10th October 2019
The European Commission Awards Copenhagen Optimization Horizon 2020 Grant for Their AI-Driven Airport Optimization Solutions
Copenhagen Optimization’s Better Airport® platform lauded as the next generation solution to increase efficiency and prepare airports across the world for rising passenger demands with data-driven insights
08.10.2019 —COPENHAGEN, DENMARK— Copenhagen Optimization today announced they have been selected by the European Commission for the prestigious Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Copenhagen Optimization will receive a grant of just over EUR 2.1 million over the next 24 months. The program was created to establish international networks of excellence, foster cross-border cooperation, and fund multi-national projects that will drive internationalization across the EU. Copenhagen Optimization was singled out among thousands of applications across Europe for the company’s Better Airport® solution to drive optimization across the EU’s airport network and prepare for the challenge of increased passenger demand in a cost-efficient, sustainable way.
Better Airport® is the first cloud-based, AI-driven analytics solution that combines all airport operational aspects into a single, holistic overview for improved forecasting, planning, and execution. The solution provides robust insight into passenger check-in, security, border control, baggage handling, aircraft allocation and more. Thanks to the Horizon 2020 funding, the solution will be taken to the next level, which includes refining the machine learning components and advancing Better Airport®’s aircraft allocation solution.
“We’re honored to have been selected by the European Commission to advance airports towards EU’s goal of a Single European Sky, says Kasper Hounsgaard, Managing Partner at Copenhagen Optimization. “The planning process of airport aircraft stand allocation is one of the most complex challenges airports face. A clear understanding and focus will change everything. It’s expected that there will be over 14 billion airline passengers by 2035. Today’s airports just aren’t prepared for this massive increase in passenger demand without making major investments in their current infrastructure. However, Better Airport® presents a cost-effective and resource-reducing solution by fully optimizing the utilization of existing resources to increase efficiency and improve passenger experiences around the world. Ultimately, Better Airport® will allow airport operators to forecast, plan, and execute their entire airport operation in real-time.”
The Horizon 2020 grant enables Copenhagen Optimization to run large scale trials of their new airport allocation solution across airports around the world with the goal of improving aircraft-to-building efficiency, reduce aircraft taxiing time, and other challenges that commonly plague busy airports that run on razor-sharp time constraints. It is expected that the program will deliver the data-driven solution to postpone physical investment in airport infrastructure by at least three years, reduce staff costs by 10 percent, and decrease passenger waiting times by 50 percent at participating airports. With deeper insight into aircraft allocation and parking, airports will save between €5m and €15m up front, with further cost savings of up to €10m per year overall.
“This new phase of the Better Airport® solution brings to market a ground-breaking, cloud-based, and holistic approach to airport operational management using AI to continuously evaluate input parameters and provide accurate forecasts,” says Anders Dohn, Managing Partner at Copenhagen Optimization. “The software uses advanced mathematical models and machine learning, combined with hands-on experience from years of consultancy of airport operations, to deliver a user-friendly solution that enables informed and optimized decision-making across airport stakeholders.”
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 880158.
Copenhagen Optimization (CopOpt) is a combined software and consultancy company specialized in analyzing and planning the airport operation on a strategic, tactical, and operational level. CopOpt offers the cloud-based airport operational planning platform, Better Airport®. Through Better Airport®, airports create daily operational plans for all operational areas and update the plans in real-time as new information becomes available. Also, seasonal plans can be created in Better Airport® assuring that the right planning decisions are taken as far in advance as possible. CopOpt is working with more than 30 airports globally and have delivered significant benefits to users of Better Airport® including a 25% decrease in wait time at London Luton Airport, a 51% decrease in wait time at Geneva Airport as well as an absorbing 18% growth for check-in and baggage infrastructure at Toronto Pearson Airport. CopOpt is headquartered in Copenhagen – for more information visit www.copopt.com
PRESS CONTACT
Sarah Procter
Copenhagen Optimization
Phone: +45 30 91 46 79
Email: procter@copopt.com
