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CapacityPlus: An innovative
approach for managing capacity
at commercial airports
Received (in revised form): 7th April, 2008

CHRISTIAN M.WEGNER
is Vice President, Customer Services at Siemens, Industry Sector, Mobility Division, Infrastructure Logistics. He
started his career with Siemens as a service engineer for industrial computing and networks and gathered more
than 20 years of experience in the field of services in different positions, such as Regional Business Manager Europe,
Africa and Middle East. As one of the co-founders of the business-based services concept of Siemens he is
dedicated to promoting this well-known industry approach also throughout the logistics community.

JOSÉ ARSÉNIO
is General Manager, Infrastructure Logistics at Siemens Portugal. Mr Arsénio started his career with Siemens as a
service engineer for industrial automation. Over the last 10 years he has built up and managed the airport business
of Siemens in Portugal. During this period Mr Arsénio has developed numerous innovative logistics and services
solutions also encompassing CapacityPlus. As one of the leading experts, he is also strongly engaged in the
international operations of Siemens in the field of airport logistics.

Abstract
In general, airport development plans are based on a mid and long-term forecast of passenger
numbers. Dealing with an unexpected development or with short-term capacity demands presents
airports with special challenges. Investment in permanent capacity expansion only makes sense if there
is a long-term need for such additional capacity. On the other hand, trying to address the situation with
existing infrastructure may result in an unacceptable drop in service quality and safety. In many such
cases, setting up a temporary or interim airport terminal for a predefined period of time could be the
answer. Innovative technologies and modern methodologies allow for such a terminal to be installed at
short notice, in a very short period of time and at significantly lower costs compared with conventional
implementations. Under the brand name of CapacityPlus, Siemens Infrastructure Logistics produces a
variety of solutions aimed at closing short-term and interim capacity gaps.

Keywords
temporary terminal, interim terminal, terminal capacity, CapacityPlus, event management,
contingency planning

TYPICAL USE CASES FOR TEMPORARY fairs, trade shows, sports and cultural
Christian M. Wegner, AND INTERIM AIRPORT TERMINALS events, when:
Siemens AG, Industry Sector,
Mobility Division, Infrastructure Temporary and interim airport terminals — the current systems already operate
Logistics,
have to be specially designed to optimally close to their capacity limits;
Colmberger Str. 2,
90451 Nuremburg, address the following requirements: — non-standard measures are needed
Germany
Tel: +49 911 145 7769
for the additional passengers;
Fax: +49 911 145 6768 ● To provide extra temporary passenger — additional security measures are nec-
E-mail: christian-marius.wegner@
siemens.com capacity during special events such as essary (eg segregation of fan groups

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MANAGING CAPACITY AT COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS

joining a sports event) — such meas- planning and engineering phase and a few
ures can be especially difficult to months for implementing the terminal.
implement in small or medium-
sized airports. Flexibility
● To compensate for lost terminal capac-
The solution must integrate into the opera-
ity and to bridge mid-term capacity
tional environment of the existing airport in
bottlenecks:
terms of accessibility, available space, inter-
— during airport expansion or modifi-
facing with existing systems, and the use and
cation projects, when certain systems
incorporation of existing infrastructure.
need to be shut down, resulting in a
The layout needs to address individual
loss of capacity;
operational requirements, such as type
— when capacity loss is as a conse-
(regular vs charter), flight schedule, secu-
quence of a major damage, such as
rity regulations, passenger and baggage
that caused by fire, water or storm;
flow and throughput.
— when the development of passenger
The design specifications need to take
numbers outpaces the capacity
into account local conditions and specifi-
expansion measures.
cations, such as climate, noise and safety
● To provide temporary passenger capacity
regulations.
in new locations:
As the schedule usually allows only
— the ability to promptly respond to
limited time for planning, the capacity to
shorter-term demands is particularly
make changes during project implementa-
interesting for low-cost carriers,
tion is an additional flexibility requirement.
which may open and close new
locations more frequently;
— there is increasing demand for con- Financial aspects
verting military infrastructure for Given the extremely short implementa-
commercial use. tion time, flexible adaptation to the spe-
cific requirements and smart equipment
REQUIREMENTS AND reutilisation schemas, short-term and
CHARACTERISTICS interim terminal solutions provide a
significant cost advantage over any other
To maximise efficiency with regard to the
conventional terminal solution. Potential
above-mentioned requirements, engi-
suppliers of temporary and interim termi-
neering must be focused on the three
nals must be able to deliver all steps of the
main elements described below.
process (eg requirement analysis, design,
engineering, implementation, mainte-
Time nance and technical operation) in order to
Experience suggests that there is a general reduce interfaces, speed up processes and
tendency to postpone the decision to yield additional cost advantages.
implement a short-term or interim air- Furthermore, short-term and interim
port terminal until the very last moment. terminal solutions must be embedded
Usually this decision is taken only after into flexible financial models, allowing
having evaluated all other potential alter- airports or airlines to choose according to
natives without a feasible result. In the their individual financial preferences.
projects discussed later in this paper, Depending on the project size, technical
this left just a couple of weeks for the specification and duration of operation,

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selection between leasing, buying and more detail on the basis of live projects
financing should be possible. implemented by Siemens Infrastructure
Logistics.
The idea for CapacityPlus germinated
THE PROCESS with the occasion of the 2004 European
Every project starts with an in-depth Football Championships in Portugal, when
requirement analysis. In addition to the ANA, the Portuguese Airport Operator,
functional requirements, the intended asked for a solution to address the expected
duration of operation and climatic condi- capacity and security challenges related to
tions will have a great influence on the the significantly increased passenger num-
specifications. Ideally, all stakeholders in the bers at Lisbon Airport during the event.
new terminal, such as operators, airlines, Thus, capacity and segregation of fan groups
police and customs, should be engaged in were the main drivers for this project.
the requirement analysis process. The terminal was implemented inside
During planning and design, alterna- a tent structure and a temporarily con-
tive layouts must be discussed with the verted military hangar and was specially
terminal end-users in order to find the designed to switch from arrivals to depar-
optimal solution to address everybody’s tures operation according to the schedule
requirements. Here, three-dimensional of the individual football games. During
computer-based models of the final layout one month, 700,000 football fans from all
can prove to be very useful, as they give a across Europe used the terminal. Following
good insight into the look and feel of the the event, the terminal was completely
new terminal. At the end of this phase, a removed and the military hangar returned
rough budget price for the solution to its original use.
should ideally be determined to allow the Figure 1 presents some design studies
end-customer to complete their financial for the new terminal. Figures 2 and 3 pres-
feasibility analysis at this early stage. ent real pictures of the waiting area in the
Engineering includes the detailed converted hangar and the security systems
specification of all subsystems, such as the in the terminal building.
terminal building, baggage logistics, secu- In 2006, Siemens Infrastructure Logistics
rity and facilities, and elaboration of a provided a temporary airport terminal for
detailed project plan. the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.The
Implementation includes transporta- terminal building was implemented in a
tion, site mobilisation, setting up and tent structure with a total area exceeding
commissioning the terminal itself. 8,000 square metres. The terminal, consist-
Terminal operation starts with an ing of a departures and an arrivals area, was
in-depth induction of the end-user staff. especially designed for receiving the sports
The supply of a new terminal also should teams and the officials from all participating
include maintenance and other related Asian and Middle East countries. The ter-
services during operation. minal was in operation during November
and December 2006, with Siemens provid-
ing all required technical operation and
CAPACITYPLUS REFERENCE maintenance services, and was completely
PROJECTS dismantled after the Games.
In the following, the above-mentioned Figure 4 presents a design study of the
aspects will be addressed and explained in terminal. Figure 5 presents a real aerial

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Figure 1 Lisbon Airport, 2004 — Project concept

Figure 2 Lisbon Airport, 2004 — Public area

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Figure 3 Lisbon Airport, 2004 — Passenger and baggage security area

Figure 4 Asian Games, Doha 2006 — Project concept

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Figure 5 Asian Games, Doha 2006 — Terminal building

view of the terminal. Figure 6 presents completely new approach to building

technical specifications of the terminal. interim terminals designed to operate for
In 2007, Siemens Infrastructure Logistics ten years or more.
implemented the new departure terminal With a total area of 7,700 square metres,
(Terminal 2) for Lisbon Airport. Terminal 2 consists of a check-in area
Intended to bridge the increased with 22 check-in counters, a departure
capacity requirements until the opening area with 12 boarding gates, and a quick
of the planned new Lisbon Airport, transfer centre with passport control posts,
Terminal 2 had to start operation on 1st check-in counters and entrance and exit
August, 2007. Following preparation and gateways.
infrastructural embedding of the new Restaurants, lounges, airline ticket
terminal area, including earth movement, counters, shops, wide open spaces and
roads and access, fewer than five months generous waiting areas, air-conditioning,
were left for the implementation of the lavatories and other facilities ensure a high
new terminal. Figure 7 presents the project level of passenger comfort.
schedule and real pictures of different Adjacent to the main building, Termi-
project phases. nal 2 has a luggage terminal with a pro-
By employing a new lightweight build- cessing capacity of 1,800 bags per hour.
ing structure and several other innovative Terminal 2 at Lisbon Airport was fin-
ideas regarding passenger comfort, process ished on time and was officially inaugu-
efficiency, safety and security, this was a rated on 31st July, 2007 in the presence of

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Figure 6 Asian Games, Doha 2006 — Technical specifications

Figure 7 Lisbon Airport Terminal 2, 2007 — Schedule

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the Portuguese Minister of Transportation, Terminals for special events

ANA, representatives of the Lisbon Evaluate the following:
municipality and the Portuguese press.
Figure 8 presents the technical specifi- ● The negative impact of processing the
cations of the new terminal. Figure 9 additional passenger flow with the
presents a design study and a real picture existing infrastructure:
of the new terminal. — drop in service quality resulting
from congestion, increased waiting
time, lost bags, delays etc;
DEFINING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR — annoyance to regular passengers;
TEMPORARY AND INTERIM AIRPORT — risk of riots between rival fan groups
TERMINALS attending sports events.
With regard to the great diversity of ● The additional costs required to expand
potential applications, elaborating a the existing infrastructure:
generic business case is rather difficult. — capital and service costs;
The paper therefore now includes some — long-term assets could become use-
ideas intended to help the potential end- less after the event.
users of temporary or interim terminals to ● The additional revenue potential from
build up their individual business case. non-aviation activities based on the

Figure 8 Lisbon Airport Terminal 2, 2007 — Technical specifications

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Figure 9 Lisbon Airport Terminal 2, 2007 — Concept and implementation

extraordinary public exposure linked to Terminals for interim or long-term

the event: additional capacity
— advertising; Perform a cost/efficiency comparison
— shops and restaurants. versus a conventional approach. This
should consider:
Terminals to compensate for short to
mid-term capacity shortages caused ● significantly shorter implementation time
by airport projects and earlier possible start of operation;
Such projects include expansions and
● reduced costs from concept and single-
repair after damage. The following should source implementation.
be evaluated:
● The cost of lost capacity: CONCLUSION
— loss of direct aviation and non-avia- Temporary and interim airport terminals
tion revenues; are a new approach that aims to provide
— risk of losing customers (passengers maximum efficiency at lowest possible costs.
or airlines) due to bad service quality. Temporary and interim airport termi-
●
The monetary value of increased project nals cover a great variety of applications,
efficiency: from short-term operation during inter-
— fewer temporary set-ups and moves; national sporting events to multi-year
— fewer interruptions; operation as part of an airport’s long-term
— improved planning. development plan.

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