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Case Study: Jet2.com – Enhancing Apron Safety at European Airports
The challenge: The risk of costly collisions
Continual growth in worldwide air travel increases the demand on airlines and service operators. Keeping aircraft moving quickly is essential, but busy airports and short turnaround times create pressure on ground crews. This can lead to an “ever-present concern” known as “ramp rash” – damage caused by ground service equipment (GSE) hitting an aircraft. Even minor contact can cost thousands of pounds to repair and cause significant schedule disruption. The apron, a “hive of activity,” is a dynamic and potentially dangerous environment.
The solution: The ZoneSafe system
Working with Jet2.com, ZoneSafe developed the Aircraft Damage Protection System to prevent aircraft damage and reduce the risk of accidents.
The system uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and comprises three key components:
- Safety Detection Cones: Like traffic cones, these are fitted with RFID tags and are strategically placed around an aircraft upon arrival, creating a 360° safety zone.
- In-cab Units: Antennas and control units are fitted to ground service vehicles. They produce a continuous audible and visual alarm in the cab when a vehicle enters the protected zone.
- Logging System: The system can record when a vehicle comes close to an aircraft, providing data for incident investigation and analysis.
Implementation and testing
The system underwent a series of rigorous tests and operational trials. The results were excellent, with the in-cab units giving a consistent alert every time a vehicle entered the detection zone. The driver was instantly made aware of their proximity and proceeded with caution until the alarm stopped upon exiting the zone.
Further airside tests with two live aircraft and engineers confirmed the system’s 100% reliability and, importantly, that it caused no interference with avionics, airport, or 4G systems. An added benefit observed was that the system encouraged drivers to perform brake tests more consistently before approaching an aircraft.
Installation takes about an hour per vehicle. Jet2.com found it was best to fix the units with a powerful adhesive to avoid invalidating vehicle warranties, while the deployment of the cones is now a standard part of the aircraft arrival procedure.
Results and benefits
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Gavin Marriott, Head of Ground Operations at Jet2.com, stated, “This pioneering proximity warning system…is a critical element of our ground handling operation and since its introduction we have seen enormous benefits at not just an operational level, but commercially too.”
Other key benefits include:
- Increased Operator Awareness: Jet2.com has seen improved awareness and a reduction in near-miss occurrences between vehicles and aircraft, particularly in poor weather.
- Reduced Costs & Delays: With the risk of collision significantly reduced, the risk of costly repairs and expensive delays is now at a minimum.
- Expanded Usage: The system’s success has led Jet2.com to deploy it at most of the airports it operates from. Other ground handlers, such as Swissport and Menzies, are also using it when servicing the airline’s aircraft.
The conclusion: A safer future
The ZoneSafe system provides an additional layer of protection that is quick and easy to deploy. It has successfully increased safety and awareness across multiple airports. By reducing collision damage, Jet2.com is able to reduce delays and cancellations, keeping costs under control and helping passengers get away on schedule. The airline is looking to install the system at every airport it flies from across the UK and Europe.
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