client case

Schiphol Airport

How airport-wide integrated process orchestration and decision automation reduces disruption.

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Schiphol is one of the global leaders in digital airport operations. Concurrent unique processes, instant insight and complex decisions based on real-time data are key to drive airport efficiency and passenger experience. Schiphol selected USoft as its intelligent process orchestration platform to quickly build flexible solutions that are robust, secure, and available 24x7.

The challenge

Integrated and intelligent airport operations – how to use technology and intelligent orchestration to optimize airport infrastructure utilization, operational processes, and passenger experience?

Digital airport

Schiphol aims to maintain its position as a global leader in high-efficiency digital airport operations

At a digital airport, IT and data are at the heart of each primary process, providing vital control for integrated airport operations and flight handling.
Key objectives for digitization are:
- To guide passengers through the airport as efficiently and comfortably as possible.
- And to optimize ongoing logistical processes for flight, baggage and cargo handling.

Many unique processes

Schiphol operates many unique processes that require instant insight and complex decisions – all based on real-time data

Day-to-day airport operations involve a constant flow of very different and complex decisions, including aircraft stand allocation, mishandled baggage and dynamic retail opening times.
These decisions need to be taken 24×7, in a robust and secure manner. Parameters for these decisions are based on many different variables and are affected by rules that change over time and are context sensitive.
This incredibly challenging environment at an autonomous, event-driven airport involves a high volume of data. The data flows continuously through interconnected business processes and requires appropriate action to streamline process efficiency and passenger experience.

Scalable, robust and secure platform

Schiphol needs a scalable, robust and secure technological foundation for intelligent process automation

The scalable integration platforms serve as ‘enabling technology’ for the business to develop and deploy all the applications they need to digitize key business processes.
An autonomous and event-driven airport where standard processes can take place without human intervention is made possible through business rules and complex event processing.

Why Schiphol chose USoft

Business Rules
The Business Rule Engine (BRE) forms an intelligent and protective layer of business rules in natural language (not high code). It can automate end-to-end decision processes and predict actions and procedures with help of artificial intelligence (AI)

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Complex Event Processing
Key business events in real-time, responding as quickly as possible with the appropriate insight and action based on a combined data set and across business processes
Versatile accelerator
With the USoft low-code platform, Schiphol can build business rules driven solutions to support operational processes and accelerate digitization. On average, a developer needs two months to become familiar with the platform, after which they can develop their first applications fairly autonomously.

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“In USoft, we found a partner who contributes to our business and processes; who understand what an efficient and effective process looks like and who are prepared to take a step back first.”

Garbis van Okburcht

Senior Manager Enabling Technology at Schiphol Airport

The solution

Schiphol runs over 15 microservices for a range of different airport processes on the USoft platform. This results in an intelligent orchestration capability that enables Schiphol to rapidly and flexibly digitize specific business processes as well as cross-functional dependencies.

Intelligent process orchestration (IPO)

Intelligent process orchestration enables Schiphol to streamline ongoing airport operations, reduce disruptions, and improve decision-making by automating complex, data-driven processes.

Overall improvement in efficiency and responsiveness

USoft has enabled Schiphol to improve operations efficiency, boost airport infrastructure utilization and respond more quickly to key business events and changing business needs.

Examples of microservices at Schiphol

Aircraft stand allocation
An application that shows the real-time operational availability of aircraft stand allocations based on many different inputs from e.g. assets and other systems.

Mishandled Baggage
An application for baggage handlers that predicts the likely whereabouts and route-cause of lost baggage items.
Dynamic Opening Times
An application that calculates until what time the duty-free shops at Schiphol can best remain open.

The results

Processing more than 1 mln events daily
Operating over 15 microservices with 60+ interfaces with other Schiphol systems and key stakeholders, improving flight punctuality performance and increasing passenger satisfaction.
Advanced autonomous operations
Data integration and intelligent process orchestration enable more and more processes to run autonomously, without human intervention.
Improved stakeholder alignment & satisfaction
Streamlining airport operations to reduce disruption risks and improve decision-making for Schiphol airport operations and key business stakeholders.