London City Airport has been celebrating multiple wins over the last couple of weeks having been named by the Daily Telegraph as the best airport in the UK and scooping airports Council International (ACI) Europe’s Best Digital Transformation Award at the 32nd ACI Europe annual congress in Rome on 23 June.
ACI’s award was given in recognition of the design, delivery and operational success of the pioneering Digital Air Traffic Control Tower, which has been fully operational at London City since January 2021. London City’s digital tower has 14 high-definition cameras and sensors mounted on a landside mast at the airport that provide a 360-degree view. This is all fed back via super-fast fibre connections to a NATS control room centre in Swanwick.
The swift deployment of the project and the close collaboration between the airport, NATS, SAAB, the CAA and engagement with airline and local community stakeholders were all contributing factors to the London City hub receiving its award from ACI Europe.
Commenting on the accolade London City Airport’s COO, Alison FirzGerald said: “This project goes back to 2016 and I want to pay tribute to everyone involved in getting it approved by our regulators, as well as built, operationally ready and prepared for a busy summer ahead.
“This recognition also speaks to the strength of the relationship we have built with NATS over the years, and I am hopeful that there is even more we can achieve together, helping us both to lead the way in making our industry safer, more sustainable and cutting edge.”
Serving the UK capital, London City is set to connect to 36 destinations across the UK and Europe. The airport is fully staffed for the summer period.
