Pulkovo Airport completes transition to Russian software for passenger services

Pulkovo Airport Transitions Check-In and Boarding Infrastructure to "AIST Common-Use Platform".The check-in counter and boarding gate infrastructure at Pulkovo Airport has been migrated to the AIST common-use platform. Designed to enable multiple airlines to operate on shared infrastructure using various peripheral devices — such as scanners, boarding pass printers, baggage tag printers, and more — the platform marks a significant milestone in the airport's digital transformation.

When making the decision to implement the platform, Northern Capital Gateway (NCG), the operator of Pulkovo Airport, was guided not only by the qualitative characteristics of the software solution but also by the synergy that "AIST" would provide to the airport in conjunction with other domestic production systems being deployed as part of the import substitution strategy, explains Andrey Nesterov, the company's IT Director. The expert notes: "Thanks to the well-coordinated work between Pulkovo and Neolabs, we managed to implement an extremely complex project in record time — just 1.5 months. We migrated 175 workstations to the new platform, which now serve over 40 airlines and handle approximately 70,000 passengers daily. Importantly, we completed the migration just before the start of the peak tourist season."

Pulkovo had previously implemented another development by Neolabs — the "Special Control" system for multi-factor verification of passenger documents and data, and for managing mobile boarding passes. Work is currently underway on a project to implement a baggage control system. The organic interaction with these systems allows the airport to receive not just a list of independent services, but a comprehensive solution that includes forming a unified digital passenger journey and a single data exchange environment. "We can now see when a passenger goes through check-in, security screening, and boarding procedures. Based on this information, we can assess the quality of our services and make informed decisions when resolving disputes," comments Pavel Kushnirenko, Director of Ground Handling at Northern Capital Gateway. "This is important for us, considering the implementation of the 'seamless travel' concept by the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation at Pulkovo."

Foreign systems required lengthy and expensive certifications for the national solutions used in any given country — which, as a rule, made developing various services technically impractical. At Pulkovo, they have now implemented a class of solutions that interact via standard IATA protocols and do not require such certifications from each other, summarizes Andrey Nesterov.

"The implementation of the "AIST" platform at Pulkovo is an example of well-coordinated teamwork. The project was completed in an extremely tight timeframe thanks to close interaction with our colleagues at the airport, who actively helped us adapt our solution to the internal architecture of Pulkovo's information systems and business processes, facilitated interaction with airlines, and promptly ensured the readiness of equipment and workstations. For our company, this is one of the largest implementations of this class of solution in the domestic market. We are delighted that AIST will become one of the key tools in ensuring the passenger journey through the terminal complex, and we are confident that our platform will help maintain the highest standards of passenger service," notes Alexander Semchenko, CEO of Neolabs.

Pulkovo Airport is actively implementing its import substitution program. The airport operator is a member of the Industry Competence Center, where it is working on the task of transitioning the aviation industry to domestic technical solutions by 2025.

Source: Pulkovo Airport