Computer simulation helps Heathrow's Terminal 5 to be one of the best in the world

Computer simulation is today used in airports to simulate a variety of scenarios from potential pinch points in a new cargo building, to the level of standby cabin crew required. So when British Airways (BA) was about to move into the new Terminal 5 building, it was the job of the Operational Research Department to use computer simulation to find out how much infrastructure, such as check-in desks, was required and what staffing levels were necessary to satisfy customer service queuing standards. ‘The process of how passengers check in has changed dramatically over the last few years,’ says Andrew Beck, Principal OR consultant at BA. ‘Most passengers now either check in online or use a self-service check-in kiosk whereas previously they would have used a check-in desk. Terminal 5 was designed to reflect this change in behaviour, allowing passengers to flow efficiently through the terminal. Previous models at BA did not sufficiently model the changes in the check-in processes; this meant a new model was required.’ Beck and his colleagues built a generic simulation model to enable BA to look at infrastructure requirements in any airport. This model was used before T5 opening to look at various airport terminals including London Gatwick North