10th December 2019
MAG announces new passenger forecast and demand generation solution
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands airports, has announced a new contract with Copenhagen Optimization (CopOpt) to introduce its Better Airport® solution, with the aim of improving forecasting accuracy and using the forecasts to produce optimized operational plans, thereby improving the passenger experience. The new insights will help drive actions and data-driven decision making from security and immigration to car parking and airport ambassadors.
The roll out will start in London Stansted with a framework contract also in place for Manchester and East Midlands airports.
Better Airport®, CopOpt’s cloud-based planning solution, has already been successfully implemented at other international airports, including Toronto Pearson International Airport, AGS (Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Southampton), Edinburgh Airport, London Luton Airport, and Dublin Airport, with additional implementations ongoing in London Heathrow, JFK Terminal 4, and Copenhagen Airport.
Since its founding in 2014, CopOpt has become a leader in airport operations planning by combining in-depth operations research with hands-on airport operations experience in numerous airports around the world. Better Airport® – a cloud-based solution for all operational areas in an airport – enables airports to carry out all operational planning using one common operating platform.
MAG selected Better Airport® through a thorough tender process, where several solutions were evaluated. Better Airport® was chosen by virtue of being the “technically superior” solution, offering a tried and tested solution by a company with a proven track record.
MAG’s airports welcomed more than 60 million passengers in 2018 and has been experiencing significant growth over the last decade. Better Airport® will support MAG in continuing to grow and will be integrated with other initiatives currently under way at MAG, all intended to provide the best possible foundation for supporting a seamless operation and excellent passenger experience.
Anders Dohn, Managing Partner at CopOpt, said
“We are delighted that MAG has joined the growing community of airports using Better Airport®. Right from our first conversations with the MAG team, it has been clear that they are driven by a desire to innovate and set the highest standards for themselves and their partners. We are looking forward to a successful implementation of Better Airport®, enabling MAG to automate forecasting, generate precise demand data for their operations, and giving them the ability to optimize their operations in real-time, always reflecting the up to the minute developments.”
Jonathan Fowler, Customer Service and Security Director, said
“In bringing in Copenhagen Optimization and their Better Airport® solution, we believe that we can help drive innovation, performance, and ultimately offer an even better experience for our passengers. We see a win-win situation in working with a company that mirrors our belief in a strong collaborative approach that can build the basis for a long-term partnership.”
About Copenhagen Optimization
Copenhagen Optimization is a leading provider of consultancy and software focused on airports’ operational planning activities. Copenhagen Optimization has grown quickly since its founding in 2014 and is now working with more than 50 airports across the world on all aspects of the airport operation. Embracing the latest best practice with cloud-based software, Copenhagen Optimization delivers substantial value with its intelligent and intuitive Better Airport® planning solution. For more information, visit www.copopt.com
About MAG:
MAG is owned jointly by Manchester City Council (35,5%), IFM Investors, an Australian investment fund (35,5%), and nine other Greater Manchester local authorities (29%). It contributes over £7bn to the UK economy and support over 130,000 jobs in the supply chain.
MAG is the largest UK owned airport operator, with the airports of Manchester, Stansted, and East Midlands welcoming just over 60 million passengers in 2018. Manchester and London Stansted airports are ranked as the third and fourth busiest in the UK.
In total the three airports support the employment of over 40,000 people on site.
MAG operations are carbon-neutral and currently, 100% of the energy needs for the three airports is achieved through renewable sources.
