Vancouver Airport completes operations IT cloud migration to Amadeus Flow

Modern technology infrastructure will enable more innovation, improve passenger experience and support efforts to meet sustainability goals

Vancouver International Airport is putting its IT operations in the cloud by migrating to Amadeus Flow, the operating platform developed by the GDS.

Following a phased migration the airport has upgraded its connectivity using multiple high-speed network connections to a fully cloud-based service. 

Amadeus Flow connects over 650 check-in and gate desks to more than thirty airline partners.

The GDS said the migration builds on the airport’s “long history of innovation and exceptional customer service”.

Amadeus said Vancouver “recognised the pandemic as an opportunity to modernise its infrastructure and rethink the meaning of digital transformation for an airport”. 

The transition to Amadeus Flow should reduce the airport’s reliance on rigid fixed service points for passengers and allow greater innovation. 

Amadeus said passengers will benefit from increased convenience and frictionless experiences, with Vancouver’s airline partners also exploring secure biometric check-in and boarding functions. 

In the future, this biometric capability will provide passengers the option for their face to become their boarding pass and passport.

With Amadeus Flow, passenger services can become mobile, freeing check-in agents from desk work so they can provide services using mobile devices. 

This has the potential to allow social distancing, reduce queues, and enable ‘off-airport’ check-in and baggage services at locations like cruise terminals and hotels. 

The cloud migration will also help Vancouver to meet sustainability goals by allowing it to retire much of its own mini in-terminal data centre. 

Existing workstations will be replaced with ‘thin clients’ that use 89% less energy and fail every 30 years on average, compared to every four years for traditional workstations.

Lynette DuJohn, vice president innovation and chief innovation officer at Vancouver Airport Authority said: 

“The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent hit to the aviation industry accelerated our desire for digital transformation. 

“Amadeus is helping us make that transition by connecting us with airlines more effectively, so we’re ready to harness new innovations for the benefit of passengers. 

“The flexibility of airport solutions in the cloud allows for a phased approach where airlines and check-in desks can migrate to Amadeus in a gradual and low risk manner, ensuring we’re ready to welcome increasing numbers of passengers.”  

Betros Wakim, Amadeus senior vice president, Americas, airport IT, added: “Seeking new technology to solve problems has become ‘business as usual’ for airports during the pandemic. 

“Cloud computing supports a host of new innovations that simply are not possible with the legacy ways of working – as the industry prepares to safely welcome increased numbers of travelers, the role of advanced technology is vital and Amadeus is supporting airports through this transition.”