Gatwick airport has unveiled plans to use artificial intelligence technology to help optimise its security operations and improve passenger flow.

The airport is to implement the Passenger Predictability solution by technology firm Veovo, which will provide Gatwick with “real-time awareness of people’s movement and experiences in North and South terminal security areas”.

Gatwick will join airports including Manchester, New York’s Newark and Amsterdam Schiphol in introducing the technology, which Veovo says will allow the airport to “efficiently handle increasing passenger numbers and build back better for a more sustainable, passenger-centred travel experience”.

This summer Gatwick announced plans to move to a dual-runway operation, which would increase passenger capacity to approximately 75 million passengers per year by 2038.

Gatwick airport announces plans for dual runway operations

Veovo added the insight from the solution will “guide the airport to plan layout and lane openings, predict bottlenecks, and make informed decisions on the go”.

The firm also highlighted that its platform is not restricted by proprietary sensor technology, meaning that Gatwick will be able to “integrate and protect its existing stereo vision camera investments with new IoT [Internet of Things] sensors and data sources”.

Earlier this year Heathrow airport trialled intelligent queuing technology to manage the flow of travellers at the airport, allowing customers to virtually queue at check-in by pre-booking a slot time in advance of arriving at the airport.

British Airways trials digital queuing technology

Commenting on the news Bronwen Jones, development director at Gatwick Airport, said:

“Veovo’s cloud solution will help to make our business more resilient by allowing us to accurately measure passenger flow so that we can respond quickly and efficiently to any changes.

“The new technology will not only lead to smoother journeys for our passengers by increasing automation and optimising our processes, but it is also future-proofed, scalable and, by being cloud-hosted off-site, supports our commitment to sustainability by reducing our energy footprint.”

gatwickairport.com