Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has faced capacity constraints, particularly during peak periods. At the security screening checkpoint, this is due to the growing number of passengers and a shortage of security staff. To improve operating performance, there is a need to integrate newer technologies that improve passing times. This research presents a discrete event simulation (DES) model for the inclusion of a shoe scanner at the security screening checkpoint at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Simulation is a frequently used method to assess the influence of process changes, which, however, has not been applied for the inclusion of shoe scanners in airport security screenings yet. The simulation model can be used to assess the implementation and potential benefits of an optical shoe scanner, which is expected to lead to significant improvements in passenger throughput and a decrease in the time a passenger spends during the security screening, which could lead to improved passenger satisfaction. By leveraging DES as a tool for analysis, this study provides valuable insights for airport authorities and stakeholders aiming to optimize security screening operations and enhance passenger satisfaction.
In this paper we propose a novel approach for validating a simulation model for a passengers' airport terminal. The validation approach is based on a "historical data" and "model-to-model" validation approach, and the novelty is represented by the fact that the model used as comparison uses historical data from different data sources and technologies. The proposed validation approach , which is presented as part of the IMHOTEP project, implements various data fusion and data analytics methods to generate the passenger "Activity-Travel-Diary", which is the model that is then compared with the results from the simulation model. The data used for developing the "Activity-Travel-Diary" comes from different sources and technologies such as: passengers data (personal mobile phone, apps), airport data (airport Wi-Fi, GPS, scanning facilities), and flight Information (flight schedules, gate allocation etc.). The simulation model is based on an agent-based simulation paradigm and includes all the passengers flows and operations within a terminal airport. The proposed validation approach is implemented in a real-life case study, Palma de Mallorca Airport, and preliminary results of the validation (calibration) process of the simulation model are presented.
The need to better understand how to manage the real logistics operations in Schiphol Airport, a strategic hub for the economic development of the Netherlands, created the conditions to develop a project where academia and industry partnered to build a simulation model of the Schiphol Airport Landside operations. This paper presents such a model using discrete-event simulation. A realistic representation of the open road network of the airport as well as the (un)loading dock capacities and locations of the five ground handlers of Schiphol Airport was developed. Furthermore, to provide practitioners with applicable consolidation and truck-dispatching policies, some easy-to-implement rules are proposed and implemented in the model. Preliminary results from this model show that truck-dispatching policies have a higher impact than consolidation policies in terms of both distance travelled by cooperative logistic operators working within the airport and shipments’ average flow time. Furthermore, the approach presented in this study can be used for studying similar megahubs.
