The JFK Terminal One Group Association (TOGA) has partnered with travel technology provider, Ink Innovation to trial a disaster recovery system to manage operational disruptions at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal One.
This pilot project, which successfully tested Ink DRS (Disaster Recovery System), could help pave the way for uninterrupted operations and passenger satisfaction at the terminal.
This aligns with JFK Terminal One’s major redevelopment programme, which aims to accommodate more passengers and provide enhanced services.
During system failures, Ink DRS can provide a stable and scalable alternative to manual processes. This enables the airport to efficiently deliver on passenger processing, flight operations and post-flight messaging requirements.
The first stage of the trial involved collaboration with major airlines operating at the terminal, including Air New Zealand, Air France and Korean Air.
“TOGA is committed to providing world-class service to the people of New York State and New York City. With the construction of JFK, we are urged to take practical actions to mitigate the risks of outages. Ink DRS is the only system we know is running on tablets and mobile phones, which are independent of the airport infrastructure.”
Throughout the trial, Ink DRS completed a Cold Backup flow in a live environment, which included the creation of flights, seat mapping, registrations and special service requests based on airline requirements. DRS service points for check-in and boarding processing were also activated, and passengers and baggage continued to be processed seamlessly.
This demonstrated the processing speed and capacity of Ink DRS. Even during peak processing times, the system processed 50 passengers per hour at each check-in service point. It recorded check-in times of up to 30 seconds per passenger and up to 6 seconds for boarding.
“We are honoured to be a part of JFK's transformation into a global gateway program. While the primary purpose of this trial is to introduce our DRS risk management capabilities in JFK Terminal One, the system integration with our mobile sets will also allow TOGA to observe how to redesign passenger flow within restricted areas.”
As the trial period continues, Ink’s DRS will be assessed further to determine its effectiveness in managing disruptions and improving on-time performance.
