless shelter. During the trial phase until December, the deposit return machine will be placed in various different public areas of Terminals 1 and 2. The collected containers will later be sorted, recycled and disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way.
FCS at World’s Biggest Logistics Trade Show
A record-breaking 53,000 visitors from 110 countries came to this year’s edition of transport logistic, the world’s biggest trade show for logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management in Munich. Fraport and Fraport Cargo Services (FCS) were again represented with a joint stand; the FCS staff on site were able to establish many new business contacts at their stand and at the Bavarian evening customer event that they organized. In addition, existing and potential customers, as well as trade visitors, were also very well entertained by the highly talented close-up magician that they had arranged especially for the trade show.
A Project with Appeal: e-port-on The German Government has declared Frankfurt Airport’s “Green Aircraft Handling-e-port-on” electromobility project a “lighthouse” project. The distinction is granted to particularly important innovations that make a significant contribution to technological progress or the reduction of electromobility costs. In future all activities and projects that result in added electromobility at the airport will be united under the “e-port-on” umbrella. The e-port-on partners are the State of Hesse, Lufthansa, Fraport and the Rhine-Main Model Region. “The reduction of CO2 emissions is a key aspect of our company’s sustainability strategy. The government’s funding program helps us to expand our commitment in the area of electric drive systems and to obtain knowledge on potential future areas of use for the technology,” commented Peter Schmitz, Fraport Executive Board Member. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) is supporting the project as a funding priority within the framework of the German Government’s Electromobility program in the Rhine-Main Model Region and has allocated 8.1 million euros in funds, which represents over half of the project’s total budget (15.7 million euros). The cross-regional coordination of the model regions is the responsibility of the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW). At the presentation of the symbolic lighthouse (from left to right): Peter Schmitz, Fraport Executive Board Member and Executive Director Operations; Kay Kratky, Executive Board Member Lufthansa German Airlines; Dr. Veit Steinle, from the Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS); and Axel Wintermeyer, Head of the State Chancellery.
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Fraport World
Outer Space in the Terminal Adventure awaits in the terminals between restaurants, bars and gates – at least for our youngest passengers. Fraport has already opened a total of seven children’s play areas at the airport, each dedicated to a special theme, such as outer space, airplanes or the oceans. By the beginning of next year they will have added another two play areas to the list. The children’s play areas are part of the “Great to have you here!” service program and are not the only offers that Fraport has come up with to make children’s and parents’ stays at the airport as pleasant as possible. Another new project that is currently being tested allows travelers with children to borrow buggies. The buggies can be picked up at Infopoint 10 in B-Transit and at the Service Points in Terminal 1 and 2. Passengers can return the buggies at the departure gate of their connecting flights or at the baggage claim areas.
Outer space, the oceans and of course airplanes – each of the seven children’s play areas has its own theme.
Restructured Duty Management New contact for airside and superior Airport issues: As of the beginning of July, the responsibilities of Airport Duty Officer and Airside Duty Manager have been joined into a single new function: the Airport Duty Manager (ADM). “As a result, we can now offer our customers a central point of contact for all airside and superior airport issues – and that 24/7,” states Patrick Spijkers, Head of Duty and Performance Management at Fraport. The joining of the functions will allow Fraport to ensure even leaner processes and avoid the duplication of efforts. Coordination by Airport Duty Managers The Airport Duty Manager now assumes many coordinating tasks for airside and superior airport issues at the integrated control center in Terminal 1, such as the organization of night-time construction sites. In addition, they are also involved in operations around the 11:00 p.m. night flight ban. Ensuring the proper operation of runways and Everything under control: The Airport Duty Managers cooperate with the other departments to ensure smooth operations.
The Airport Duty Managers may be contacted on the existing internal telephone number 77777 or by e-mail at:
[email protected]
aprons is also their responsibility; this includes the regular inspection of runways and other flight operations areas. The role of the Hub Control Duty Managers (HCDM), who are deployed mainly in the Lufthansa Hub Control Center (HCC), is not affected by the restructuring measures; however, in the future, they may be called upon to support the Airport Duty Manager when it is required to optimize cooperation between the duty functions.
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Condor: Fundraising Campaign for “Ein Herz für Kinder” Condor has decorated one of its aircraft with the three children’s book characters, Tigerente, kleiner Bär and Günter Kastenfrosch. The Boeing 767 with the tail number D-ABUE will be flying the characters around the world until the end of 2014. The campaign with which the airline and renowned German children’s book author Janosch are supporting the aid organization BILD hilft e.V. “Ein Herz für Kinder” (A Heart for Children) has characters from Janosch’s books sporting the fuselage and engines of the Boeing to attract attention to the campaign around the world. Janosch motifs are also decorating the logos of all the other aircraft
Best of British British design meets German engineering in the Union Jack look: On June 21, the GREAT Britain MINI came to Frankfurt Airport to pay British Airways a visit. The car has been touring Germany in 2013 as part of the “GREAT Britain Campaign” paying tribute to all things Best of British: music, culture, technology, innovations, creativity and world class universities. The tour naturally would not have been complete without a visit to Britain’s largest airline, British Airways. Follow the GREAT Britain MINI Tour on www.facebook.com/UKinGermany
in the Condor fleet. As part of the campaign, Condor will be donating part of its ticket receipts and the revenue from various special offers, such as the sale of aircraft models in the Janosch design, to the organization. Ralf Teckentrup, Chairman of the Condor Management Board stressed the significance of the fundraising campaign saying: “We are fully aware of our responsibility to society and would also like to be there for those children who have been less fortunate in life. Our partnership with “Ein Herz für Kinder” represents an important contribution in this respect.” The aid
organization helps children in need both in Germany and abroad. It supports children’s clinics, schools, sports and education projects, as well as children in war zones and crisis regions.
FCS Welcomes Back Leisure Cargo
Pleased to renew their partnership (from left to right): Andreas Helfer, Managing Director FCS, Hans-Georg Emmert, Head of Sales & Marketing FCS; Agnes Allnoch, Manager Operations & Quality Leisure Cargo; Rüdiger Johl, Manager Operations & Reservations Leisure Cargo; Anne Smirr, Senior Manager Sales FCS and Christian Weidener, Director Operations Leisure Cargo. Fraport Cargo Services (FCS) has been responsible for the freight handling of Leisure Cargo since May of this year. Air Berlin’s logistics subsidiary markets freight capacities for a variety of airlines from the tourism industry, including TUIFly and Condor in Frankfurt. What makes the company so special is the fact that Leisure Cargo operates as a virtual cargo airline without a fleet of its own. Instead it has access to the cargo holds of 19 airlines, allowing it to serve about 300 destinations worldwide. The fact that Leisure Cargo only requires a single air waybill and can access a global reservation system allows the logistics expert to ensure the timely and individual processing of customer requests. The company also provides its customers logistical advice on sales, handing and transport.
“Fraport Cargo Services is the right partner in Frankfurt when it comes to fulfilling Leisure Cargo’s quality standards,” states Christian Weidener, Director Operations at Leisure Cargo. “We depend on professional handling to make sure that our customers are fully satisfied.” Leisure Cargo annually flies about 23,000 metric tons of freight through the air transport hub Frankfurt. After having worked with FCS in the past, the company had decided to switch to another handler in 2008; the Managing Directors of FCS, Diana Schöneich and Andreas Helfer, are now glad to welcome back Leisure Cargo: “We are very pleased that Leisure Cargo, a company that has already had the opportunity to enjoy the high standards of quality at FCS in the past, has opted to again select us as their handling partner in Frankfurt.”
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Airline World
Oman Air: Growth Thanks to Tourism Arabian adventures via Muscat: Oman is growing increasingly popular as a holiday destination, which is also benefiting its state-run airline
Oman Air, which was founded 20 years ago, has been steadily expanding its route network for the past six years. The airline has also ordered 15 new aircraft to support its future growth.
Rugged mountains, deep canyons, idyllic oases and endless beaches: Oman is only a six-hour flight away from Frankfurt and has a lot to offer its visitors. And yet the Sultanate on the northeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula is a relatively young travel destination, with the government only opening the country up to tourism in the mid-1990s. Although it has since been working on developing the necessary infrastructure, only a few years ago Oman would still have been considered an exotic destination for adventurous independent travelers. The government has invested heavily in tourism during the past years – with success: The World
Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) already considers Oman one of the fastest climbers in the tourism sector. The steady increase in the number of visitors has also resulted in growth at the country’s state-run carrier, Oman Air. The airline was originally founded in 1993, with the state assuming an almost 100% stake in 2007. The aim to attract tourists to Oman saw the airline start expanding its long-haul network from 2007 onwards, with Frankfurt being added to it in 2009. “The majority of our passengers at Oman Air come from the European market, which is why we have six European desti-
Off on holiday: Oman Air has also been flying travelers from Frankfurt to the Sultanate of Oman since 2009.
nations in our portfolio. Frankfurt is our second most important destination after London,” reveals Christian Ettelt, Oman Air’s Station Manager at Frankfurt Airport. Many passengers however do not stay in Muscat, Oman’s capital and the airline’s hub; 80 percent of them are transfer passengers en route to other destinations. Most of these destinations can also be found in the Arabic-speaking world, but also India and Southeast Asia. “On the whole however, the number of tourists in Oman is increasing,” says Ettelt. The country welcomed 1.36 million tourists in 2007 and by 2011 the figure had risen to about 1.43 million visitors. The majority of the passengers flying from Frankfurt are also tourists, about 70 percent according to Ettelt. Many of those traveling in the other direction, from Oman to Frankfurt, are coming to the Rhine-Main Region for medical reasons. The Sultanate of Oman also finances medical treatments for its citizens abroad where necessary. The responsible agency in Oman even has a permanent representative stationed in Frankfurt, working in close cooperation with Ettelt and his four-man team. Frequencies Increased The route between Muscat and Frankfurt was launched in 2009 with four weekly flights; in the meantime there are six. Fraport has been responsible for all of the handling from the start and Oman Air extended the contract by another two years at the beginning of the year. “Looking back, it was a very good decision to work with Fraport, especially when starting out at such a large location, as it meant that we did not have to deal with many different points of contact,” explains Ettelt. “In addition, we are simply very satisfied with the services and if ever there are any
Airline World
Beautiful beaches and yearround sun: Oman has a lot to offer holidaymakers. In 2011, the country welcomed about 1.43 million tourists.
Christian Ettelt, Oman Air’s Station Manager at Frankfurt Airport problems, they are always resolved quickly.” If, for example, tourist figures continue to rise, the frequency could even be increased to one flight per day in the medium term; however, after years of expansion, the airline’s growth is currently facing an obstacle of a very practical nature: the number of available aircraft. Oman Air currently only has seven Airbus A330–200 and 300 available for its long-haul flights; it has therefore ordered three Airbus A330 and six Boeing B787, which should be delivered as of the beginning of 2014. Then, at the very latest, the airline will have all the capacities that it requires for further growth. Oman Air is facing particularly stiff competition in the market for transfer passengers from the other airlines in the Gulf Region. “We would like to win over the passengers with a pleasant travel experience,” says Ettelt. For example, Oman Air offers a seat-pitch of 87 centimeters and additional legroom in Economy Class, which is quite a lot in comparison. “We get plenty of positive feedback there from our passengers,” says Ettelt. He adds that the airline definitely intends to remain the first choice for travelers to Oman and that there is a lot of potential: the Sultanate plans to attract 12 million tourists to the country in 2020.
Oman Air at a Glance – Founded in 1993 – Corporate headquarters in Muscat, Oman – European head office for freight and passenger services in London – 5,375 employees – Three domestic routes, 41 international passenger routes – 27 aircraft in operation, 15 ordered (as of: September 2013) – 15.5 million passengers (2012) – Awards: SKYTRAX has rated Oman Air as an official 4-Star airline
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IN BRIEF
Finnair: One of the World’s Oldest Airlines Turns 90 Historical impressions of Finnair
Twice Daily to Madrid Air Europa is expanding its offer to Germany. As of Monday, March 31, 2014, the Spanish airline will be offering two daily nonstop flights between Frankfurt and the Spanish capital Madrid. The route will be served by an Embraer 195 that has an Economy and Business Class configuration.
New Route As of November SunExpress will also be flying from Frankfurt to Gazipaşa (GZP) in Turkey. The airport is situated a mere 40 kilometers away from the popular holiday resort Alanya. The airline shall be operating two weekly flights on a Boeing 737-800 with 189 seats.
Frequency Increased Thai Airways will be increasing its number of flights between Frankfurt and Bangkok from 12 to 13 per week as of October 28. The new service, which will be operated by an A340-600, is the former second Monday flight that had originally been canceled last winter following the introduction of the A380 on the route.
It all began with a triangular route. When Finnair first started flying to Frankfurt in the 1950s, it did so twice-daily with a 44-seater Convair prop via Cologne and then back to Helsinki. A lot has changed since. “Today we naturally offer nonstop flights and have traded in the prop for an A320 family Airbus,” says Jan Pellinen, Director Sales Central Europe at the Finnish airline. Flying to Germany since the 1950s Finnair is one of the world’s 10 oldest airlines; to be precise, the world’s sixth oldest airline was founded in 1923. The airline already had German airports in its route network during the 1950s. “That was relatively early for those times,” reveals Pellinen. The Finnish national carrier started flying to Cologne and then added Frankfurt to its route network in 1957. Today, its German network also includes Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf and Munich. “But Frankfurt Airport, as a
mega hub, remains a very important destination in Germany,” states Pellinen. “We have also been able to record a steady growth in passenger figures there over the years.” Finnair’s two daily flights from Frankfurt to Helsinki make up 23 percent of the airline’s passenger volume in Germany. Although the airline is rightfully referred to as an old airline, it is definitely not outof-date; and by that, it is not only its aircraft that are meant. Since the beginning of the year, its passengers can share their facebook profiles when checking in and get to know fellow passengers on the flight. “It’s already very popular in the Scandinavian countries, but the Germans are a little more reserved when it comes to such things,” reveals Pellinen. However, that will soon surely also change, just as so much else has changed at Finnair over the past 90 years.
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Air France KLM: New General Manager for Germany
Transaero Airlines: New Station Manager
Christian Herzog, 57, has taken over from Warner Rootliep as Air France KLM General Manager for Germany in Frankfurt. Herzog was previously employed as the airline group’s Senior Vice President Marketing, before which he held the position of Senior Vice President for Central, South and North America. Herzog began his career at Air France in 1982 as Product Manager Domestic Routes. He subsequently worked as Principal Private Secretary to the Air France
Chairman, Sales and Marketing Manager, and Vice President for International Commercial Affairs. As General Manager, he was in charge of the airline’s affairs in Benelux, UK and Ireland, and as Commercial Vice President Europe he was responsible for the coordination of the 14 Regional General Managers in Europe and North Africa. In 2001, Herzog was appointed the first Chairman of Opodo, an online travel agency founded by leading European airlines, including Air France.
Ilya Pokhis, 36, has been the new Senior Station Manager for the Russian airline Transaero Airlines in Frankfurt since February of this year. He studied business administration in Saint Petersburg and started working as a cargo sales agent for ATC Aviation Services at Frankfurt Airport in 2005. Prior to being appointed Senior Station Manager at Transaero, Pokhis spent five years working as Station Manager for the Russian airline S7 Airlines in Frankfurt.
EgyptAir: New Station Manager
Tunisair: New Country Manager for Germany
Mohamed El Kady, 42, has been the new Station Manager for EgyptAir at Frankfurt Airport since May. El Kady studied logistics and international transportation with a focus on customer service satisfaction and worked as an assistant to the station manager in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As station manager he will be keeping an eye on the satisfaction of the priority and youngest passengers.
Dr. Sami Blidi, 50, has been Tunisair’s new Director for Germany since June. Blidi joined the airline 17 years ago and has occupied various positions. He was most recently employed as Corporate Planning Director at the company’s headquarters, where his responsibilities focused on corporate development and fleet planning. In September 2010, he moved
to Frankfurt as Regional Manager for Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin and Düsseldorf. His main objective in the new position is to work towards customer satisfaction through quality of service improvement. Moreover he aims to consolidate Tunisair’s market share in Germany and hopes to maintain the long-standing, successful partnership with Fraport.
About This Publication Publisher: Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Service Worldwide 60547 Frankfurt, Germany www.twitter.com/Airport_FRA www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport Responsible for content: Sebastian Keil, Corporate Communications Anette Schmid, Fraport Ground Services Ulrike Dietz, Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security, Sales and Customer Relations Content, information, and ideas for articles: Ulrike Dietz, Susanne Kalbe, Sebastian Keil, Nicole Ruschig-Brunck, Rachel Müller, Anette Schmid, Boris Weber, Carmen Worch
Written by: Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Hannah Barthel (chief copywriter), Gesche Brock, Felix Schütze Layout: Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Sandra Kreuzer, Nadine Metzger, Anke Rabbeau Printed by: ABT Print und Medien GmbH, Weinheim Production and project management: Profilwerkstatt GmbH, Darmstadt: Ricarda Conrad, Dr. Claudia Klemm
Photo credits: Fraport– p. 1, 2 (top and bottom), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14; Ja-zu-Fra – p. 11; Condor – p. 15 (top); Fraport Cargo Services – p. 15, (center); Great Britain Mini Tour – p. 15 (left); pannoneantonio/Fotolia - p. 16-17; lightpoet/Fotolia p. 17 (top); nataliafrei/Fotolia - p. 17 (center); Oman Air – p. 16 (bottom); Finnair – p. 18 (right); Air Europa – p. 18 (top left); SunExpress – p. 18 (center left); Thai Airways – p. 18 (bottom left); Air France KLM – p. 19 (top left); Transaero Airlines – p. 19 (top right); EgyptAir – p. 19 (bottom left); Tunisair – p. 19 (bottom right).
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Drive-in Service. Our ground services deliver fast turnarounds to keep your planes flying high. You can only earn money when aircraft are flying. This goes for airlines as well as airport operators. Our Frankfurt Airport global hub is renowned for precision performance on the ground – thanks to Fraport’s full-service ground handling from a single source. This enables us to integrate processes optimally for your timely success. And our highly-qualified ground professionals provide unsurpassed service quality that you can rely on. Does your airline want to save time and stress? Let us create a customized ground-handling menu that keeps your planes flying high. Contact the Fraport ground services: phone +49 (0) 69 690-71101 /
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