Pictures of the Future Spring 2008
Tailored Solutions – Custom Terminals
Custom Terminals that Come & Go
At the Asian Games 2006 in Doha, Qatar, passengers landing at the airport were ushered into an enormous Arabian tent. It was an airport terminal spanning 8,000 m², erected especially for the world’s second-largest sports event, only to be taken down afterwards. This achievement was made possible by CapacityPlus from Siemens. The tent accommodated arrival and departure areas, baggage handling and sorting, an extensive electronic security system for passengers and baggage, check-in counters, sanitary facilities, climate control, and an energy supply. "We have the right solutions for such a complex project readily available. And we can custom-fit these to the specific needs of airport operators—with regard to size, design, equipment, and integration into the airport’s logistics," explains Christian-Marius Wegner, head of Infrastructure Logistics—Customer Service. In 2007 Siemens implemented a new concept with the CapacityPlus solution for Terminal 2 in Lisbon. To overcome capacity bottlenecks until the completion of a new airport, the airport operator ordered a temporary departure terminal in a lightweight design to handle all domestic flights in the next few years. Spanning 7,700 m² and complete with restaurants, shops, and spacious waiting areas, the terminal also sets new standards in terms of airline passenger comfort. It was built in the record time of only five months. "Time is the critical success factor in all CapacityPlus projects—in addition to the ability to respond flexibly to frequent changes in customer requirements," notes José Arsénio, General Manager Infrastructure Logistics in Portugal. Siemens has a proven track record in this sector. The company is responsible for the equipment and logistics in many of the world’s airports. It therefore has abundant experience and can create optimized solutions for customers. Another advantage is the possibility of virtual modeling. Even during the planning stage, the customer can view the terminal on a computer screen in 3D and envision clearly what it will look like, inside and out.
Gitta Rohling