Optimizing Passenger Communication at Cologne Bonn Airport
Case Study
A fully integrated announcement system centralizes passenger communication at Cologne Bonn Airport, delivering clear, multilingual updates in real time. Seamlessly interfacing with existing PA and AODB systems, it streamlines operations and reduces manual workload.
About the Customer
Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is a major aviation hub in Germany, serving over 12 million passengers annually with connections to 120 global destinations. In addition to passenger operations, CGN is a critical logistics center, processing nearly 1 million tons of air freight in 2022. As one of North Rhine-Westphalia’s key infrastructure assets, the airport requires efficient, structured communication to manage passenger flows and ensure smooth operations.
The Challenge
Before implementing an automated announcement system, Cologne Bonn Airport relied on manual announcements, leading to inconsistencies, delays, and inefficiencies in passenger communication. Announcements were handled independently at different information desks and control rooms, making coordination difficult. Airlines had to manually announce boarding calls, which resulted in inconsistent messaging and additional workload for staff.
As an international hub, CGN needed a multilingual solution to effectively communicate with passengers from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, without AODB integration, flight changes, cancellations, and gate updates had to be announced manually, increasing operational delays. To ensure high availability and reliability, CGN also required a redundant, locally hosted solution capable of functioning independently from cloud-based infrastructure.
Solution
In collaboration with Cologne Bonn Airport, Sittig Technologies implemented the PAXGuide Automatic Announcement system to improve communication and operational efficiency.
The PAXpaging software has been set up as a centralized announcement platform, tailored for the control room and information desks. It offers a wide range of announcement functions, such as scheduled, manual and template-based announcements, to respond quickly to all incidents.
PAXgate was introduced as a web application on all gate PCs. Through this application, airlines have the capability to automate their boarding announcements with their own boarding specifics. Recognizing the diverse demographic of travelers, the application communicates announcements in five languages, chosen based on the flight's destination to ensure comprehension across the board.
To ensure real-time updates, the AODB Interface was integrated. This guarantees the timely and automatic distribution of flight announcements, particularly during events such as cancellations and gate changes.
Equipped with the latest Text-2-Speech Engine, the PAXGuide system delivers high-quality announcements in five languages. This engine also offers the flexibility to easily adjust and create new announcements tailored to emerging situations.
Harmoniously connecting with the existing infrastructure, the system was integrated into a Variodyn D1 PA-system.
Thanks to Sittig, we've made significant strides in optimizing our communication processes and enhancing passenger experience. With travellers from all over the world, the PAXGuide system has become a cornerstone in our efforts to keep everyone well-informed.
Christof T. Kontogiannis
Head of Passenger Experience Cologne/Bonn Airport
PAXGuide
Solution
Airport
Vertical
2023
Launch
Enhance Passenger Experience
Deliver clear, native-language announcements to create a calm, informed environment.
Improve Passenger Flow
Ensure passengers are guided efficiently with precise, timely information based on live data.
Enhance Operational Efficiency
Simplify operations by automating announcements, freeing up staff for more critical tasks.
Reduce Operational Costs
Lower operational expenses by leveraging automation to minimize manual efforts.