American Airlines is now utilising the HAL CCTV system to improve efficiency of their aircraft turnaround times. Aircraft turnaround times are defined as the time it takes for an aircraft to unload after arrival and prepare to depart. This period is crucial to all airlines in terms of competitiveness and profitability and any delays can have serious financial and logistical repercussions.

Why is aircraft turnaround important to airlines?

During the turnaround, numerous teams must seamlessly coordinate to ensure that the aircraft is ready for the next departure. Not only must all the passengers and baggage be offloaded, but the aircraft must be reloaded and catered before new passengers and crew board the flight. Multiple teams are required to service, cater, refuel and load the aircraft. These teams commonly rely on radios to communicate with each other.

When this process does not run like clockwork, not only does it impact the financial bottom line but also delays can be passed onto the passenger. This can be detrimental to passenger experience, with consequences such as causing them to arrive late or miss connections. Therefore, any small issues or delays that occur during the turnaround process can quickly snowball into larger problems.

The solution:

Heathrow Commercial Telecoms have provided American Airlines with access to more than 15 camera views. This means they now have visibility of all their Terminal 3 stands. The views are being displayed on a video wall in their newly refurbished control room in Gate 325 and ensures they have a live feed of their aircrafts throughout the turnaround process. This will allow them to successfully coordinate the ground teams, aiming for a seamless aircraft turnaround.

The new digital Genetec CCTV platform allows American Airlines to easily manoeuvre and zoom cameras as required. The intuitive software is manipulated with user-friendly keyboard and mouse controls to avoid any steep learning curves. 

In an age where airports are getting busier and airlines are pushing for optimum efficiency, utilising the correct technology is vital. Heathrow Commercial Telecom’s affordable CCTV platform is a valuable asset in optimising airline operations. 

To understand more about the CCTV options available, click here.