In this article, Ignacio Camauer, Mobility Segment President of Schneider Electric discusses airport digitisation and why a single view of operations is now essential.
Airports are being stretched from every angle. According to data from Airports Council International (ACI), passenger traffic is expected to more than double by 2040. At the same time, airports are under pressure to cut emissions, manage energy costs, and stay resilient through disruption. They need to serve more passengers, more reliably, with tighter cost and carbon constraints.
The problem is that many airports are still run through a patchwork of separate systems. Airside, terminal, landside, baggage, building management, energy, and security often sit in different tools, managed by different teams. When information is split like that, it’s harder to build a shared view of what’s happening and what to do next.
Breaking down silos with real-time intelligence
Unifying these environments into a single, real-time view can improve decision-making. Instead of chasing alarms across 20 or 30 platforms, teams can work from one coordinated operational picture. That improves situational awareness and reduces the time spent joining the dots during incidents.
This is also where modern analytics and AI add value. When systems can analyse huge volumes of signals and highlight what matters most, airport operators can act faster and with more confidence.
Barcelona El Prat airport is a great example of that. By consolidating systems and standardising the operational view, the airport was able to replace around 20 separate technologies and scale its monitoring dramatically, from roughly 35,000 signals to more than 700,000. This resulted in a stronger shared view for operators, better coordination across day-to-day operations, and a more scalable foundation for growth.
From reactive to predictive, and more resilient day to day
With traffic rising, airports can’t afford to run in a purely reactive mode, fixing issues only after they affect passengers. Data-driven technologies and AI can help airports predict problems earlier, whether that’s equipment behaving unusually, energy consumption spikes, or demand peaks building across the terminal.
That shift matters because airports are “systems of systems.” A small issue in one area can quickly ripple into queues, delays, or poor comfort elsewhere. A single, contextual view strengthens resilience because teams can see what’s changing across the airport and respond immediately, rather than managing each issue in isolation.
Better passenger experience through faster response
For passengers, digitisation only matters if it leads to a smoother journey. Connected data across systems – baggage, HVAC, power, gates, and facilities – helps airports spot irregularities earlier and triage them faster. That means shorter disruptions and fewer knock-on impacts.
It also enables practical improvements. Airports can use passenger flow and traffic patterns to manage parking demand better, directing vehicles to different areas before queues build up. They can also link customer feedback about comfort to operational data like occupancy, temperature, ventilation, and lighting, so teams fix root causes quickly instead of guessing.
Optimising energy and accelerating decarbonisation
Decarbonisation isn’t only a long-term target. It’s also a daily operating challenge. With energy representing up to 15% of airport OPEX, linking energy data with operational data helps teams match consumption more closely to demand. This helps cut waste without compromising comfort or reliability. It also supports smarter energy orchestration, such as managing peaks and shifting loads, which matters in a world of volatile energy prices.
Geneva Airport, which serves around 15 million passengers each year, embraced digitisation to improve the efficiency and safety of its electrical distribution system. Through a long-term modernisation programme, the airport introduced a renovated medium-voltage system and upgraded distribution and monitoring capabilities. This enabled remote monitoring and control of substations, and more accurate energy reporting through centralised information. The project delivered improved reliability and was implemented in a cost-effective way, with minimal disruption to day-to-day operations.
A scalable digital foundation for the next era of mobility
Airports are moving into an era shaped by electrification, automation, and rising passenger flows. In that environment, data-driven technology and a single view of all operations is becoming a necessity, not a luxury. The operators that invest in connected, intelligent foundations now will be best placed to keep journeys smooth, control costs and carbon emissions, and build resilience for the next generation of sustainable mobility.
