Unisys Corporation (News) (NYSE: UIS) announces that it played a major role in the successful opening of Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA). Unisys developed, integrated and is currently managing the core systems at BCIA Terminal 3, which became fully operational on March 26, 2008 and is now the world's largest airport terminal building. The Terminal 3 expansion project will provide the critical transportation infrastructure needed by Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. BCIA will be able to handle a targeted 76 million passengers and 580,000 flights a year with peak hours handling more than 124 flights per hour by 2015. The BCIA authorities awarded the Terminal 3 Master Systems Integration contract to Unisys in mid-2005. Unisys assigned a dedicated team of technical and functional experts on design and development, integrated system architecture, testing, training, documentation and overall program management to work on this mission-critical assignment. The IT management at BCIA has stated that it is very satisfied that the system integrated by Unisys is running smoothly. BCIA has enhanced its airport operation management by capitalizing on Unisys expertise in this area. As the master systems integrator, Unisys was responsible for a number of key deliverables, allowing the airport's operations to be supported by efficient, flexible technology. Unisys major responsibilities for this project included: - Ground Operation Information System (GOIS) - Unisys designed, developed and implemented the GOIS that manages the flight information for the entire airport, covering Terminals 1, 2 and 3. The GOIS continually receives the latest flight-related information from air traffic control, airline systems, various operational systems and handling agents, stores the information in the airport operational database and disseminates this real-time data to pertinent airport systems and key stakeholders in the airport community. The system includes a sophisticated resource management component to oversee and allocate various key airport resources such as stands, gates, check-in counters and baggage carousels to maximize efficiency and minimize flight delays. The system also enables airport officials to monitor whether the airport is delivering the correct levels of service to airlines and passengers, therefore improving both airport operations and the traveler experience.
- Integration Framework Design - Unisys designed the overall integration framework for the new Terminal 3 systems and successfully integrated more than 20 core operational systems prior to the terminal's opening. Unisys then implemented the system, which resulted in seamless interoperability of disparate systems and a scalable, manageable integration architecture.
- Migration Strategy - Unisys assisted in defining the overall strategy for the migration and production of the new IT systems prior to the progressive transfer of flights to Terminal 3. BCIA mandated that the IT systems migration not impact current operations in Terminals 1 and 2. Unisys designed the strategic plan so that the new Terminal 3 Airport Operational Database would manage the acquisition of all flight-related information for the entire airport from external sources, such as air traffic control, and in turn, distribute this data to the terminal operational databases for Terminals 1 and 2 as well.
- Future Operational Model - Based on its 3D BlueprintingTM approach, Unisys consulted on the future operational model for BCIA, allowing it to become a major hub airport and to more effectively compete with other major airports in the region. Leveraging this proven methodology and the company's domain experience at other airports, such as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Unisys recommended a new operational model for BCIA's business and operational practices, and allows the airport to continually assess future changes in its operational processes now that Terminal 3 is up and running.
“BCIA realized the importance of building a new terminal to significantly expand capacity while maximizing the operations of the entire airport, and Unisys was honored to be a part of this effort,“ said Olivier Houri, president and general manager, Unisys Global Transportation. “Beijing Airport's Terminal 3 is setting a new benchmark for service and operational excellence with its advanced IT systems, and all airport constituents - from employees to travellers - will benefit.“ About BCIA Beijing Capital International Airport Co. Ltd. (News) was incorporated as a Sino-foreign joint stock company with limited liability in People's Republic of China (PRC) to operate the international airport in Beijing, PRC and certain ancillary commercial businesses. The company is mainly engaged in aeronautical and non-aeronautical business of the Beijing Airport. For more information, visit www.bcia.com.cn. About Unisys Unisys is a worldwide information technology services and solutions company. We provide consulting, systems integration, outsourcing and infrastructure services, combined with powerful enterprise server technology. We specialize in helping clients use information to create efficient, secure business operations that allow them to achieve their business goals. Our consultants and industry experts work with clients to understand their business challenges and create greater visibility into critical linkages throughout their operations. For more information, visit www.unisys.com. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/27/wchina127.xml Beijing terminal breaks size barrier By Richard Spencer, China Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:40am GMT 27/02/2008 A British Airways jet will earn a place in history this week by becoming the first international flight to land at the new terminal of Beijing Airport, the largest airport in the world. In pictures: Beijing Airport's new terminal | | Beijing airport's new terminal is said to be a modern representation of both the Chinese dragon and the Forbidden City
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The new terminal, which undergoes its first trial operation on Friday, is 1.8miles from end to end and is bigger than all Heathrow's five terminals put together. With a floor area of more than 10 million square feet, the Norman Foster-designed terminal is second only in size to Aalsmeer flower auction house in Amsterdam, the world's biggest building. It dwarfs the Pentagon, which is often described as the world's largest office building. No project is more symbolic of how China is using the Olympic Games this year to refashion its image and prepare itself for a future once only dreamed of by Chairman Mao's economic planners. advertisement Chinese airports were quiet, shabby places less than two decades ago, built on the Soviet model. Officials said last month that 97 more airports are due to be built in the country by 2020, bringing the total number to 239. Of these, 13 are projected to handle 30 million passengers a year - about the same number as Gatwick. Beijing's expansion is not just for show. National passenger numbers have grown from seven million in the mid-1980s to 185 million as the Chinese economy has grown to be the fourth largest in the world. The new terminal will increase Beijing's capacity from 35 million to 85 million. Once it became clear that Terminal 2, which only opened in 1999, would quickly be overwhelmed, the authorities moved with customary speed. There were no lengthy planning and consultation processes: from its proposal in 2004 to opening this week took less time than the planning inquiry for Terminal 5 at Heathrow. More than 50,000 workers toiled on the site and 10 villages were moved to accommodate it, with some residents engaged in long battles to claim compensation for loss of livelihood. But that matters little to Beijing's government, whose attitude to the £2 billion structure can be judged from its design. With its broad head and long tail, its vents in the shapes of scales, and its crimson and gold paint, it is said to be a modern representation of both the Chinese dragon and the Forbidden City. Planners will be relieved that the terminal has opened earlier than some projections. But they will soon be back to work - Beijing is looking for a site for a second airport that will be needed when the new terminal reaches its full capacity, which is likely to be around 2015. |
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