CTO at Res2 shares what challenges he faces and what his main responsibilities are within his role.
21 September 2021
"iPort DCS is active on hundreds of airports worldwide. Many airports, airlines and passengers rely on the availability and reliability of the iPort system. This means our objective as a company is that iPort DCS needs to be robust and scalable as a real-time, high availability system. In addition, we operate in a world with ever changing demands and circumstances. For iPort DCS this can be new government mandates, changing or new IATA regulations and the very significant impact of the recent and current pandemic. These factors and many more present a continuously evolving set of circumstances that Res2 and iPort DCS must navigate. The speed at which we as a company can provide critical solutions, deploy at any airport in the world or connect to other systems whether they be governments or airlines is a crucial part of how iPort DCS supports our customers.
My responsibilities include ensuring that Res2 and iPort DCS meet the above objectives. We need to prepare for the unexpected, foresee growth of the passenger volume, monitor technical developments and observe the evolution in privacy mandates worldwide including GDPR. This is to name a only a few examples. I say ‘we’ because it is a team effort. Our teams in de Meern , USA and Portugal contribute to discussions and development around these topics.
As the CTO and architect of iPort DCS, my role includes certain key responsibilities. I ensure the quality of our software is maintained. This includes how we deliver iPort DCS and the overall service we offer to our customers. A good software architecture is the foundation that allows us to bring a user friendly, best of class DCS system to a wide range of customers every day. I am responsible for the overall architectural solutions(s) that form the basis of iPort DCS."
Freebird Airlines and Res2 join forces to optimize aircraft handling processes and to deliver seamless customer experience
13 July 2021
De Meern, The Netherlands – The recent and current impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry has forced the iPort DCS team to reorganize our operations. With the help of all employees at Res2, Res2 has been able to improve the system, customer support, and several internal processes. A result of continuous improvement, even in challenging times.
When the air traffic volume dropped, the development roadmap needed a revision as well. The development team took the opportunity and has successfully upgraded the iPort DCS development tools to the new .NET Core framework. This upgrade makes our internal tools ready for the next decade.
At the same time, the iPort DCS functional board started working on new functional designs to adapt the system to support iPort DCS users in applying new industry regulations during the pandemic. For example, in the last months, the following additions were implemented:
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The check-in agent can now send the passenger boarding pass from the check-in counter to the passenger’s mobile via e-mail. This way, the agent is not required to print a boarding pass and hand it over to the passenger, thus avoiding human contact. This functionality also supports the paperless operations concept.
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All self-service check-in channels – web, mobile and kiosk check-in – now have the option to include the Health Declaration Form as a mandatory step for each passenger, as recommended by EASA
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There is a new off-the-shelf brandless web check-in portal available for ground handling agents who require an immediate self-service check-in solution for their airline customers. This portal can be activated for any carrier instantly upon request
As the travel restrictions prevented the iPort DCS training team organizing face-to-face training, they created an online platform for end users training. Free refresher courses were offered and attracted over 2000 participants worldwide. As a next step, the training team recorded tutorial videos, which are now available on the iport.aero website.
It is encouraging to see the iPort DCS community being able to count on their provider to deliver value to their end customers in these times of need. If you would like to enjoy these and other benefits of using iPort DCS, please join our community.
Chair Airlines selects iPort DCS as most cost-efficient solution
08 June 2021
Utrecht, The Netherlands; Zürich, Switzerland
Chair Airlines has been looking for a stable and mature Departure Control System that easily runs at airports such as Zurich Airport, Chair’s home base with e-gates, mobile ramp agents and more. While searching for a DCS covering the complete scope of functionality and not just the extensive operational functionality, Chair Airlines has decided to partner with Res2, a Netherlands-based airline IT company. By using iPort DCS as a solution in their airline IT landscape, Chair Airlines will also be using the iSales module of iPort DCS, which enables sales of seats, baggage and much more through all passenger touch points online and at the airport, resulting in an increase in ancillary sales revenue.
Despite the challenging travel regulations, the training and support during the first live flight were organized with on-site support, resulting in a very successful flight handled in iPort DCS.
“The decision to choose iPort DCS for Chair Airlines was quite easy. After evaluation, we came to the conclusion that iPort DCS fits all the needs of our carrier, especially in terms of the ancillary sales in combination with iSales. iPort DCS showed a very smooth implementation process as well as efficient training sessions. From the beginning, the handling staff showed a quick understanding of the system and therefore the handling of the first flights were without any issues. The staff used the system as if they worked with it for years. Our conclusion is that iPort DCS was the right choice for us”
-Rüdiger Höh, NP Ground Operations at Chair Airlines
Chair Airlines has a strong foundation and is known for their reliability as a partner with a focus on key characteristics and brand values such as safety, dynamic and honesty.
“Res2 is looking forward to a strong and reliable partnership with Chair Airlines and we are excited to welcome them to the iPort DCS community. Res2 focuses on seamless customer experiences by providing continuous support during the passenger handling duties. We hope that this co-operation with Chair Airlines will improve their operational performances, passenger handling service and increase their ancillary sales revenue.’’
- Hans van Engelen, CEO at Res2
Starting off 2021 with a partnership with Aerohandling Ukraine
6 January 2021
Aerohandling Ukraine decided to join hands with iPort DCS through partnership. Aerohandling Ukraine used to handle SkyUp in iPort DCS already, but now they will handle other carriers as well.