The Challenge:

Passengers have become increasingly reliant on their mobile phone while at an airport, especially at the departure gate. From accessing digital boarding passes to making calls to friends and family or checking last minute work emails, having a charged device is crucial for passenger satisfaction and quick boarding.

In line with its transformation strategy, Manchester Airport needed a comprehensive phone charging strategy to ensure passengers at departure gates have access to digital boarding passes and can use their devices before, during and after flights.

While USB points or power outlets can help passengers who have a charger at hand, the process of using them is often too slow for the short amount of time passengers have before boarding, and they carry unnecessary risks. 

Outlets can fall into disrepair and for the many passengers who don't have their charger handy there's a considerable risk that they're unable to access mobile passes, which slows down the boarding process.

The physical inspection and testing of unmonitored charging points can rapidly become cumbersome and time-consuming as the effort to meet charging requests is implemented. The demand on airport staff can quickly become a significant cost factor.

Manchester Airport needed a trusted charging partner with transport experience to provide a manageable, state-of-the-art solution for every passenger.

The Solution:

ChargeBox provided Manchester Airport with four QUBE™ charging stations which it distributed around a new pier in Terminal 2.

Each ChargeBox QUBE™ provides eight charging cables configured to offer a solution for all phones, tablets and mobile devices available across the consumer electronics market. Up to eight devices can be charged simultaneously with a level of guaranteed safety unrivalled in the charging industry. Users simply plug-in and immediately start receiving a high-quality charge.

ChargeBox worked in close collaboration with Manchester Airport to design podiums to fix the QUBEs™ in-situ, managed delivery, installation and created a bespoke care support package to manage ongoing maintenance.

Finally, ChargeBox’s unique remote monitoring telemetry delivers proactive and real-time reactive maintenance management and behaviour analytics.

Business Benefits:

ChargeBox has helped Manchester Airport distinguish itself as one of the most digitally advanced airports in the world, significantly enhancing its overall passenger experience.

The QUBE™ charging stations alleviate stressful situations before and during flights as every passenger has a dependable facility to charge their device. This ensures access to mobile boarding passes and keep passengers connected before and after their flight, enhancing their journey experience.

With 1.5 billion mobile boarding passes expected to be issued in 2019 *, the QUBE™ reduces the risk of late departures (and the negative revenue implications this has) as staff are less likely to have to manage passengers with no access to their mobile boarding pass.

ChargeBox’s unique remote monitoring system eliminates the challenge for onsite staff to manually inspect and test charging points, therefore enhancing service availability. Measurement of utilisation rates and patterns also allows the airport to target the service capacity where it’s needed.

Finally, the QUBEs™ provide an opportunity for Manchester Airport to promote its own brand or generate advertising revenue by selling advertising and sponsorship opportunities which can be presented on and around the charging points.

*Source: Jupiter Research