Mobile Customer Inform Totems - Heathrow Airport
A total of 40 Inform by L.B. Foster mobile customer information totems have now been deployed in Terminals 2, 3, 5 and the Central Bus Station at London’s Heathrow Airport, as part of a pilot programme for Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited (HAL).
The initial requirement was to improve the display of and reduce the number of posters around the Terminals, including the timely display and removal of posters. The functionality of the Inform Media Passive Display functionality has demonstrated that they can be used towards achieving their objective. This then led to HAL then looking at customer access to critical travel information, via inform Media Interactive functionality.
With over 80 million passengers annually, London Heathrow Airport is the UK’s busiest airport. A total of 84 airlines fly to 203 destinations in 84 countries worldwide. The airport features four passenger terminals, occupying over half a million square metres to the west of London. London Heathrow Airport is operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited. Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited recognises that efficient communication to all of their passengers is essential to deliver world leading service. Terminals 2 and 3 accommodate almost 40 million passengers each year.
The flexibility and evolution of Inform’s innovative design features has allowed us to adapt it to meet our requirements and integrate into other technologies that we use. It is easy to move around, has a 24-hour battery performance and only a short charging cycle.
This is really important when you work in a fast-paced environment like Heathrow. And the clarity of the visual display is excellent.”
Andrew Roberts, Services Implementation and Delivery Lead, Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited
Requirement
L.B. Foster Digital Solutions supplied London Heathrow Airport with 40 high performance Inform mobile information totems, each powered by L.B. Foster’s Inform Media software, for use in Terminals 2, 3, 5 and Heathrow’s Central Bus Station. The totems provide customers with information about Covid, Security, FAQ and other relevant Heathrow information; Train Departure and arrival Times, onward Journey Planning and Local Walking Routes, both inside and outside both terminals.
During the Pilot, we are still working towards including Flight Information (FIDs) – both Arrival and Departures, Journey Planning, Heathrow inside Terminal Way Finding and Offers/Discounts using our Program Inform Media System. A prerequisite for the deployment of any new hardware in UK airports is compliance with Aviation Security In Airport Development (ASIAD) - a UK Government policy document guiding the planning, design and development of new airports and airport terminals, as well as those who have responsibility for management, maintenance and refurbishment of existing airport facilities. Inform by L.B. Foster has been successfully tested to ASIAD 2017’s rigorous standards, designed to keep airport infrastructure safe.
Specification
- Passenger notices/posters and emergency messaging
- Flight Information (FIDs) departures and arrivals
- Passenger special offers, including discounts at cafes, Duty Free, hotels.
- Aviation police notices/posters and emergency messaging
- HAL terminal wayfinding
- Passenger security messages and warnings
- Passport Control – notices/posters and emergency messaging
- Baggage collection conveyor notices and advice
- Onward journey information – bus, train, walking
- HAL bus terminals – bus real time information
Our Solution
The Inform by L.B. Foster customer information totem is a completely self-contained solution to mobile customer information messaging. The battery-powered mobile totem display features wireless and mobile technology that delivers important, dynamic in the moment customer messages, as well as general messaging and advertising.
Using the latest in high-definition video displays, the totem is capable of running for 24 hours on a single charge from its built-in batteries. Integrated Wifi and 3G/4G mobile communications allow this unique display to connect to a variety of information systems. The Inform range of displays, including the Disruption Management System, are fully Section 12 compliant with the use of low smoke zero halogen cables, fume components and sealed IP65 enclosures to contain noxious substances in sub-surface and fire-critical environments.
Utilising the L.B. Foster Inform Media suite of software to tailor the solution to the exacting requirements of Heathrow Airport enables L.B. Foster to deliver a solution that ticks every box of the clients’ requirements and much more.
The team at L.B. Foster has listened to our needs and worked with us to develop the totems to work in Heathrow’s vibrant environment. The totems are user-friendly, with only a short presentation needed to train staff. The simplicity of deploying them has been a great advantage when choosing where they can be best used. In a short time, the trial has generated multiple enquiries from different projects around the business in passenger facing areas.
We have enjoyed working with L.B. Foster and are looking forward to developing the totems with them further to improve our passengers experience whilst at Heathrow.
Andrew Roberts, Services Implementation and Delivery Lead, Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited
