Experiential In Airports Is Not Just About Big Dollar Creative: Exhibit A

December 19, 2024 by Dave Haynes

Here’s the first of two very different stories about experiential digital signage at a big airport – neither of them having anything to do with big-dollar creative or complicated technologies.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is, as anyone who has used it will confirm, crazy-busy – with some 286,000 passengers and roughly 2,100 arrivals and departures daily.

That’s a lot of people to move through security checkpoint queues, and that airport has determined part of the way to ease frustrations and worries about making flights is keeping air travelers accurately informaed about what to do and how long it will take.

The UK software firm Acquire Digital has a case study up online that digs into what was dubbed the Digital Totem Project – distinctive V-shaped displays strategically positioned around the terminal, with Acquire partner Capital Signs doing installation and handling maintenance.

The solution leverages multiple display formats to ensure passengers receive consistent wait time information wherever they are in the terminal. In the security queuing areas themselves, ceiling-mounted displays provide current wait times alongside essential security messages about prohibited items and baggage regulations. This comprehensive coverage extends to the airport’s wayfinding kiosks, where passengers scanning their boarding passes can see security wait times along with their flight information. 

At the heart of the system lies its integration with Xovis, the airport’s advanced crowd monitoring technology. Ceiling-mounted cameras throughout the terminal track passenger movement using sensors that represent travelers as data points, enabling real-time crowd level monitoring. This data feeds directly into the smart signage system, automatically updating wait times across all display formats. 

Understanding the dynamic nature of airport operations, the solution incorporates a custom-built management system that allows airport staff to override displayed information when needed. This feature proves particularly valuable when security checkpoints need to close or queue configurations change. The system also interfaces with ATL.com, ensuring consistent wait time information across all passenger touchpoints. 

The solution’s zone-based functionality adds another layer of sophistication. With the terminal divided into four distinct zones, the system automatically adjusts displayed wait times based on queue overflow situations. When lines extend beyond the standard security checkpoint areas, screens in different zones update to show varied wait times based on a passenger’s current location, helping manage passenger expectations and flow. 

This comprehensive integration of digital displays, monitoring systems, and management tools delivers on the airport’s goal of keeping passengers informed while supporting their “Shop.Dine.Explore” initiative. By providing accurate wait times alongside terminal walking times, the system helps travelers make informed decisions about utilizing pre-security amenities, effectively transforming what was once a source of stress into an opportunity for improved passenger experience. 

This implementation has transformed how Atlanta Airport manages its security checkpoints. The operations team no longer needs to manually update wait time information, as the system automatically pulls data from Xovis cameras and updates all displays in real-time. The airport maintains control through a custom-built override system, allowing staff to quickly respond to checkpoint closures or configuration changes. 

The system particularly supports the airport’s “Shop.Dine.Explore” initiative. When passengers can see that their security wait time is only five minutes and their walk to the terminal is fifteen minutes, they’re more likely to utilize the main shopping area before proceeding through security. This insight helps travelers make better use of their pre-flight time, potentially increasing retail revenue while reducing stress. 

No knock, at all, against airports that are using very large LED video wall installations and brilliant creative to make the main halls a visual experience. That has a role. But I have a big soft spot for airport operators who also use sensors and data integration for what I call boring signage – screens that just tell you where to go, how long things like screen will take, and even pedestrian stuff like the availability of restroom stalls on screens at the entry.

It’s not stuff that tends to win awards, but for a lot of people using crowded, hyper spaces like airports, a great experience is getting from drop-off to departure gate as efficiently as possible, with minimal confusion about where to go and what to do. I have TSA Pre – thank God – but these signs suggest that’s the slow line. Either that or the screen layout needs to nudge the TSA Pre logo closer to the middle, as I see that as tied to the south checkpoint.