Global air traffic is growing rapidly, clocking in at over 4.5 billion passenger trips in 2019. In tandem with the growth of air passengers, airports are also under pressure to scale up a whole range of ancillary services to support them.
From baggage handling, aircraft maintenance, cargo terminal operations, fuel depots, and retail shops are being upsized and upgraded.
Smooth airport operations don’t come by accident. At Singapore Changi Airport, which is frequently voted the best airport in the world, several billion dollars have been earmarked over the next few decades to upgrade Changi Airport’s air traffic management systems and other enhancements.
FOCUS ON AIRPORTS
Yet even the best systems in the world are no use in the event of a power outage. Without power, interactions between airport employees, service providers and more than ten thousand travellers on any given day at Changi Airport would have been severely disrupted. Airlines lose money and travellers are left with a poor experience.
According to Tony Hunt of Schneider Electric, a recent power outage cost Delta Air Lines in the United States up to an estimated US$50 million (S$70 million). Certainly, improved power backup systems could have improved reliability and prevented the incident from happening.
For airports facing surging passenger growth, it might be time to adopt a proactive stance to manage their infrastructure, particularly their electrical systems. Electrical distribution system might need to be upgraded to meet growing capacity requirements, and backup power systems put in place to accommodate future long-term growth.
POWER MODERNISATION
At one Canadian airport that hosts up to 16.3 million passengers annually with a 6 per cent annual increase in passenger traffic, Schneider Electric performed an audit and came up with recommendations to evolve the system towards an open, up-to-date platform.
Power‑proofing Your Airport: Why It Matters
By Bhagwati Prasad, Vice President, Business Development, Secure Power Division, Schneider Electric.
Seeing the Big Picture: Why Visibility is Key
Picture this: every watt of electricity at the airport is tracked in real time, from the runway to the conference room. With a centralized monitoring dashboard, you can spot a flicker in the lights, a surge in your generators, or a sudden dip in power quality all at once. It’s like having a bird’s‑eye view of the airport’s heartbeat.
When you spot a glitch instantly, you can isolate the problem and fix it before it turns into a nightmare. Fast, reliable power is the lifeline of any bustling terminal, and these tools make sure you never miss a beat.
Cutting Costs (and the Carbon Footprint)
Every boarding party loves savings, and the same goes for airports. By shining a light on where the energy is chasing shadows, you’ll uncover wasteful habits and confirm that utility bills really match the actual consumption.
In a world that’s all about greener skies and cleaner runways, squashing unnecessary electricity use isn’t just a cost‑cutting move—it’s a green pledge. Think of it as a win‑win: you keep the planet happy and your cash register relaxed.
Keeping the Lights on, Always
The big risk? Unexpected power outages that can leave travellers stranded and crews scrambling. But with a strong multi‑year service contract and smart assets—think UPS units and the EcoStruxure Asset Advisor—you stay one step ahead.
Advanced diagnostics will sniff out a problem days before it can show up on the LED board. That means no frantic emergency drills, no sky‑high repair bills, and a smooth, uninterrupted arrival experience.
In short, a proactive, DIY‑ish approach to power distribution keeps airports humming and passengers moving forward—no solo “flight” required.
