Feature request title:
Enhance Assigning Airlines to Facilities & “All Destinations” Check-In
- Multiple airlines assigned to a stand/gate
- Multiple airlines assigned to a Check-In desks/Bag Drop
- Multiple airlines assigned to Airline Lounges (e.g. like an alliance or third party lounge, and able to rename them as part of that).
- Common Check-In / All Destinations Check-In
Description:
Firstly, I think this simulator is fantastic, and these suggestions and enhancements suggested on the great work already done, and possible to address a few requests in one universal approach to be as user friendly as possible, allowing customisation but not forcing users to do so if they prefer a more simplified approach. I’ve broken it down into a few areas…
1 - Assign multiple airlines to “passenger handling” facilities. Currently we can assign a stand to a certain airline which is brilliant, but a drop down with a tick box for multiple airlines would be a great step further, especially if applied to other facilities such as check-in/bag drop and lounges.
2 - Toggle check-in desks to be whats known in industry as Common Check in or to customers as “All Destinations”.
Why it should be implemented:
1 - Assigning multiple airlines to Pax Handling facilities
A new depth of customisation and imagination could be allowed by this small change (though I don’t for one moment suggest it’s a small change for the brilliant developers behind the scenes of Airport CEO!). Check-In Desks, Boarding Gates and Airline Lounges could have a simple drop down box to tick with airlines are accepted there. The gates/stands would of course be tied together so maybe the drop down could be for the stand itself as it currently is, but support multiple selection. Check-In desks is where this would really get interesting, as this would open the door to create themed or dedicated check-in areas, without zoning/terminals needed as that is more relevant to other purposes. For example a large operator could be assigned a batch of bag drops, whilst smaller airlines could be assigned together to a small group of traditional desks. Any unassigned airlines, would simply default to any desks not assigned specifically, as they are currently. This could be taken further to assign security search areas to airlines to create a premium queue for a premium airline or fast track style, I personally wouldn’t like this, but maybe some might like the option available to use it or ignore it.
2 - Common Check-In (All Destinations)
Tied in with the above suggestion, this could be a simple toggle switch for each check-in or bag drop. If YES then any of the airlines ticked off as per the above suggestion, would see their flights “Open” at those desks in line with current timings. if NO is selected, the standard method applies for random selection of X number of desks as per requirements. Again, this with the above idea would allow us to in a user friendly manner, dedicate a certain check-in area/hall to a certain airline such as a low cost bag drop area. As part of airline satisfaction ratings, reward points and contract negotiation aspects, this could form part of that, such as efficiency ratings of their facilities.
Summarising the very wordy ideas above…
Expand the drop down for assigning airlines to stands, to multiple options. Apply that to other facilities including airline lounges, check-in/bag drop and possible any others.
Common Check-In, for either all airlines (as an airline operations exec for a large carrier, I know this is surprisingly common, particularly tourist airports) or tied in with the above feature to allow an airline to have an assigned batch of desks for all destinations. Existing timings would apply for when flights open.
Any feedback very much welcome, I’ve tried to explain these ideas in a way that are limited to only 1 drop down menu which exists in some areas already, and a toggle switch for check-in desks. Though as I say I know this won’t be a simple tasks to implement if proven popular as a suggestion.
Might this be a way of pleasing the majority, with a simple approach to implementing more customisation and detail but in a way that is optional, leaving it up to the user to use them or not?
as well as some of the airline logos from the contracts…