Key Takeaway
Airports are undergoing significant digital transformations, enhancing passenger experiences with mobile boarding passes and AI-driven security. Behind the scenes, operators are modernizing infrastructure to manage increased passenger volumes, processing millions of data points. Companies like Extreme Networks are pivotal in this shift, providing AI-driven network automation to optimize operations and improve passenger flow. Notable upgrades include Paris airports’ infrastructure refresh, increasing data capacity significantly, and similar advancements at US airports like Harry Reid International and Philadelphia International. These changes aim to ensure seamless, secure travel experiences while maintaining operational efficiency amid rising complexities.
For travelers navigating the world’s busiest airports, the signs of digital transformation are evident everywhere. Mobile boarding passes have taken the place of paper tickets. Baggage tags now feature digital chips rather than just barcodes. Security personnel monitor AI-enhanced camera feeds. However, these visible changes for passengers represent only a small part of the technological revolution reshaping aviation infrastructure.
Behind the scenes, airport operators are undergoing their most significant digital transformation in decades. The need to process more passengers while ensuring security has turned these transport hubs into advanced data centers, managing millions of data points across interconnected systems that keep aircraft in the air and passengers on the move.
The scale of this transformation has accelerated as global air travel rebounds. With over 904 million passengers screened by the US Transportation Security Administration in 2024—a 5% increase from the previous year—airports are hastening digital upgrades that had been paused during travel restrictions.
Network providers compete for a share of the aviation infrastructure market
At the heart of this transformation, network infrastructure providers are vying to modernize airport systems. Extreme Networks, a North Carolina-based provider of AI-driven network automation, has emerged as a key player, with its technology now supporting operations at seven major international hubs.
The company’s analytics platforms allow airport operators to monitor passenger movements and retail behavior patterns in real time. This data aids managers in staffing during peak times and refining terminal retail strategies, while AI systems oversee network security and passenger flow.
Digital transformation reaches the Paris aviation sector
In Paris, where Groupe ADP oversees both Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, a significant technology upgrade has transformed operations. Collaborating with technology services provider SPIE ICS, the airports have completed a network infrastructure refresh across 700 technical locations, increasing data processing capacity by up to 25 times.
“With Extreme solutions, we’re automating more tasks and empowering teams on-site,” says Nicolas Apchie, Head of Infrastructure and IT Operations at Groupe ADP. “Today, we have thousands of devices permanently connected, and the automation tools we’re implementing are greatly simplifying our daily operations.”
The new systems support everything from handheld ticket scanners to identification verification systems. More importantly, the entire upgrade was executed without disrupting the airports’ continuous operations.
US airports embrace network automation technology
Similar transformations are taking place across the Atlantic. At Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, new network infrastructure integrates operations across the main commercial terminal and two general aviation facilities. The system manages passenger services, including luggage tracking and airline check-in kiosks, while maintaining separate secure channels for staff communications.
Philadelphia International Airport has incorporated similar technology into its core operations, supporting 17,000 employees and 30 million annual passengers. This implementation is part of a broader terminal modernization program, necessitating network infrastructure that can adapt to evolving construction environments while ensuring operational stability.
These upgrades reflect a wider shift in how airports handle increasing operational complexity. Modern aviation hubs must process more passenger data than ever while adhering to strict security protocols that vary across jurisdictions. The solution increasingly lies in network systems that can segregate different types of data traffic while maintaining operational efficiency.
Norman Rice, Chief Commercial Officer at Extreme Networks, states: “Airports aim to provide every passenger with a seamless, safe experience, with reliable connectivity at its core—supporting everything from ticketing and baggage tracking to essential systems like kiosks, mobile apps, and digital signage. Secure, intelligent cloud-managed networks are crucial for enabling airports to deliver first-class service, even in the most challenging environments.”
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