Fraport AG, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, today announced that it has implemented Quintiq’s software platform to speed up its winter service workforce deployment. The software implementation by Quintiq, a global leader in supply chain planning and optimisation (SCP&O), is expected to help Fraport reduce costs during winter through real-time, automated workforce and vehicle management.
Frankfurt Airport spans 7.5 million square meters – the equivalent of 1,000 football fields. Its sheer size poses challenges for ground staff, particularly during winter, since the airport’s 4km-long runways need to be cleared of snow within minutes. Depending on the intensity of the winter weather conditions, up to 200 specially trained employees are needed per shift to operate high-performance equipment.
Prior to the Quintiq software implementation, the allocation of staff was planned and coordinated manually, using Excel spreadsheets and Access databases – a costly, timeconsuming process. Employees were assigned between 14h and 16h before deployment, based on data gathered from the German weather service (DWD).
Fraport recognised that it needed a solution that could ensure that certified employees and the right equipment were quickly and accurately assigned while complying with rigorous legal regulations that govern staff deployment. The Quintiq software went live in November 2014 . It enables Fraport’s operations managers to have dashboard views of staffing levels, employee and vehicle statuses in real time, allowing for efficient and scalable fleet management.
Dr Roland Krieg, chief information officer of Fraport, said: "Manual and timeconsuming planning tasks amounted to significant costs in winter. The architecture of Quintiq’s software allowed our requirements to be modelled on the basis of industry-specific functionalities. This enables us to be extremely versatile as the solution provides staffing options that can quickly be employed, allowing us to organise our winter support services more efficiently."
"Helping Fraport solve this puzzle for Germany’s largest commercial airport is further testament to Quintiq software’s capabilities in optimizing complex planning and the company’s role as a market leader in aviation operations planning and optimisation," said Arjen Heeres, chief operating officer of Quintiq.
"This solution will make Frankfurt Airport’s operations more efficient by reducing time spent planning and this will lead to significant cost savings, in addition to improving the airport’s response time to disruptions."
For more information, please contact Quintiq.