Situation under control - under all circumstances

Increasing security concerns and consequently stricter security regulations have led to a multitude of new security measures adopted by airports world-wide.
For this reason, security operations interfere with regular operations to a larger extent than used to be the case.

Today, airports more often experience process interruptions and subsequent delays due to the close inter­dependence of processes and security checks. As a logical consequence, the resulting costs as well as customer dissatisfaction are mounting.

• Where can the responsible passenger be found if the inline EDS system identifies a suspicious bag?
• Which flights are affected if a terminal is to be partially evacuated and where can the workload of check-in or boarding be shifted without creating havoc for other flights?
• How long is the expected delay and what are the effects on operation if security measures are to be enhanced at a certain point and time?

Such questions are difficult to answer if the integration of security operations and regular operations is insufficient. The overall effects of certain measures are almost always unknown, in particular in emergency situations.

Increasing security requirements are a big challenge for today’s airport management – a challenge that has been addressed by the development of a new type of control center integration pulling down the traditional barrier between security operations and regular flight / terminal operations.

Without compromising the traditional autonomy of both security supervision and flight / terminal operation, the ASOC (Airport Security & Operations Center) gives operators the possibility to evaluate the operational consequences of any intended measure and to identify those measures or remedies with the least disruptive effects.
Immediate assessment of situations is essential to a professional crisis management, and ASOC provides the basis for informed decision making.

	GUI

The system combines information and data gathered from relevant safety and security systems (e.g. Fire Alarm, Intrusion Detection, EDS, BRS, CCTV, Access Control, Biometric ID’s, Help Point Intercoms etc.) on the one hand, and from operations systems on the other hand, which in most cases will be represented via an Airport Operational Database (AODB) like the UFIS (Universal Flight Information System) central database.

In normal operation mode, the ASOC simply provides easy access to selected security and operations information for a comprehensive overview.
In this case, the main purpose of the system is to document the efficient flow of processes and the level of security checks achieved (e.g. by recording the throughput and the read rate of the scanners).

Once a security-relevant anomaly is detected, the system switches to alert mode and provides context-sensitive decision support. The type of reaction depends on the type, location, and severity of the alert.
Predefined case scenarios provide the operator with a detailed process flow and relevant action options.

A classic scenario is the detection of an unauthorized-access alarm: a camera is automatically activated to track the intruder; then the operator alerts a security team to get hold of the person; as the next option, the system proposes partial evacuation of related areas.
Thanks to the link with the operational system, the ASOC operator can immediately assess which parts of airport operation and which flights and passengers are affected and where he can transfer individual activities in order to keep the impact to a minimum.
The integration with resource management and public address systems automatically generates the appropriate assignments and passenger notifications.
All options, actions and results are logged for subsequent documentation and assessment.

The system provides ad hoc control of security systems and operational systems as well as immediate situation assessment in a process-oriented event workflow; all at one central location, thus optimizing the assessment of potential threat situations and the appropriate reaction, minimizing consequential delays and costs, and providing accurate event logging and documentation.