The Gatwick Airport ‘Community app’ – conceptualised by Gatwick for the airport industry – has been shortlisted for seven national awards, including for the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards and the Digital Impact Awards. The application was launched at Gatwick in early 2016 and gives the entire workforce that currently use it easy access to real time information about airport issues on their smart phone.
Gatwick staff make up 25% of the current 10,000 users at the airport, with the remaining 75% working for other entities on the airport campus including airlines, ground handlers, retailers, tenants, police and immigration services. Most staff have downloaded the app on their personal smartphones.
Information communicated via the application include departure or bag delivery performance data, hourly passenger departure and arrival numbers, aircraft turn milestones, airport contacts, fault reporting facility, localised weather information and public transport updates. Information alerts can also be tailored so only information relevant to job are received.
Gatwick devised the app concept in partnership with AirportLabs. From the outset it was designed and built as a digital platform which can be used by multiple airports. AirportLabs now offer this as a fully managed service to any airport in the world. The app was launched at Gatwick and has since been rolled out at 12 other airports across the world, including Edinburgh, Bristol and Milan Airports.
Cathal Corcoran, Chief Information Officer, Gatwick Airport said:
“Gatwick is among the top five airports in the world, when it comes to technology innovation. The Airport Community app is one of the ideas we have pioneered for the wider airport industry and it has become a great success. The app helps us to keep the entire workforce on campus in tune with the airport. I am delighted to hear that Gatwick has been shortlisted for these awards and look forward to hearing the final results.”
Gatwick’s Community app has been shortlisted for three Lloyds Bank National Business Awards, with the results announced on 14 November 2017:
- Innovations Award
- Business Enabler Award
- Customer Focus award
And for four Digital Impact Awards, with the results announced on 17 October 2017:
- Best Corporate app
- Best Use of Mobile and Portable Devices
- Best Use of Digital by Sector – Travel, leisure and tourism
- Best Community Development
